C.Gars Cuban Cigars

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Pleasure From Business

- Cigar Buyer


Mitchell's Office with just a Sample of his Pre-Embargo Antique Collection

Mitchell's Office with just a Sample of his Pre-Embargo Antique Collection
Pleasure From Business

Mitchell Orchant is successful in cigar retailing because of his unique mix of ebullience and business acumen. Rob Allanson speaks to a man who is in a category of his own.

There are few people who can say they have seen their teenage passion blossom into a multi-million pound empire.

Mitchell Orchant, managing director of C.Gars, is one of the fortunate few, and if you drop by his London offices you realise that for this affable 41-year-old work and play are all part of the same mix.

Surrounded by original photographs of Che Guevara, Castro and Cuba, some exquisite examples of polished wood cigar boxes and other cigar memorabilia, Cigar Buyer caught up with Mitchell over a very lovely Fuente Opus X to discuss the sweet scent of aged cigars and success.

In fact since moving into original photos and pre embargo antiques, and he has built up one of the biggest collections in the world - only surpassed by another collector in teh Cayman Islands.

The company, set up in 1997 by his father Michael, originally started out with just offering Havanas, but as the years progressed Mitchell took the company into new territory and markets. Now he prides himself on being able to offer his customer almost every cigar and tobacco product from the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond - including his own shop blended tobacco.

However the business started to really expand two years ago when Mitchell decided to move into the retail side of things - fast forward to the present day and now C.Gars own five shops the length and breadth of country.

"I do like being in retail," Mitchell explains, "The stores give us a decent grounding in those cities. They also give us an image and a lot of history to tell our clients about. I have photos of some my stores going back through the decades, and even some early order notes from merchants in London. I like to feel that I am part of the industry's history, continuing it."

The five stores include Liverpool, which is the second oldest tobacco shop in the country starting business in 1817, Glasgow, which opened in 1874, Chester, Edinburgh and a cigar bar in London's prestigious Atlantic Bar.

The shops have - rather like the boss's office space in London - an old worlds feel to them that exudes tradition and experience.

Mitchell says; "All the shops have comfortable settings with nice chairs where people can sit down and try their cigars and tobacco. They also have purposer built humidors by ourselves."

The business ethos of the mail order C.Gars offers is simple - top notch product and get the order out as quickly as possible.

Mitchell says; "We aim to have an unparralleled knowledge, personal service and advice for our clients 24 hours a day.

"In London we have a very personal service for clients and can deliver orders in about 45 minutes. This service is particularly popular with customers in the West End and the city. They also get free matches, cutters and delivery."

The other area of C.Gars sales, and Mitchell's passion, is the aged and vintage cigars, particularly Davidoffs and Dunhills.

"It all started when I was 15 years old," he adds. "My dad and grandfather had some vintage cigars in their collections that they were not going to smoke and I got hooked. From there I started to make contacts across Europe, the United States and the Far East with other enthusiasts, and from what started as a hobby now counts for half of the business.

"We pride ourselves on being able to source any cigar made since the Cuba embargo, given a reasonable time."

The company sells Davidoff Dom Perignon for £5000 a box, Dunhill Cabenetta for £6000 a cabinet, and Dunhill Havana Club for £300 a single cigar.

Pre-embargo cigars typically go for £1000 a box, but some cases have sold up to £4000.

Mitchell explains: "This side of the business is my biggest passion. The aged cigars are completely different to any other cigar, if stored correctly. It is like tasting a fine vintage wine and then a recent one. One will be full and fresh but the other will be mature and rounded with great flavours, they are just totally different.

"They are acquired taste, but I think it is something the serious Havana smoker should graduate to.

"We sell all our cigars in singles so people can try a different brand or style to their normal choice to see if they like it before they buy a box."

Mitchell has seen the company's reputation spread across the globe, mainly thanks to the Internet and 'herfs' - gatherings of cigar smokers.

"Smokers tend to smoke in groups and talk to each other," he explains. "I have a group of friends and we meet regularly to smoke Havanas, other fine cigars and generally have a good time.

"These herfs are huge events in teh States and are slowly taking off here. Often there is a charity angle, with money raised by door prices. Some of the herfs I have been involved in have raised money for churches, synagogues, schools and a couple of years ago my sales team raised money for a motorized wheelchair for the Whizz Kids charity."

Looking to the future, Mitchell says he has plans for more stores but at the moment cannot find the right location, although the west end of London still remains a possibility.

There are a couple of flies in the legislation ointment as far as he is concerned, but he still remains upbeat about it.

He adds: "At the moment we still don't know any details, and I have decided to stop worrying about it. So far there seems to be nothing in it to affect us dramatically, except the idea to stop people smoking in our shops.

"This is just bizarre. Our customers love to try out new tobacco and cigars before buying.

We may have to take brand names and product pictures off our internet home page.

"It is all rediculous. When you consider the amount of drugs and pornography that is easily accessible on the internet, now cigars could be treated the way that these should be treated - It is bizarre."

The C.Gars website has a big community spirit to it, with hundreds of pages of content and information.

"So what under the legislation will be classed as an advert or information?" questions Mitchell.

"We have reviews and experiences customers have sent us about their cigars. The site is used as a resource by people all over the worlds. It is hard to find good information about old cigars. There are some books but the information is not good, so we are trying to collate reference material.

"Min Ron Nee, who wrote the definitive encyclopaedia on post embargo Havanas, has also written extensively on the site and it would be sad to have to take trhis sort of information off."

The website allows Mitchell to update his customers about new releases and items he turns up during his travels.

He says: "I make a point of travelling a lot as well. For the last seven years I have covered most of the major markets, just getting out to meet clients and suppliers.

"I try to keep an eye on the changes happening in the industry, particularly in Havana, new products and that sort of things.

"I get over ther twice a year normally for the February festival and the Partagas anniversary. I try to visit the plantations and the factories, then I report my findings in a newsletter."

To help strengthen his market position, Mitchell sold just under half the business to his lead supplier of non-tobacco products, Cadogan, last year.

He adds; "They are the oldest pipe manufacturers in the United Kingdom and supply me with pipes, humidors, ashtrays, lighters etc. This gives me a strong position in the market.

"Business is good and this year has gone extremely well so far.

"Montecristo remains the bestseller, then Partagas and Romeo, with Petit Coronas and Robustos as the two biggest selling sizes.

"On the aged side of things, there is an insatiable demand for Cuban Davidoffs. They have not been manufactured since 1992 and are really splendid cigars, if stored correctly. There are fewer available each year and eventually they will run out."

A great believer in the power of positive press, Mitchell sats he was involved in a Financial Times article about collecting old cigars - and the next day he sold humdreds of them to new customers.

Despite all this there is one thing that eludes Mitchell - Hunter and Frankau's Silver Chavetta award.

He says; "My greatest ambition is to scoop this prize. I was nominated for it this year and was a runner up."

- Cigar Buyer

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