Cigar Buyer Issue 9

A slice of paradise

It has often been said that happiness is a good cigar. Well if results from a recent survey for Cuba and the Dominican Republic are to be believed, it would seem there is some truth in the adage. Th...

By in News

Cigar Great RIP

The cigar world has paid tribute to one of the industry’s great icons. Stanford Newman, featured in the last edition of Cigar Buyer passed away after suffering a heart attack while at work. Starti...

By in News

Wales next to join smoking ban lobby?

It looks like the Welsh Assembly will follow in the footsteps of the Scottish Parliament with plans to bring in a total smoking ban with no exemptions. Draft regulations were launched by Health Minis...

By in News

Torano - 90 great years

One of the names synonymous with outstanding non-Cuban cigar production is celebrating 90 years of continuous production. Starting off in Cuba in 1916, the Toraño family is now known for its Dominic...

By in News

Variety is the spice

Tabacos de la Cordillera has introduced a new Variety Sampler pack, with three each of its flagship Cumbres de Puriscal premium cigars in Gold, Silver, and Emerald bands. The cellophane-wrapped mini-...

By in News

Bigger & Better

The great and the good of the cigar and tobacco industry will be descending on Nottingham Cricket ground in October. The Association of Independent Tobacco Specialists exhibition will be the last one...

By in News

Correction

In the last edition of Cigar Buyer’s tastings section, we said Café Crème and Café Crème Blue were filtered. Both products are unfiltered and we apologise for any inconvenience this may have ca...

By in News

Schneider steps down

The founder of the Oettinger Davidoff Group, Dr Ernst Schneider, has decided to step down as the chairman of the Oettinger Imex board of directors. Dr Schneider said the decision was to unburden hims...

By in News

Sliver lining

One of the industry’s most coveted honours has been awarded to London cigar merchant Desmond Sautter of Sautters of Mayfair. The Silver Chaveta trophy is presented annually by Hunters and Frankau t...

By in News

Style is key to US brands

Some seriously eye catching packaging is helping premium handmade American cigars make waves in the United Kingdom market. The transit packs for Macanudo, CAO and Helix cigars, distributed by Henri W...

By in News

The coolest accessories

Bright, modern, uber cool and with neon uplighters. This may sound like a car review but in fact it’s the latest line of cigars and humidors to come from American cigar producer CAO. Vision is the ...

By in News

Post-Castro Havanas

What will happen to the Cuban ciagr industry if Fidel Castro doesn’t return to power? James Leavey asks some interested parties

Just before Fidel Castro’s 80th birthday in August 2006, an American-based anti-Castro website urged Cuba's exiled dissidents to “Break out the cigars, Fidel's dying.” How ironic, given that the...

By James Leavey in Cigar Trends

What a corker!

In the latest of our series of cigar and drinks marriages, we pit every landmark moment’s friend Champagne against some great cigars

Whether it’s being broken over the bows of a new ship, popped open at major landmark celebrations or even just as a high end uber premium bling, Champagne is seen as the first call drink for those s...

By Rob Allanson in Champagne and Cigars

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...

By Rob Allanson in Cigar Interviews

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 ...

By Rob Allanson in Cigar Interviews

Draped in clover

Indonesia is producing some of the more exotic blends to hit the cigar market, including Djarum. Our man investigates…

Indonesia’s great gifts to the pleasure of smoking are not only the much sought after tobacco leaves of Deli on Sumatra and Besuki on Java, but also the recipe of cloves mixed in with tobacco to giv...

By Rob Allanson in Spotlight

Plumbing 'the Depths'

James Leavey goes in search of the finest cigars from Honduras

Once upon a time when you asked for a Honduran cigar in Britain you meant Don Tomas as that was all there was available. But in recent years the quality of Honduran cigars has reached even greater he...

By James Leavey in International focus

Box of Delights (Humidors)

How do you choose a humidor? Rob Allanson investigates

There are a few things the cigar smoker can do without, (legislation to start with) but a humidor? Not a chance. If we are honest the humidor is possibly the one piece of home decoration the cigar sm...

By Rob Allanson in Cigar Accessories

Western ho!

In search of quality cigar outlets in the Bath and Bristol area

This edition we delve into the West Country, taking in Bristol, the gateway of the West and Bath, the jewel in the crown of the region. Cigars are often associated with boom times and both cities hav...

By Dominic Roskrow in City Watch