Cigar Interviews : Cigar Buyer

Keeping the flame alight - Phillip Shervington

James Leavey talks to one of London’s great cigar aficionados

With Britain’s ban on advertising about to be extended to tobacco shop displays, personal recommendation will be one of the main keys to London’s future cigar sales. If you’re in London which, for now, remains the cigar capital of the world, who better to ask than Phillip Shervington, manager of Sh...

By James Leavey from Issue 10 published on 22/11/2006

Welcome to civilisation - Paul Bielby

JJ Fox and Robert Lewis is the oldest cigar shop in London. Rob Allanson chats to shop manager Paul Bielby about its past, present and future

The British Prime Minister Tony Blair once said he was not going to use sound bites during an important speech and promptly came out with “I feel the hand of history on my shoulder…” Cheesy, yes. But for Paul Beilby, manger at JJ Fox and Robert Lewis shop, never a truer word was spoken. Not only i...

By Rob Allanson from Issue 9 published on 18/09/2006

New Horizons - John Atherton

It takes a brave person to meet the challenge of competing against, or alongside, the big players. Rob Allanson chats to John Atherton about being the new kid on the block in the close-knit cigar world

When General Cigar closed its office in London a few years ago, John Atherton and his now business partner Richard Laing found themselves taking on the role of entrepreneurs and setting themselves up in business. Cut loose from the behemoth company which handled the international development of bra...

By Rob Allanson from Issue 9 published on 18/09/2006

Moving on Up - Robert Graham

Robert Graham in Edinburgh is at the frontline of the smoking ban. Rob Allanson sees how it’s getting on

When it comes to busy tourist centres, Edinburgh’s Rose Street can put up a fight with the best. The mecca for international visitors, the setting for many a stag or hen night and pub crawls (sometimes literally), this famous street also draws smokers in search of some of the best cigars on the mar...

By Rob Allanson from Issue 8 published on 20/05/2006

Ninety not out... Stanford Newman

Stanford Newman is a legend of the cigar world, having been involved with it for 70 years. Rob Allanson spoke to him

He has been in the hot seat of the American cigar industry for more than 70 years, seen cigar booms and busts and despite his advancing years still keeps an active and tight rein on his company. A true legend in the cigar world, Stanford Newman celebrates his 90th birthday this June, and true to fo...

By Rob Allanson from Issue 8 published on 20/05/2006

A man for all seasons - Edward Sahakian

Edward Sahakian has spent 25 years promoting fine cigars. Rob Allanson met him

Stepping in to Davidoff’s London shop, not far from the madding crowds of Piccadilly Circus, is like stepping into an oasis of marbled calm. Even before you light up one of the eponymous smokes, you can feel life slowing down to a different pace. This is exactly what Edward Sahakian envisaged 25 y...

By Rob Allanson from Issue 7 published on 10/02/2006

Putting duty first - Jan Mossel

Dutch-based entrepreneur Jan Mossel is in his 60s but he’s still a force of dynamism in the world of cigars. James Leavey spoke to him

The wind of change has long been blowing for the tobacco industry, which is partly why some cigar companies decided to expand into Duty Free and Duty Paid outlets in recent years. One of the first Europeans to seize this opportunity was Jan Mossel. Now in his 62nd year, and married with three child...

By James Leavey from Issue 7 published on 10/02/2006

Star performer - Gary Hyams

Loretta is named after a Hollywood star and both are larger than life. Rob Allanson speaks to the company’s managing director Gary Hyams – a man with his own claim to fame

It is quite possible that Gary Hyams is one of the most intriguing managing directors in the British tobacco industry. It is not often that you meet someone in his position that can claim a hobby – song writing in Gary’s case – has landed him hits on both sides of the Atlantic, plus several music a...

By Rob Allanson from Issue 6 published on 11/11/2005

A true master - Hendrik Kelner

James Leavey meets Hendrik Kelner, renowned master blender of Dominican premium cigars

When I visited Hendrik Kelner's office in Santiago earlier this year, I noticed what appeared to be two cigar Oscars on one of the shelves behind his desk. Kelner, a small, easy-going man with a big warm smile who preferred discussing fine cigars to talking about his personal life, assured me they ...

