With fuel prices at an all time high in the UK I can’t help but think that the Chancellor is unlikely to increase tax/duties on petrol and diesel in this week’s budget, not unless he wants a tanker drivers’ strike again or riots in the streets which makes me think the Government have to raise taxation somewhere else and no doubt the easiest way is to clobber the smoker and wham up taxes on all tobacco in order to support our health service (odd situation if ever there was one)

Can’t say I’m bothered about cigarettes as we don’t sell them online and only do the specialist lines and herbal smokes in our retail shops but sadly cigar smoking gets tarred with the same brush as cigarette smokers despite the fact that a good premium handmade cigar once in while is more likely to benefit you with its calming and de-stressing rather than damage your health

So you have been warned in advance ☺ order a top up of cigars at pre budget prices whilst you can. We will try and hold off price increases as long as possible, in fact we never even increased our prices after the VAT increase of 2.5% and whilst cigars may be a luxury product unfortunately they are not a luxury margin product so the prices are going one way-up and soon. Top up the humidors and beat the budget!

I’m looking forward to an great evening at Boisdale Belgravia on Monday where we will be enjoying El Rey del Mundo Orchant Seleccion Tainos and Bolivar Royal Orchant Seleccion Royal Coronas matched up with some great single malt from Singleton of Dufftown. Looking forward to seeing some old friend and making some new friends at my favourite cigar friendly venue in London.

Have a smokey week

Peaceful puffing

Mitchell

Smokey greetings from sunny London 🙂

New releases finally confirmed for this year by our importers Hunters and Frankau

New lines….

Partagas Serie E No.2 5½” length and 54 ring gauge in 5’s and 25’s due May/June

Partagas Serie D No.5 43/8” length and 50 ring gauge in 10’s and 25’s due October/November

H Upmann Half Coronas 3½” length and 44 ring gauge in packs of 4 due July and boxes of 25 in November

Limited editions….

Cohiba 1966 LE 6½” length and 52 ring gauge in boxes of 10

Hoyo Short Piramides LE 5 1/3” length and 46 ring gauge in boxes of 10

Ramon Allones Allones LE Extra 5 5/8” length and 44 ring gauge with old style bands in boxes of 25

Gran Reserva 2011….

Montecristo Gran Reserva 2011

In boxes of 15 due 6 1/8” length and 52 ring gauge September/October

UK regional editions…..

Bolivar Britanicas 5 3/8” length and 46 ring gauge in boxes of 10 due June/July

Punch Medalla de Oro 6 1/8” length and 50 ring gauge in boxes of 10 due November / December

…and yes we are still waiting for the Flor de Cano UK regional 2010 which we expect before June with any luck!

So loads of potentially great new cigars due to be released this year !

As was say at C.Gars Ltd ‘smoke less but some the best – EMS – English Market Selection’

Have a great week

Peaceful puffing

Mitchell

Just another crazy busy week in the life of a cigar merchant!

On Monday I had a long but lovely drive to our Norfolk offices and warehouse in blazing sunshine, even had the roof off for the last half hour as I herfed my way through a delicious Vegas Robaina Unicos.

Marketing Director Laura Graham smoked her way delicately through a couple of Upmann Corona Juniors whilst I continued my Robaina sampling with a Famosos. I reckon Vegas Robaina are underrated and interest in the brand is going to increase a great deal this year. Many of the range are well matured and quite delightful complex Havanas. Checkout the range, try them and see if I’m wrong. I am so confident that I will give your money back if you disagree!

Our Norfolk offices must have the youngest Team out of our whole group – they all look about 12 years old to me ( I’m getting old!) but wow – are they switched on and enthusiastic, very impressive indeed.

Tuesday (happy pancake day – there goes my diet again) was some serious office herfing ( Robaina Unicos again !) with friends followed by dinner herf at the Lanesborough, smoked salmon, Chablis and Punch Serie D’Oro no.1, my idea of a perfect combo 🙂

Wednesday and a quick sampling session of Ramon Allones Specially Selected with Simon Chase at Hunters and Frankau, a good mature cabinet selection that was a delightful smoke. Took another one form the drive back to the office which was just as well as the traffic was a complete nightmare as usual in Town.

Thursday and the new bank manager came to the office to introduce herself 🙂 very nice and not what one would expect of a bank manager, pretty switched on and of course had never seen a cigar business before so it was fun chatting with her about the trade. Sadly I don’t think I’ll be converting her into a cigar smoker any time soon but she may tell her friends about C.Gars Ltd !

Friday and finally a ‘quiet’ day in the office to catch up on paperwork. I have finished off the invitation to our Spring Cigar Party celebrating the launch of
Boisdale Canary Wharf and tickets are already selling out fast It will be a night to remember and I’m looking forward to it immensely. Still deciding which ‘Orchant Seleccion’ Havanas to smoke on the evening but I reckon it will be something nice and mature…English Market Selection of course.
Finally, if you want to try something a little different and non Cuban, give these a shot there actually a pretty decent smoke indeed!

Have a smokey weekend.

