This year, I am trying to visit all of London’s cigar shops, sampling lounges and terraces. There are more of these establishments than most people realise. As I get closer to completing my challenge, I am noticing that more and more cigar shops and sampling lounges are opening up in our capital – and I’m definitely not complaining about it!

A smoking ban was implemented in the UK in July 2007, making it illegal to smoke in pubs, restaurants, nightclubs, and most workplaces. However, specialist tobacconists are exempt and can permit sampling in enclosed shops under strict conditions. In London, there are several sampling lounges and terraces available for cigar enthusiasts and connoisseurs.

Say hello to Fumar in Shepherd’s Market, Mayfair, London. It is one of London’s newest cigar shops and sampling lounges!

I first heard about this place back in May when world-class humidor maker Massimo from DeArt shared his latest creation on social media. He posted a video with the caption, ‘Secret cigar lounge in the heart of London. Within minutes of sharing it on my own feed, my followers—who are like detectives—dug up more information. 🙏 However, while they told me about the new venue ‘Fumar,’ it turns out that’s not the venue Massimo was referring to. 😱 So, the mystery continues! We still need to figure out where his other cigar humidor and lounge are located. If you have any leads, let me know! 🕵️‍♂️

Background

Fumar officially opened to the public on Monday, September 23, 2024.

The venue is located in Shepherd Market, a small district in Mayfair, London, known for its village-like charm. This area consists of two squares lined with businesses and is situated between Piccadilly and Curzon Street. Developed between 1735 and 1746 by Edward Shepherd, it occupies the site where Mayfair’s annual fair once took place, giving the area its name. In the 1920s, Shepherd Market became a hub for prominent writers and artists like Anthony Powell, Michael Arlen, and Sophie Fedorovitch, and was linked to high-end prostitution until at least the 1980s, when Jeffrey Archer famously met Monica Coghlan there.

The space where Fumar has moved into formerly housed the Hignell Gallery, which has since relocated.

Fumar is owned by Eisa Rasti, who has appointed Alberto Lucchelli as the General Manager. Lucchelli has a notable background in the industry, having previously worked at Boisdales in London and The Arts Club in Dubai. He is a Masters of Havana Cigars from Hunters & Frankau.

He is joined by his colleague, Roberto Reali, who serves as the lounge’s cigar sommelier.

Since its opening, a few photos of the venue have surfaced online, showcasing its unique atmosphere.

This place looks like the cream of the crop when it comes to cigar lounges.

The humidor made by Massimo of DeArt looks absolutely stunning.

My experience

After seeing Fumar’s Instagram post announcing the availability of online reservations, I found a gap in my schedule and quickly booked a table for 2pm on a Saturday afternoon. Coincidentally, I learned that Nik (@notaficiando on Instagram), a fellow cigar enthusiast I’ve been chatting online with from Riga, Latvia 🇱🇻, was also in the UK. It felt like the perfect chance to meet in person, enjoy a cigar, and explore a new venue together.

Upon arriving at Shepherd’s Market (a short walk from Green Park tube station), I was surprised by how quiet it was, almost like the calm before the evening rush. The peacefulness made the experience relaxing. As I wandered around, I realised that Fumar was located near other cigar spots like Birley Cigars (which I haven’t visited yet) and Turmeaus.

This clustering of cigar spots is common in London, with numerous cigar shops along St. James or hotel cigar terraces lined up in Knightsbridge.

Fumar, located at 12-14 Shepherd’s Market, Mayfair, still has some construction going on outside, but once cleared, the area will have a quaint village-like charm. The curtained windows gives the place a private, members-only feel, similar to Birley, which immediately appealed to me.

The entrance to Fumar was interesting. There are two doors, one seemingly for staff and the other for guests. To enter, you ring the doorbell, which adds a cozy, homely touch – as you feel like you’re about to step inside someones home. My immediate sense of self-doubt kicked in (“if your name’s not down, you’re not coming in”), but luckily, because I’d made a reservation beforehand, we were expected 😅. We were warmly greeted by Alberto.

After handing over our coats and bags to Alberto, we received a ticket for them and were then led to our reserved seats. Once seated, we were presented with a cigar menu.

They offered a wide selection of Cuban cigars. Unfortunately, the menu is not available online, so I can’t provide a link.

