Thanks for all the kind emails after last week’s blog 🙂 I am happy to report that our new Glasgow Robert Graham shop is busier than we ever were in our old West Nile street premises (and that was very busy!). The Whisky range is almost complete finally and the walk in humidor stocks are steadily building up (I’m being modest- the range is huge already!) Truly something for everyone.

I made a flying start to the week zooming over to our Hamburg La Casa del Habano at stupid o’clock on Monday morning. Very civilized on British Airways from T5 but a very very packed flight.

LCDH Hamburg really is a beautiful cigar store and lounge and has an outstanding range of whisky and rum to compliment the huge selection of Havana cigars in the walk in humidor.

We smoked a couple of recent production San Cristobal La Fuerza with maduro wrapper. Outstanding cigars, well aged tobacco but… Not a San Cristobal blend. Very strange.

Paired up a bottle of bubbly with some Bolivar Belicosos Finos from 2007 which worked very well indeed, ‘its all about vintage’ and most people seem to miss that point. It really doesn’t get much better than 2007 in the last 20 years as far as I’m concerned (and most connoisseurs I know would concur) TEB factory code and June/July codes so much the better.

My BBF was simply outstanding, sweet and spice, full flavoured and well balanced, perfectly crafted with a cool easy draw. A Havana cigar at it’s best without any doubt.

I can’t believe my Partner Christoph and I have been in business for so long in Hamburg, the years have truly flown by. I’ve steadily built up stocks of interesting cigars in Hamburg over the years and expect to be releasing many excellent value Havanas over the rest of this year.

Talking of value – we are about to introduce some premium Nat Sherman cigars at unbelievably low prices. I think other UK retailers used to sell the same cigars for double the price!!! I love Nat Sherman and always visit their huge town house store when I am in New York so we are very excited to be offering our clients such a cracking deal…

Nat Sherman cigars

Host Harrington
6” length and 48 ring gauge
Honduras
Singles £4.99
Pack of 5 £24.89
5 packs of 5 £119.99

Host Hamilton
5 ½” length and 42 ring gauge
Honduras
Singles £4.49
Pack of 5 £22.39
5 Packs of 5 £109.99

Metropolitan University Toro
6 “ length and 50 ring gauge
Dominican Republic
Singles £4.99
Pack of 5 £24.89
5 packs of 5 £119.99

Metropolitan Union
4 ½” length and 50 ring gauge
Dominican Republic
Singles £4.89
5 singles £23.99
Box of 25 £119.89

Metropolitan Anglers
5 ½” length and 43 ring gauge
Dominican Republic
Singles £4.39
Pack of 5 £21.89
5 packs of 5 £109.39

Metropolitan Explorer
6 ½” length and 52 ring gauge
Dominican Republic
Singles £5.49
5 singles £27.39
Box of 20 £109.49

Navigator (Tipped cigars/handmade)
5 1/2” length and 42 ring gauge
Singles £4.19
Pack of 4 £16.69

Tuesday was movie day! Yes, after a lot of persuading I agreed with my marketing department in a remake of the C.Gars movie and professional film crew Dez and Ivan turned our offices into a studio for the afternoon where I was interviewed by cigar journalist Nick Hammond.

The old C.Gars movie was… Well, really old and yet it was still one of the most popular pages on the website (how many times can you watch the same little clip?!… Or was it that viewers were watching my gorgeous assistant Michelle??!!) Anyway despite a busting headache and cold, I made it through the session and am looking forward to seeing the end results as well as having a laugh with the outtakes (which will not be put on the net!).

Unfortunately by Wednesday it was just about game over for me as I have collapsed with acute ManFlu (as my wife calls it!) possibly too many flights and too many sneezing passenger germs over the last few weeks. Who knows, anyway, I’m a tough old bugger (emphasis on ‘old’ as it was my birthday last weekend) and after a few days pampering at home I dare say I’ll be tearing around the Orchant Empire again!

Righto, I’m off for a hot toddy or two 🙂

Have a smokey weekend,

Peaceful puffing

Mitchell