Smoking your cigar

  A cigar can provide a great deal of enjoyment, and it should not be rushed. Allow yourself time to appreciate the whole experience, from choosing and cutting to lighting and smoking. The pleasurable ritual of smoking a cigar begins with cutting it. Most modern experts agree that the best way...

Sunday 30 September, 2018

New to Cigars

Reviving your cigars

  There has been much discussion and argument over whether cigars can be restored to their normal state once they have dried out. If a cigar has become dry and the wrapper has not cracked and unravelled, then it can be restored. But this must be done slowly and patiently. If the wrapper has ac...

Wednesday 26 September, 2018

New to Cigars

How to cut and light a cigar?

  How to cut and light a cigar, this is an art that will maximise enjoyment of your chosen smoke. Every Havana is made from three components; filler, binder and a wrapper leaf that is sealed at the cigar's 'head' with a cap made from a piece of wrapper leaf.To cut a Havana, you need to remove ...

Thursday 20 September, 2018

New to Cigars

The evil of weevil

  There is no more depressing sight than, when opening a box of your favourite Havanas, you find the cigars inside riddled with holes. It means that you have suffered an attack by Lasioderma Serricorne, to give it the scientific name, otherwise called the Tobacco Weevil, the Tob...

Tuesday 18 September, 2018

New to Cigars

To age or not to age... that is the question!

‘ To age or not to age’ … that is the question ! ( with thanks to our friend Reuven Zasler for this article) Aside from my own hands-on experience concerning the topic of ageing, as well as the positive experience of other enthusiasts, there exits a body of literature, albeit qui...

Friday 14 September, 2018

New to Cigars

Setting up your Humidor

Havana cigars mature like fine wines, in fact they will continue to improve for up to their first 15 years and in many cases much longer, but they do need a little basic care.The humidifier in your humidor should be topped up with either humidification solution or distilled water (available from mos...

Thursday 13 September, 2018

New to Cigars

Calibrate your Hygrometer

  A hygrometer is an instrument used to measure relative humidity.Relative humidity is a measure of how much water the air is holding, relative to the maximum amount of water the air could possibly hold at a given temperature. Because of the delicate design of hygrometers, it is easy for them ...

Tuesday 04 September, 2018

New to Cigars

100% Guaranteed Counterfeit Cohibas

For years we have heard rumours about a special box of Cohiba Esplendidos with a see through lid and a humidity device inside it.   Admittedly most of these reports came from the other side of the Atlantic, but nevertheless we were intrigued.Inquiries to Habanos SA met with a firm denia...

Friday 31 August, 2018

New to Cigars

Cigar Etiquette

In 1967 Zino Davidoff outlined a protocol for smokers in his noted essay for connoisseurs. It is a charter and code for cigar smokers everywhere, and it remains valid today though we don’t agree with! Among his directives were the following do’s and don'ts: DON'T - Use a penknife to ...

Thursday 30 August, 2018

New to Cigars

New to Cubans?

Following our recent marketing survey, we realise that we have a vast cross section of customers ranging from the beginner who is just starting out in the Havana cigar world to the connoisseur who is looking for something with a little more complexity and sophistication. With over 500 cigars in...

Wednesday 29 August, 2018

New to Cigars

How to store your cigars while travelling

Whether it's a budget Dutch cigar or a premium Cuban, there is no greater pleasure than relaxing with a delicious smoke. So how do you make sure your cigars stay safe while travelling on holiday or for work? Cigars are very susceptible to damage due to a change in their climate, if you store th...

Tuesday 28 August, 2018

New to Cigars

Alec Bradley Orchant Seleccion

As the biggest and best cigar specialist in the UK we strive to bring you the best quality products at the lowest prices. One of the ways we achieve this is by directly sourcing brands that are exceptionally good and buying in large quantities to give us exclusive distribution. This enables us to ge...

