South Beach smokin’ :-)

Happy holidays!…and they certainly are happy in Florida ๐Ÿ™‚ 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 ๐Ÿ™‚ 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

Seasonal Greetings

Just back from our La Casa del Habano in Hamburg where my colleague Christoph and I decided to do a comparative taste test on the 2007 Bolivar Belicosos Finos (dress box).

 

Not a terribly scientific taste test having decided to drink diet coke between cigars but a most enjoyable 4 cigars in 4 hours for sure ๐Ÿ™‚

 

Two winners emerged. The May 2007 was very good indeed but lighter in flavour than one would usually expect from this brand and vitola.

 

The July 2007 from the Partagas factory was quite perfect. Full flavour, medium to full strength, spicy, smooth and complex.  A perfect draw and a colorado maduro wrapper make this an all round winning package for me.

 

When I got back to London I decided to try a 2002 followed by a 2003 BBF and despite the additional age of these cigars they simply were not a patch on the 2007 examples.

 

I gather the 2007 filler tobacco in the BBF’s was already matured at the time of rolling, add to that around 6 months of box age and the cigars are ready to go but….think of the possibilities for this cigar with a further 2, 5,10 years aging ! If ever there was a candidate for a perfect cigar to age, the BBF is a winner.

 

The BBF has been in my rotation for some time now, probably since 2004 when this blend really seemed to have been turned around. Occasionally I have smoked a BBF followed by a Partagas P2 to contrast the flavour profile. They are quite dramatically different…..try them with Hagen Dazs vanilla ice cream. It will tantalize your taste buds ๐Ÿ™‚

 

2007 went by so fast…I must have been enjoying myself more than ever! .It’s been wonderful meeting up with so many friends and clients all over the world this year. I plan to do it all again next year! I’d like to meet up with even more cigars aficionados in 2008 and plan a series of cigar dinners /herfs /talks all over the world.

 

Late January I’ll be in the Far East, early February Texas, late February Havana, March Hamburg and so on and on and on. If you would like to join me at one of our planned herfs drop me an email at [email protected] I’d be delighted to send you details.

 

Our herfs are informal occasions for like minded cigar smokers to get together and enjoy good food, wine, conversation and of course cigars. I am always delighted to discuss vintage, aged and rare Havanas.

 

It’s been a very exciting year with the relocation of our Liverpool cigar store (Turmeaus Tobacconist) and the opening of a new whisky and cigar store in Glasgow (Robert Graham Ltd) ensuring our place as one of the most important cigar merchants in the country.

 

I sincerely hope that all of our clients, whether in my retail stores or over the internet, have received “service second to none” from my sales teams. We pride ourselves on offering the finest old fashioned personal service with the highest levels of expert knowledge available and gladly shared. If you have not received the best of service I want to know about it so please drop me an email.

 

Thanks to my dream team for a banner year, Michelle, Laura, Fraser, Art, Christine and staff….you guys are the best.

 

Thanks to Hunters and Frankau and Habanos S.A. for their continued support and the finest cigars in the world.

 

Wishing clients and friends of C.Gars Ltd, Robert Graham Ltd, La Casa del Habano-Hamburg, Global whiskies, a very Merry Christmas and a smoky new year ๐Ÿ™‚  Cigar 

 

Peaceful puffing  Cigar Smoker 

 

 

Mitchell