By James Leavey from Issue 5 published on 15/09/2005

A man in love with cigars - Heinrich Villiger

James Leavey talks to cigar legend Heinrich Villiger about his life and his company

Heinrich Villiger is the trim, fit, sole owner of one of Switzerland’s last surviving tobacco family businesses; his world famous company was founded by his grandfather, Jean Villiger, in Pfeffikon, a small town on the northern outskirts of Lucerne, in 1888. A soft-spoken diplomat, Heinrich has bee...

By James Leavey from Issue 4 published on 10/05/2005

Jemma Freeman - keeping cigars safe and in the family

Jemma Freeman is following in her father’s footsteps. James Leavey spoke to her

When you look at the close relationship between Jemma Freeman and her late father, Nicholas, you start thinking that there’s some truth in that an old belief, ‘sons take after their mothers; daughters take after their dads.’ Jemma’s great great great grandfather, James Reykers Freeman, was born in ...

By James Leavey from Issue 3 published on 01/05/2005

Desmond Sautter – the cigar aficionado’s favourite uncle

James Leavey talks to one the industry’s most enduring personalities

Ten years ago, Desmond Sautter handed me a pre-Castro Havana in Monte’s cigar-themed restaurant, which at the time was a short walk from his illustrious cigar shop in London’s Mayfair. It was easily the best cigar I have ever smoked, before or since. Although we’d never actually met, Sautter was de...

By James Leavey from Issue 2 published on 01/11/2004

Simon Chase

Each issue we’ll speak to a leading industry figure about his business. First up, Dave Broom speaks to Simon Chase of Hunters & Frankau

You always remember the first time. I hadn’t been long in journalism when it was decided that it was high time we ran a cigar feature. Fine by me. I’d sold Havanas in a previous existence at Oddbins, I’d even smoked one or two. I turned up at Hunters & Frankau’s offices and was ushered in to meet t...