Friday 24 August, 2018

Brands

Trip to the Peterson Factory

  I was lucky enough to get an invitation to visit the Peterson Pipe factory in Dublin. It was such an amazing experience, and we had such lovely hosts! I just had to write down what happened, and the hard work that went into creating a single pi...

Thursday 16 August, 2018

Media & Events

New to Cigars!

- Everything you need to know when starting to choose and smoke your first cigar.   The History of CigarsCigars have been around for decades, dating back to before Christopher Columbus made the cigar more popular in mainstream culture. Native Caribbean's rolled up and smoked dry tobacc...

Wednesday 15 August, 2018

New to Cigars

How to enjoy a cigar by Eugenio

Eugenio is in charge of factory tours at La Aurora, during his time there he has built up a wealth of knowledge and tips on how he thinks a premium cigar should be smoked and enjoyed. So, sit back, light up a La Aurora ADN, and read through his expert advice. You may find some new tech...

Monday 13 August, 2018

New to Cigars

5 Things you need to know about... how cigars are rolled.

I am sure every cigar smoker has been curious at some point as to how their cigar became so beautifully finished and the process behind creating such a masterpiece. I know I was! There are a lot of steps and processes to creating the perfect cigar. So, I am going to present the five steps which expl...

Friday 10 August, 2018

New to Cigars

5 things you need to know about cutters

Like cigars, cutters come in all shapes and sizes, offering all sorts of cuts. But what really is the difference between a V cut and a guillotine cut? Does quality make a difference to the overall smoking experience? And do you really need one? Carry on reading this article where it's all broken dow...

Tuesday 07 August, 2018

New to Cigars

Where to smoke in the UK?

Our Favourite Venues for the Cigar Smoker We receive many emails asking "Where can I smoke cigars in London and the UK?" So, as I "herf" across the country, I’ll update this page with cigar friendly locations as an easy reference. There are of course loads of other ‘COSA&rsquo...

Monday 06 August, 2018

New to Cigars

Beginners Guide to Vaping

What do I need to start vaping? Device (vaporiser)Vaping devices come in a variety of colours and shapes dependent on their specific uses. Some look like traditional cigarettes while others might resemble a pen, a tube, a box, or other forms; however they all serve the same purpose. ...

Thursday 02 August, 2018

Pipes & Tobacco

C.Gars Ltd Movie

C.Gars Ltd - The Movie! A blast from the past! This was a little movie we made way back in 2004.Laura and I would never have believed that some 10 years later we would be the largest specialist cigar merchant in the UK with almost 40,000 clients on our database and 12 locations selling ...

Thursday 02 August, 2018

Media & Events

Glossary

A AGING: Completed cigars are put in rooms, usually cedar lined, under humified conditions. The cigars are permitted to rest, during which time the tobacco is given a chance to marry or blend. Cigars can continue to age in personal cigar humidors. If the cigars are looked after properly then t...

Thursday 02 August, 2018

New to Cigars

EMS

ENGLISH MARKET SELECTION EMS stands for 'English Market Selection' a description used in Cuba for over a century to identify the quality of cigars designated for the British market. It is the cornerstone of the UK's long established reputation as the world centre for the finest Havanas. In 199...

Wednesday 01 August, 2018

New to Cigars

Plasencia Cigars

Plasencia Cigars, the leading producer of premium cigars and the largest producer of tobacco in Central America, was awarded 1st place in a consumer cigar blind tasting held by Manuels, one of the finest and most renowned cigar shops in Zurich, Switzerland. The award was conferred for its Alma del C...

Wednesday 01 August, 2018

Brands

Cigar Wrappers

  Havana cigars come in a variety of wrapper shades, usually from claro to maduro. Certain cigars such as Bolivar and Ramon Allones simply look and taste better with a darker shade wrapper. Where as others such as El rey del Mundo tend to suit a lighter wrapper. Our opinion is that the wrapper...

Tuesday 31 July, 2018

New to Cigars