Boisdale of Bishopsgate

One of my regular cigar friendly hang outs has for many years been Boisdale of Bishopsgate.

 

Great food,wine list and service and pre smoking ban….very cigar friendly.

 

Perfect for meeting clients in the City but what now with the smoking ban? well it may not be as good as before the ban but Boisdale have very cleverly created a small outdoor smoking area. Complete with awning ( to stay dry) and heaters. Not as comfortable at the fabulous smoking terrace at the Belgravia Boisdale but nonetheless a great place to have a smoke and very highly recommended.

 


 

I met with clients at Boisdale yesterday and enjoyed a couple of Hoyo Piramides (limited edition) which had matured into a splendid smoking experience.

 

Needless to say the smoking area was very busy indeed.

 

Hunters and Frankau advise that there are over 400 locations for outdoor smoking already with more springing up all the time.Email me if you would like the list

 

Peaceful puffing:-)

 

Mitchell

Zurich herfing :-)

I was invited to the offices and warehouse of Fifth Avenue Importers in Germany and was quite amazed and impressed by the scale of the operation.

 

Fifth Avenue are the official Habanos importer and distributor for Germany (same as Hunters and Frankau are in the UK)

 

The operation is different  to the UK as only 10% of the Havana’s are quality checked ( the other 90% are quality checked in my Hamburg store!) but they have to attach the tax labels to each box which looked to be quite laborious task. In the UK Hunters and Frankau check 100% of the Havanas for quality control.

 

The quality of Havanas generally in Germany is first rate and I am not certain whether this is indicative of quality in General for Havanas in Europe or if Habanos S.A. select certain cigars for this market as I believe they do for the UK market.

 

It’s quite intoxicating being surrounded by more Havanas than I have ever seen in my life …and very pleasant! I was hoping they would just close the doors and forget about me…for a few years šŸ™‚ I could have herfed my way through quite a bit of the inventory!

 

We enjoyed Siglo VI and Edmundos with some schnapps at a local restaurant which my colleague Cristobal tried to persuade me was good for the health…who am I to argue ?!

 

Thanks to Fifth Avenue for such kind hospitality,they really are a pleasure to work with.

 

I headed back to Zurich airport and have to say I have never found a more smoker friendly airport anywhere in the world ! I must have counted at leas 4 dedicated and comfortable smokers lounges. No one batted an eyelid when I lit up my Partagas P2 šŸ™‚ How terribly politically incorrect in the current anti smoking climate….splendid šŸ™‚

 

The airport has a delightful Davidoff shop ( they are always my favourite cigars shops) with an excellent range of Havanas in the walk in humidor.

 

I was stopped at security as they spotted my herf cutter and lighter but the officer was polite beyond belief and when I explained I was a cigar merchant was happy to allow me through with said items…..Somehow I can’t imagine getting the same polite treatment in the UK but I could be wrong šŸ˜‰

 

It’s been a good day…started off with a Por Larranaga Magnificos….. and continued with another 3… it really doesn’t get much better šŸ™‚ …now if only I could be patient and leave these cigars alone for another year or two:-)

 

Peaceful puffing

 

Mitchell

Por Larranaga Magnifico

The cigar that has impressed me more than any in the last year has to be the Por Larranaga Magnificos.

 

It’s unique in so many ways and you may have well read the full story already http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/document.php?id=porlarranagamagnifico.htm

 

The size for me at least, is quite perfect,as is the appearance,construction and most important the blend.

 

The blend reminds me of Davidoff Dom Perignon  in the 1980’s but with perhaps just a little more oooomph!

 

The slide lid cabinets are simple but the bands are elegant beyond compare.

 

I have smoked quite a few of these delightful cigars but decided to do a full days taste testing yesterday which started at around 10 in the morning and ended around midnight. I tested 6 cigars from 6 different boxes to see how consistent the blend was ( all in a days work of course!) and can very happily ( if not smokily!) confirm that each cigars blending was absolutely identical….incredible consistency and each cigar had a perfect draw.

 

These cigars are young and if I would have a criticism it is that they are fresh and will improve tremendously with time and patience.They will need another year in the humidor to really show their complexity but the balance is good and I believe this will become one of the greatest Havanas of all times.

 

1400 odd boxes made only which is a tiny production and I am guessing they are more or less sold out in the UK. already.I certainly can’t remember the last time a limited edition was made exclusively for the UK market so my experience of the vintage cigar market suggests that this could become one hell of a collectible cigar ….rather fast šŸ™‚

 

In fact the Por Larranaga Magnum which this cigar was modelled on is one of the most collectible and valuable Havanas in the world.It would not surprise me if the Magnificos goes the same way.

 

Now if I could just stay away from smoking any more for a year or more…………..:-)

 

Peaceful puffing from rainy London.

 

MItchell

South Beach smokin’ :-)

Happy holidays!…and they certainly are happy in Florida šŸ™‚ no sign of any snow though, in fact it’s 78F and very very sunny:-)

 

There’s nothing quite like Miami where Christmas trees and Menorahs are side by side from the moment you step off the plane and walk into the airport to just about every store you walk past.