I was particularly interested in the special selections from the 2024 Habanos Festival, like the Quai d’Orsay Especial d’Orsay. However, they were outside my budget, as were the new Partagas Maestro Line which I wanted to also try.

Instead, I decided on a Ramon Allones No. 3, a cigar I enjoy, priced around £30-40—still expensive, but we are in Mayfair.

The main floor of the lounge is split into two sections. We were seated on the left side, and as we waited, I observed the surroundings. The room had a warm, welcoming atmosphere, with rich dark wooden panels and a soothing color palette of blue and white. From where I sat, I could also see the sales area and of course the walk-in humidor.

The golden seating added a touch of elegance. It’s a small space, accommodating about 12 people, with six seats on the left and six on the right, and a few tables in between.

A TV in the corner displayed stock market data, giving the space a business-like feel. There was a coffee machine, and surprisingly, an impressively luxurious restroom with a remote-controlled toilet—a detail I found both amusing and impressive.

Before we went into the walk-in humidor to see the cigars, Alberto kindly gave us a tour of the exclusive members-only area down in the basement of the building, where we discovered a collection of charmingly intimate cigar cabins.

The cabins are thoughtfully designed to comfortably accommodate 4-5 people, and they exude a timeless yet modern ambiance. The sliding doors of the cabins evoke the feeling of being inside a luxurious train carriage, adding a touch of elegance to the experience.

The cozy setting is ideal for hosting private gatherings, with a total of 25 seats spread across four or five cabins, all exquisitely adorned with beautiful decor.

We were also shown the private member lockers. I believe there are over 127 of them, which you can rent and use to store your cigars for approximately £5000 per year.

Back upstairs, we stepped into the walk-in humidor.

This humidor was designed and crafted by Massimo of DeArt, an Italian furniture maker who specializes in creating humidors for the majority of London’s cigar scene. You can be assured of its top quality!

The lighting inside is striking. I believe this is a collaboration with Sogni di Cristallo, who created bespoke Venetian glass chandeliers that are stunning and symbolic. 

The air circulation inside was remarkably fresh, unlike anything I had experienced before inside a walk-in humidor.

The humidor holds a wide variety of Cuban cigars. Everywere you turn you see a piece of Cuba looking back at you.

After selecting our cigars, we went back to our seats, where Alberto cut the cap and lit our cigars.

Me & Nik spent the next couple of hours chatting and enjoying our cigars. The lounge gradually filled with more cigar folk, including the awesome Edds, who mentioned he read the blog—thank you 🙏 Hopefully, we can find some time to hang out and enjoy a cigar sometime!

Interestingly, even though the upstairs area felt cosy, the acoustics were such that you couldn’t really overhear conversations from the tables next to you, which added to the intimate atmosphere. As the afternoon went on, we were given sampling sheets from Hunters & Frankau, asking for feedback on the cigars. This reminded me of the early days of my cigar journey, when I used to keep little notebooks for cigar tasting notes. It was fun to take part in that process again.

Time flew by! Great company at a fantastic venue with excellent service. It was time to settle up and pay for our cigars before leaving the building.

My rating: 8.5 out of 10

Not gonna lie, it’s a bit intimidating walking up to the building. Was I going to feel out of place? Probably, it’s Mayfair – I’m originally from Essex! 😁 Once you go inside, the welcoming atmosphere created by Alberto and Roberto, along with their excellent service, immediately makes you feel at home. It was brilliant to have amazing company in the form of Nik as well 🫡 – we had a fantastic afternoon of good conversation and great cigars! 🙏

I find that the high-end premium places in Mayfair are way beyond my budget, so I don’t think this place will become my second living room, but it’s definitely a spot worth visiting—especially to sample a cigar on maybe a special occasion like a birthday.

Is this a good spot for a cigar newbie? I’m not so sure. It feels a bit high-end for someone just starting out. I’d suggest trying out other cigar shops and lounges first before coming here. Is this for the cigar aficionados? Absolutely! Yes, secure your private booths downstairs, get your mates out, and enjoy the amazing cigars on offer! This place is a treat. You will love the selection of more rarer Cuban cigars.

Want to visit?

Address: 12-14 Shepherd St, Mayfair, London W1J 7JF
Website: http://fumar.uk

The venue is by reservation only, email your enquiries to info@fumar.uk or call 0208 149 7915.