By Dave Broom from Issue 1 published on 01/06/2004



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	Cigar Buyer section Cigar Interviews Keeping the flame alight - Phillip Shervington James Leavey talks to one of London’s great cigar aficionados With Britain’s ban on advertising about to be extended to tobacco shop displays, personal recommendation will be one of the main keys to London’s future cigar sales. If you’re in London which, for now, remains the cigar capital of the world, who better to ask than Phillip Shervington, manager of Sh... By James Leavey from Issue 10 published on 22/11/2006 Welcome to civilisation - Paul Bielby JJ Fox and Robert Lewis is the oldest cigar shop in London. Rob Allanson chats to shop manager Paul Bielby about its past, present and future The British Prime Minister Tony Blair once said he was not going to use sound bites during an important speech and promptly came out with “I feel the hand of history on my shoulder…” Cheesy, yes. But for Paul Beilby, manger at JJ Fox and Robert Lewis shop, never a truer word was spoken. Not only i... By Rob Allanson from Issue 9 published on 18/09/2006 New Horizons - John Atherton It takes a brave person to meet the challenge of competing against, or alongside, the big players. Rob Allanson chats to John Atherton about being the new kid on the block in the close-knit cigar world When General Cigar closed its office in London a few years ago, John Atherton and his now business partner Richard Laing found themselves taking on the role of entrepreneurs and setting themselves up in business. Cut loose from the behemoth company which handled the international development of bra... By Rob Allanson from Issue 9 published on 18/09/2006 Moving on Up - Robert Graham Robert Graham in Edinburgh is at the frontline of the smoking ban. Rob Allanson sees how it’s getting on When it comes to busy tourist centres, Edinburgh’s Rose Street can put up a fight with the best. The mecca for international visitors, the setting for many a stag or hen night and pub crawls (sometimes literally), this famous street also draws smokers in search of some of the best cigars on the mar... By Rob Allanson from Issue 8 published on 20/05/2006 Ninety not out... Stanford Newman Stanford Newman is a legend of the cigar world, having been involved with it for 70 years. Rob Allanson spoke to him He has been in the hot seat of the American cigar industry for more than 70 years, seen cigar booms and busts and despite his advancing years still keeps an active and tight rein on his company. A true legend in the cigar world, Stanford Newman celebrates his 90th birthday this June, and true to fo... By Rob Allanson from Issue 8 published on 20/05/2006 A man for all seasons - Edward Sahakian Edward Sahakian has spent 25 years promoting fine cigars. Rob Allanson met him Stepping in to Davidoff’s London shop, not far from the madding crowds of Piccadilly Circus, is like stepping into an oasis of marbled calm. Even before you light up one of the eponymous smokes, you can feel life slowing down to a different pace. This is exactly what Edward Sahakian envisaged 25 y... By Rob Allanson from Issue 7 published on 10/02/2006 Putting duty first - Jan Mossel Dutch-based entrepreneur Jan Mossel is in his 60s but he’s still a force of dynamism in the world of cigars. James Leavey spoke to him The wind of change has long been blowing for the tobacco industry, which is partly why some cigar companies decided to expand into Duty Free and Duty Paid outlets in recent years. One of the first Europeans to seize this opportunity was Jan Mossel. Now in his 62nd year, and married with three child... By James Leavey from Issue 7 published on 10/02/2006 Star performer - Gary Hyams Loretta is named after a Hollywood star and both are larger than life. Rob Allanson speaks to the company’s managing director Gary Hyams – a man with his own claim to fame It is quite possible that Gary Hyams is one of the most intriguing managing directors in the British tobacco industry. It is not often that you meet someone in his position that can claim a hobby – song writing in Gary’s case – has landed him hits on both sides of the Atlantic, plus several music a... By Rob Allanson from Issue 6 published on 11/11/2005 A true master - Hendrik Kelner James Leavey meets Hendrik Kelner, renowned master blender of Dominican premium cigars When I visited Hendrik Kelner's office in Santiago earlier this year, I noticed what appeared to be two cigar Oscars on one of the shelves behind his desk. Kelner, a small, easy-going man with a big warm smile who preferred discussing fine cigars to talking about his personal life, assured me they ... By James Leavey from Issue 5 published on 15/09/2005 A man in love with cigars - Heinrich Villiger James Leavey talks to cigar legend Heinrich Villiger about his life and his company Heinrich Villiger is the trim, fit, sole owner of one of Switzerland’s last surviving tobacco family businesses; his world famous company was founded by his grandfather, Jean Villiger, in Pfeffikon, a small town on the northern outskirts of Lucerne, in 1888. A soft-spoken diplomat, Heinrich has bee... By James Leavey from Issue 4 published on 10/05/2005 Jemma Freeman - keeping cigars safe and in the family Jemma Freeman is following in her father’s footsteps. James Leavey spoke to her When you look at the close relationship between Jemma Freeman and her late father, Nicholas, you start thinking that there’s some truth in that an old belief, ‘sons take after their mothers; daughters take after their dads.’ Jemma’s great great great grandfather, James Reykers Freeman, was born in ... By James Leavey from Issue 3 published on 01/05/2005 Desmond Sautter – the cigar aficionado’s favourite uncle James Leavey talks to one the industry’s most enduring personalities Ten years ago, Desmond Sautter handed me a pre-Castro Havana in Monte’s cigar-themed restaurant, which at the time was a short walk from his illustrious cigar shop in London’s Mayfair. It was easily the best cigar I have ever smoked, before or since. Although we’d never actually met, Sautter was de... By James Leavey from Issue 2 published on 01/11/2004 Simon Chase Each issue we’ll speak to a leading industry figure about his business. First up, Dave Broom speaks to Simon Chase of Hunters & Frankau You always remember the first time. I hadn’t been long in journalism when it was decided that it was high time we ran a cigar feature. Fine by me. I’d sold Havanas in a previous existence at Oddbins, I’d even smoked one or two. I turned up at Hunters & Frankau’s offices and was ushered in to meet t... By Dave Broom from Issue 1 published on 01/06/2004

Cigar Buyer section Cigar Interviews