 

I’m smoking my morning BBF (2001) overlooking the ocean contemplating how enjoyable it is being able to smoke cigars in the sunshine, whilst walking around South Beach, dining al fresco or visiting a cigar friendly establishment.

 

All of which can’t quite be done in London as we rarely have any sun (not in 2007 anyway!) cigar clubs and lounges have been closed by the ban  and al fresco dining in the cold and damp…ummm, no thanks!

 

I had heard great things about Havana Club of Miami so I contacted the owners and they kindly invited me to check it out. Have a look at the website, it is pretty good http://www.thehavanaclubofmiami.com/ 

 

The views are quite spectacular to say the least, quite breathtaking. They boast the largest walk in humidor in the States, full of lockers with famous names on most.

 

My guests and I enjoyed some Opus 1 wine, decanted and quite splendid with our cigars.  Having just read the Mondavi book, the wine was most appropriate.

 

Dinner was first rate and it was hard to choose which desert so I chose them all šŸ™‚ No complaints except the owner advised that he sent over some complimentary ice cream…strange but I’m sure he meant well.

 

Cigar smoking at the bar and the table,no problem at all and delightful service made this a most pleasant evening except a little lack of atmosphere and ambience as the 15,000 square foot club was a tad empty which I am advised is partly due to the time of year and partly because entry is limited to members only, perhaps 800 or so.

 

The owner advises that many billionaire members prefer this club as it is quiet and relaxing unlike other busy buzzy cigar clubs. Hmmm,horses for courses I guess as I was with 1 “billionaire” and 1 “millionaire” and they also felt that it was a little flat and prefer busy buzzy.C’est la vie but I’m not convinced that bigger is better nevertheless…a nice evening was had by all and we left the chef ( who was most polite) and the waiter ( who was quite charming) a good cigar in appreciation.Would I return? the jury is out.

 

Strolling along Lincoln I found the perfect place for cigar smoking and people watching… Deco Drive cigars…highly recommended. Easy to lose track of time watching the world go by whilst puffing our stogies.

 

I’m meeting with many friends whilst I’m over here, Barry the Vic has popped over from California ( actually 4 1/2 hours to pop over!) and Mango Joe is zooming over from Texas (yeeehaaah 3/2 hour flight!) Needless to say we are making up quite a large table at one of the finest new years eve parties on South Beach which I understand includes liberal amounts of entertainment including singers, dancers and pyrotechnics!

 

2007 went by in a flash for C.Gars Ltd and it was our best year ever.  Our job was made much easier by so many fantastic quality Havanas being made.  Excellent blending,construction and appearance has become the norm… bravo, a luxury product should of course be this perfect.

 

Our most popular Havanas of the year were:

 

Bolivar Belicosos Finos

 

Montecristo 2 and Montecristo Edmundo

 

Partagas Serie D No. 4 and Ramon Allones Specially Selected

 

Partagas Serie P No. 2 and Partagas Shorts

 

I’ll be toasting in the new year with something…nice and vintage, perhaps a pre embargo Henry Clay or La Coronas that was kindly gifted to me recently.

 

Wishing all friends and clients old and new a smoky new year

 

Peaceful puffing and warmest wishes

 

Mitchell

Retail Week

This week is a “retail week ” for me and I’m enjoying time out from my hectic London office visiting all of my retail stores.

 

Yesterday I popped in to Turmeaus tobacconist shops in Liverpool and Chester and chatted with my team and customers whilst sampling excellent Montecristo Reserva cigars. This cigar has a complexity like no other regular Monte 4 will ever achieve!

 

Turmeaus tobacconist is the second oldest cigar merchant in the UK having been established in 1817.

 

Our shops have a comprehensive range of Havanas and other fine cigars as well as being pipe and pipe tobacco specialists. You are always assured a warm welcome as well as some good old fashioned attentive service. Detail on my contacts page http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/document.php?id=contact.htm&title=Contact+us

 

Tomorrow I’m off to bonny Scotland to visit my whisky and cigar shop in Edinburgh Robert Graham Ltd,the oldest cigar merchant in Scotland established way back in 1874.We bottle our own Single Malts which can not be found anywhere else and also stock a comprehensive range of other single malts as well as premium cigars in our walk in humidor. Here’s the website http://www.whisky-cigars.co.uk/

 

I’ll be visiting our latest acquisition in Glasgow Global Whisky shop based in busy West Nile Street. check out the website of you are looking for rapid delivery  of a fine bottle of Single Malt http://www.globalwhiskyshop.com/

 

Next week I’m off to Hamburg to spend a little time at our  beautiful La Casa del Habano situated in the Chilehaus at the heart of the City.

 

We probably have one of the most stylish cigars stores in the world,with an enormous walk in humidor and comfortable smoking lounge…no smoking ban here! Looking forward to smoking some great Upmann 2’s which have just arrived and I am told are the best blended 2’s in a long long time.

 

The it’s back to C.Gars Ltd London office for last orders in time for Christmas…place them early please and we’ll do our best to get them to you within 24 hours.

 

Always available 24 hours a day 356 days a year by phone on 07000 088 088 and email [email protected]

 

Peaceful puffing

 

Mitch