Peaceful puffing

Mitchell

Not quite as glamorous as my recent trips to Havana ! but I do love Liverpool 🙂 its such a cool city and my cigar business was originally established there way back in 1817 making it the second oldest Havana cigar business in the UK- how’s that for some history. My company bought the last surviving Turmeaus shop in Water street 10 years ago and it was a business that was declining by the day till we turned it around rapidly with our unique combination of massive amounts of stocks of the finest English Market Selection Havana cigars and pipe tobaccos as well as the best of customer service.

But this was no easy journey as our original shop came up for redevelopment and a few years ago we had to move to a new shop at 34 Fenwick street which was never quite big enough for our massive range. Fortunately we were able to acquire 32 Fenwick street recently and have now redeveloped the shop to a beautiful purpose built specialist cigar and pipe tobacco shop that finally opened its doors last week to resounding purchases of approval by loads of our regular clients! We still have some snagging to complete as well as an additional 100 boxes of Havanas to fill the walk in humidor to capacity but our Merseyside clients can be assured that Turmeaus is here to stay. The design is bright and airy with an ultra high ceiling and of course cigar sampling on the premises allowed and encouraged!

We are now redeveloping our original shop next door at no.34 and expect that to open in mid April if all goes to plan. It’s great to be a survivor of this recession with a thriving business that continues to create new jobs almost monthly over the last year.

I also visited Turmeaus cigar shop in Chester on Friday which must have the largest range of Havanas for miles around in the walk in humidor, it was jammed with customers buying their weekend smokes 🙂

With St Patricks day coming up on the 17th March our special sampler is perfect for the occasion and if you are visiting Ireland don’t forget to pop in to our Partners at Decent Cigar Emporium on Grafton street for the finest in service and cigars.

We’re putting the final touches on our C.Gars Ltd Spring Cigar Dinner at the fabulous Boisdale Canary Wharf on Sunday April 10th. For an invitation to a night to remember featuring the best in fine dining, outrageously great Seleccion Orchant smokes, a fabulous band and a drink or three 🙂 drop me an email fast as places are strictly limited [email protected]

I’m off to our Norfolk offices tomorrow to meet the ever expanding sales and marketing Team and find out what great offers they have planned for the rest of the year….already looks like 2011 will be our best year ever!

Now I’m finally back in the UK for a few weeks I’m looking forward to my regular herfs at Boisdale Belgravia, Ten Manchester street and the Lanesborough cigar terraces, If you are free of the 21st March I will be co – hosting an evening at Boisdale Belgravia from 6 pm featuring Orchant Seleccion Havana cigars and Singleton of Dufftown single malt Scottish whiskies – 15 Year Old and 12 Year Old with Colin Dunn. Places are limited so book soonest to avoid disappointment. Just £15 for members and £25 for non members.

Have a great week

Peaceful puffing

Mitchell

Buenos noches from Pabexpo where the 13th Festival gala dinner is taking place

Over 1500 aficionados,retailers,importers and Havana cigar devotees are enjoying the main event of the year in our industry

A celebration of the brand of Montecristo and the introduction to the trade of the Montecristo Gran Reserva which will be released in varnished cabinets of 15 cigars in the near future

The evening started with our goodie bag containing the Festival presentation case of 2 Monte Gran Reserva and a Monte 5 pre dinner, the second cigar is a Montecristo Open Master

My table is pretty close to the stage and I’m sitting next to Simon Chase of Hunters and Frankau 🙂 deja vu of the best type !

Great entertainment- singers and dancers non stop throughout the evening and a some pretty decent wines too, a slick event

The auction Lots are more outrageous than ever !…

Lot 1 : Upmann humidor 320 cigars including the new half coronas,Royal robustos,Noellas and Butifarras

Lot 2 : Hoyo humidor 300 cigars including Extravaganzas,Maravillas,Short Hoyo Piramides,Gran Piramides and Obsequios

Lot 3: Romeo humidor 300 cigars including Aguilas and Fabulosos no 6

Lot 4 Partagas humidor 350 cigars including Serie E no 2,Serie B and C as well as Serie P No 3

Lot 5 Montecristo humidor 350 cigars including Agulias,double coronas and Maravillas no 1

Lot 6 Robaina humidor 220 cigars including Maestros and Finuras

Lot 7 Cohiba humidor 400 cigars including Cohiba 1966,Robusto Especial and Sublimes Extra

Loads of photos to add to the website when I’m back in London on Monday !

Tomorrow I’ll be at the cocktail Party at Partagas and perhaps Tropicana in the evening….. its a tough job

Peaceful puffing

Saludos

Mitchell

____________________________________________________________________________________

Simon Chase is the auctioneer for Habanos SA and all proceeds are donated to the Cuban health system

Winning bids in Euros

Lot 1 52,000
2 65,000
3 85,000
4 60,000
5 75,000
6 40,000 unsold reserve not reached
7 450,000

Habanos awards

Production : Armando Trujillo Gonzales
Business : Dr Maximilliam Herzog
Communication : Adriano Martinez