My partner Christoph popped over from Hamburg for the day last week together with a few friends from the South of France. Reason for the meeting? well, we thought we discuss our growing collection of Cuban cigar related collectibles and memorabilia which we are guessing is one of the largest collections in the world now.

Our offices,humidors, stockrooms and cigar stores are crammed with books, photographs, jars, cabinets, boxes and other items related to Cuban cigars and each one is a unique piece of history as well as beautiful in its own unique way. You can see a small selection of our antiques.  I am passionate about my original photograph collection and as soon as I have the time I hope to put together a “coffee table” book of my favourites.

Chris and I took our friends to Boisdale in Belgravia for a delightful lunch followed by Punch Serie D’Oro no.1 ( UK regional exclusive) on the cigar terrace.

Yesterday I zoomed up to Robert Graham cigar and whisky stores in Glasgow and Edinburgh  as I hadn’t been up there for a while. I always find something interesting in Edinburgh’s walk in humidor. This time I found some Ramon Allones Belicosos ( UK regional exclusive from 2004  to 2007 )

And to test my will power to the limit we now sell the most delicious hand made chocolates.  Needless to say my appetite won over my willpower! I had the chocs with some with some of the new and delicious Robert Graham single malt made for “the Homecoming” festivities this year

Great bargains on a variety of Havanas for my non UK clients that receive my email newsletter and also bargains for my UK clients on two first rate Havana cigars PARTAGAS SERIE P#2 TUBED – Pack of 3 at reduced price of £38.25 and PARTAGAS SHORTS – BOX OF 25 price reduced to £150. I love Partagas cigars and these two are my favourites in the brand. The offer is only on for this month and whilst stocks last as usual so you may want to get your orders in this weekend

Happy birthday to us! On Monday it will be 6 years since I took over Turmeaus Tobacconist of Liverpool and what a great success story that has been for C.Gars Ltd. A cigar merchant that had been going since 1817 and was brought to its knees by the previous management only to be completely turned around and now a vibrant and profitable business again with a walk in humidor as well as highly skilled dedicated management and staff. I am very proud of the Turmeaus team. Well done Christine, Alfie, Mish and Veronica.

Turmeaus Tobacconist shops in Liverpool and Chester specialise in cigars but also in pipe tobacco and we are one of the few places where you can still have our own blends.Online ordering available as well through C.Gars website

Have a smokey weekend with lots of peaceful puffing 🙂

Best

Mitchell

Hope everyone had a good bank holiday weekend:-) I spent the day at the new Westfield shopping Mall in London yesterday and was amazed at how busy it was. No sign of credit crunch there! Was pleased to get home for a much needed Punch Serie D’Oro no.1 and large dram of Robert Graham Speyside.

Our overseas cigars aficionados will be pleased to hear that the new Montecristo Open range of cigars will be available from late next week at the following prices:

Junior singles £5.99
http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/montecristo-open-junior-outside-p-6742.html

Junior box of 20 £118.99
http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/montecristo-open-junior-outside-p-6743.html

Regata singles £7.99
http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/montecristo-open-regata-outside-p-6750.html

Regata box of 20 £158.99
http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/montecristo-open-regata-outside-p-6751.html

Master singles £9.59
http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/montecristo-open-master-outside-p-6756.html

Masters box of 20 £189.99
http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/montecristo-open-master-outside-p-6757.html

Eagle singles £12.49
http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/montecristo-open-eagle-outside-p-6749.html

Eagle box of 20 £248.99
http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/montecristo-open-eagle-outside-p-6748.html

Our UK clients will have to wait a little longer till June for these new cigars to be available (and I’m afraid at slightly higher prices…thank you useless Labour Government)

Our humidor extension is finally completed and conditions perfectly stable. You can see a few pics here http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/document.php?id=cgarsnews.htm&title=Latest+News

Have a great week

Peaceful puffing

Mitchell

Free cigars? no no that was a joke sorry but now I have your attention 🙂 lets catch up with the weeks news:

Darling, chancellor (he of the stupid eyebrows) presented his budget, punished most, got it all wrong and lied with silly predictions that no one really believes.he obviously take the view that “the bigger the lie, the more likely someone will believe it” Umm… I don’t think so Darling, start counting as you have around a year in Parliament left and then we will all gladly forget about you….and your eyebrows!

The tax increase on tobacco was only 2%. Cigarette smokers have had 7p whacked on a pack of 20… c’est la vie, I can’t say I particularly care about cigarettes and happily told our retail chain to stop selling 10’s and cut their ranges down to the luxury cigs only. I could be wrong but I think the high cigarette prices probably just encourage more smuggling. I almost said “the type of cigarettes smuggled and then sold down the pub” but then I read an article in today’s Financial Times that reports 50 Pubs a week are closing down! Sheeesh! even smugglers are finding it hard in a recession!

Good time to stock the humidor up in all honesty. We reckon that the UK is likely to have a massive price increase in cigar prices in the next week or so, as importers look to sure up their margins to the slump in the value of Sterling.

So, enough of the budget boredom and I headed off to herf with a good pal in his humble castle in the countryside of France. There’s something rather civilized about France especially when you get away from the cities. The weather was glorious as were the cigars. We seemed to be stuck in the loop of 2007 BBF’s and UK regional Punch Serie D’Oro no.1. Could be worse. Matched them up with some Balvenie 15 and you have a good recipe for a most pleasing herf.

Friday and I was back in the London office, my sales team advise that we are busier than last Christmas season! In fact they were working so fast it reminded me of a 33 record being played at 45. A bit like a Benny Hill cigar sketch! why? what? huh? what’s going on? No idea, but we are assuming that due to the recession and lack of pubs, clubs, bars where you can smoke, many more people are spoiling themselves and smoking, drinking at home. Great idea I say 🙂

So what are we doing about it? well we have just refurbished and extended our London humidor and increased our cigars stocks enormously. In times of economic instability I have to figure that cigars are a better currency than…currency! And of course I can smoke them all as well (could take a while but would relish the challenge!) I think by the time I have finished merchandising the new humidor I may well have the largest stock of Havanas in the UK (I could be wrong but I won’t be far off)

In line with the increased amount of visitors to our London offices for sampling sessions,the range of Robert Graham scotch has increased as well http://www.whisky-cigars.co.uk/robert-graham-whisky-c-255.html. If you are a scotch drinker and you have not tried my range,you are missing out. “Trust me I’m a cigar merchant” (never trust a cigar merchant that tells you that!) Is anything more perfect with a Havana than a decent Single Malt? don’t answer that as I guess some Champagne and a few rums certainly do come close 🙂

Next week is shaping up to be fun with a launch of Nub cigars by JJ Fox and a Tor trade show to keep us busy mid week and more office refurb works later in the week. I may just have to stay at home and leave Michelle to play Boss next week 🙂

Oh and free cigars?….sure! just buy now before the price increases come through and when you look back in a few weeks time it may well seem like you got a few free smokes on your last purchase!

Have a great weekend

Peaceful puffing

Mitchell

Increases on smokes and booze as expected )-:

Now we are waiting to see what price increases will come through from our suppliers to add to the price misery

Best to stock up the humidor at pre Budget prices whilst stocks last

Peaceful puffing and best from sunny London

Mitchell