It’s good to be back!

It’s great to get back to the usual routine after the holidays, especially as I am finally getting over the cold from hell which left me half deaf for the last week <groan>…

So, my offices and shops are a hive of activity as ever and it feels like my clients must have chomped their way through a lot of cigars and chugged through a lot of Scotch over the holidays if the first week of January sales are anything to go by 🙂

Royal Mail in their wisdom advise they we are no longer able to ship cigar matches. Despite all our matches being safety matches! Sooner RM is privatised the better as they have no common sense at all and in times of recession should be helping not hindering their customers.

So I’m afraid if you need cigar matches you will need to visit one of our shops across the UK. Could be worse I guess and at least you can of course get our website prices in store as well as sample a cigar and a dram in England at least. Never understood why Scotland doesn’t have the sampling exemption… Always thought Scotland was part of the UK but for some bizarre reason they have different laws.

My friend Ivo has come out with a cracking new cigar book that we were delighted to provide many images for. Bad news is that it’s in Slovakian! I’m trying to persuade him to do a translation to English! Ivo is a super huge Havana cigar aficionado and I had the pleasure of herfing with him in Israel a few years back.

We bid a fond farewell to our Kamila who was one of Michelle’s assistants at Kingsgate offices and also assisted us at many of our cigar auctions. Kami is expecting a baby in March and we all wish her the best and look forward to her returning in the future.

Tomorrow I’m checking out the latest cigar terrace in London with friends. The Wellesley promises to be THE best smoking venue in the UK and I can’t wait to see it. We wish the owners the very best of luck with their new venture. I understand that my old friends including Giuseppe and Pasquale from the Lanesborough cigar terrace are running the show and it will be good to catch up with them. Together they have a terrific knowledge about cigars and wine/spirits and I always enjoy chatting with them.

I’m heading off to Chester on Thursday to agree final designs on some refurbishment and improvements to Turmeaus Tobacconist on Watergate street. I bought this dead business many years ago and it has just got better and better every year. Our new tray display system in the walk in humidor has increased range substantially and clients are welcome to sample cigars in store.

Thursday evening I am at Thornton Hall for a cigar, Cognac and chocolate tasting evening. Can’t think of a better way of spending an evening! Especially as my team from Liverpool and Chester will be herfing with me 🙂. Friday I’ll be at Turmeaus shops in Liverpool doing a little quality control ‘testing’ 🙂

I’ll be in Cambridge Robert Graham shop on Sunday so if you want to join me to for a sampling session… I’ll be there from 10 a.m. 🙂 Has to be one of the loveliest sampling lounges in the country! Truly a specialist cigar and whisky shop with an unrivalled range of mouth-watering product.

On the 7th February I’ll be hosting a cigar and whisky sampling featuring Ashton Mi Amor cigars and our latest single cask single malt whisky from the Dancing Stag range – Exclusive to Robert Graham Ltd. This Mortlach is the perfect partner to a good cigar. Places strictly limited and tickets are available here.

Have to make Boisdale Burns night herf arrangements pretty soon, drop me an email if you would like to join me and smoking chums.

My Inka brand of cigars from Peru are still breaking sales records for a new launched cigar and exclusive to C.Gars Ltd/Robert Graham Ltd. These characteristically rich and spicy handmade cigars are great value and if you mention my blog when ordering a bundle of 10 tres petits this week I’ll  include a Prometheus lighter for you to light them with!

Inka– Secret Blend cigars are selling so fast that we have already (again) sold out of some of the sizes and are hoping for a new enormous shipment to arrive later this month.

Hoping to release a new range of Torano cigars later this month… Watch this space.

… It’s good to be back to routine lol

Peaceful puffing

Mitchell