As I write this blog it’s just over two weeks till the next Vintage Cigar Auction at Boisdale Canary Wharf. I love this time of year as we are so uber busy with the Christmas season as well as the auction events. It’s just a nonstop buzz with a great atmosphere in our offices and shops.
I try and get round all of our offices and shops between now and Christmas to see all of the Team but as the Group expands this gets harder and harder… nice problem to have I hear you say 🙂 so last week I took a very squeezy Ryan Air flight over to visit our associates at the Decent Cigar Emporium.
A few of our UK cigar smoking chums joined a few of our Irish cigar smoking chums and we ended up having a jolly large Dublin herf that went on till exceptionally late in the evening/early in the morning. Finishing with some excellent Macallan 18, dinner and a copious quantity of Havanas (Punch Serie D’Oro No. 1, Ramon Allones Belicosos and Punch Medalla De Oro – UK regionals to name a few) at the delightful private members club – The Residence. There were around 20 at the herf and it was a wonderful evening with the best of company that I look forward to repeating with the same crowd next time I visit.
The Decent Cigar Emporium, located on Grafton Street is the only specialist cigar shop in Ireland that I know of and you are assured a warm welcome by Guy, Paul, Ed and the Team.
Next week I think I will zoom up to Chester and then Liverpool to do some quality testing on the stocks there (Including the retro confectionery store we own in Liverpool!) our shops are compact up North but it is legal to sample cigars I am pleased to say.
We’re making good progress with our new Cambridge store and still well on target to open by the end of this month. That is if BT can manage to install the phone lines on time. Currently they reckon it takes 5 weeks to install new phone lines. Raspberry of the week award to BT then. And the second raspberry of the week award goes to the PPI company that keeps phoning me and got a short burst of tourette’s from me last week… Hopefully I won’t hear from them again.
My auction partner Brian has now lotted up all of the auction cigars and we have clients viewing daily from Monday. If you would like to view the Auction Lots simply shoot us an email. We are open Monday to Friday for viewings as well as Sunday 25th November from noon.
All details are on the dedicated website including how to get tickets for the pre-auction herf and the auction. You can see all the details on the FAQ’s as well as download a PDF Auction catalogue and of course bid online if you can’t attend.
I looked through the Lots in our London humidor yesterday and was very impressed with the broad range that is on offer in this sale, from splendid mature 1980’s Havanas such as the cabinet of 50 El Rey del Mundo Choix Supreme (Lot 10) to some fabulous 1960’s sealed boxes such as Upmann Singulares and Super Coronas (Lots 19 and 20) great Limited Editions such as Cohiba Double Coronas and Sublimes (Lots 132/133/142)
Fabulous Regional Editions such as Ramon Allones Phoenicios ( Lot 176/177) Loads of Coleccion Habanos books (Lots 179 -190) Limited Edition humidors and a wonderful selection of Davidoff and Dunhill Havana cigars.
We are always happy to provide condition reports and prospective bidder’s need only email us the Lot number the report is required for.
We are so lucky to have such great cigar friendly venues such as Ten Manchester Street and Boisdale to assist us with our events – If you are attending, you will be treated to great drinks (Thank you Balvenie!) great smokes (Thank you Habanos S.A.!) and great canapés (Thank you chefs!) I think we are in for a great few days and evenings of herfing 🙂
Finally, if you want a change of pace – Try my Secret Blend cigars! Great value and very tasty smokes indeed. They were in fact our fastest seller of the week last week which was the second week running.
Have a smokey weekend
Peaceful puffing
Mitchell
