I’ve been meaning to write this up for a while, and I finally found the time to put it together. If you follow this blog or have spoken with me in person, you’ll know how much I love James J. Fox on St. James’s Street in London – I even gave it a 10 out of 10 in terms of cigar establishments. It’s one of the oldest cigar merchants in the world, and I visit often, enjoying their cigar events. I’ve also written a few blog posts about the cigar shop here.
What I didn’t realise is that they have additional cigar establishments across London. These include La Casa del Habano (James J. Fox) at Harrods, which features a cigar shop and a sampling lounge, and the James J. Fox cigar department at Selfridges, which has a cigar shop but unfortunately lacks a sampling lounge.
I visited both places—Harrods about two years ago and Selfridges last year. Before I share my experiences at each location, I’ll provide some background on both establishments.
La Casa del Habano (James J. Fox) at Harrods
The James J. Fox (JJ Fox) cigar store is located inside Harrods, one of the world’s largest and most famous department stores in Knightsbridge, London. It is Harrods’ oldest continuously operating concession, having been present in the store since 1982.
In 2018, the store was redesigned and expanded as part of a larger renovation of Harrods’ wine and spirits department. This was a joint investment between Harrods and JJ Fox. Following this refurbishment, the JJ Fox shop officially became a La Casa del Habano, which is a special franchise for retail cigar stores run by Habanos S.A., the Cuban state-owned tobacco company.
Many of these LCDHs have been emerging across the country, starting with La Casa del Habano in Teddington which opened in 1993. The most recent additions are La Casa del Habano in Sheffield (Mitchell’s Wines) and La Casa del Habano in Nottingham (Holmes House), both of which opened this year 2025 – and hoping to visit soon!
As a La Casa del Habano, the shop exclusively carries Cuban cigars. This status gives the store better access to exclusive, rare, and limited edition cigars, as well as larger allocations of popular brands.
It has a 200-square-foot walk-in humidor, designed by Italian specialist DeArt and crafted entirely from high-quality Spanish cedar wood to provide the perfect environment for the cigars.
A major addition during the renovation was a “sampling lounge,” where customers can sample their cigars. It is the first of its kind in Harrods. The lounge can seat up to 12 people and features a state-of-the-art air filtration system from Swiss company Airkel to ensure excellent air quality. Complimentary refreshments are available to customers using the lounge.
The store has a 100-square-foot retail area for a wide selection of premium cigar accessories from brands like S.T. Dupont, Elie Bleu, Colibri, and Xikar.
For select clients, there is a “Cigar Club” that offers membership with access to a limited number of private, beautifully crafted Spanish cedar wood lockers for storing personal cigar collections. Club members receive a personalised service from a dedicated manager and can also check on their locker’s temperature and humidity levels online or via a mobile app.
The store is managed by Jorge Gonzalez (a Master of Havana cigars) and is located on the Lower Ground Floor, next to the wine and spirits department. This location allows for collaboration on events, such as pairing premium spirits like Louis XIII cognac or Macallan Scotch with cigars. The store’s overall mission aligns with Harrods’ motto “All Things for All People, Everywhere” by aiming to provide excellent service and expertise to all cigar aficionados in a luxurious environment.
My experience
The nearest tube station is Knightsbridge.
View on Google Maps
Once you exit, follow the signs to Harrods; it’s an easy building to find. However, once you’re inside, it can be a bit of a maze when trying to locate the cigar shop and lounge, especially if it’s busy. It took me some time to navigate, and I had to ask a few people for directions along the way.
I had hoped to run into Jorge, someone I had chatted with online, but he wasn’t there that day. I greeted the gentleman at the counter; he seemed to have worked in the store for quite some time, but I couldn’t remember his name. I browsed the cigar selection and picked up an LCDH Hoyo de Monterrey Elegantes cigar.
Length: 6 1/4″
Ring Gauge: 47
Strength: Light
Vitola: Figurado
It caught my attention in the humidor because it had that second cigar band, which indicates that this particular vitola (size) is exclusively available through the global network of La Casa del Habanos. I had never seen this particular cigar before, and its shape was quite unusual. I can’t recall the price, but it wasn’t excessively high—at least not by London standards! 😬😁
Once I purchased the cigar I was led to the sampling lounge.
To my surprise, the lounge was quiet that day. I was told that usually, it’s busy, so I was lucky. I cut the cap and lit my cigar. I can’t recall my tasting notes at the time, but it was a relaxing cigar to sample.
The room is intimate, encouraging conversation if you’re open to it, though a crowded day might make privacy harder. I spotted a few others enjoying their cigars, and the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant. The wooden walls, lined with cigar memorabilia, added a touch of history.
Overall, I’d give the visit a 7.5/10. It felt like ticking off a bucket-list experience—iconic being inside Harrods, but not necessarily somewhere I’d frequent regularly. Still, if you’re near that part of town, it’s worth a stop, especially since it’s only a short walk from Knightsbridge station – and super close to Sautters in Knightsbridge and the Edward Sahakian Lounge at the Bvlgari Hotel.
Interested in visiting La Casa del Habano – James J. Fox (Harrods)?
Harrods, 87–135 Brompton Rd, London SW1X 7XL
020 7730 1234
info@lacasadelhabanolondon.co.uk
James J. Fox cigar department at Selfridges
Selfridges, the famous Oxford Street department store that’s been dazzling shoppers since 1909, also plays host to a James J. Fox shop on its lower ground floor.
Managed by the brilliant Jess Carrington, it sits conveniently near Gordon’s Wine Bar.
Here, you’ll find Cuban classics such as Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, and Bolivar. There are also New World favorites like Davidoff, Drew Estate, Oliva, and Padron. Additionally, they offer accessories such as ashtrays, cutters, humidors, and lighters from top makers including Dupont, Xikar, and Dunhill.
My experience
Selfridges is located between Bond Street and Marble Arch tube stations.
While it was easy to find the building itself, locating the shop inside proved to be more challenging. I remembered visiting years ago, but I wasn’t sure if the layout had changed or if it was just my memory playing tricks on me.
Upon opening the door, the space was compact, featuring some wonderful humidors created by Matthew Mason Carpentry, whom I interviewed last year. His creations make the store look stylish, and it was a pleasure to browse.
It was wonderful to see Jess, and Joe Leary, who previously ran The London Cigar Club before Joe joined the JJ Fox team at Selfridges. They are both incredible individuals who instantly make you feel at ease when selecting a cigar or a box of cigars to purchase.
I cannot for the life of me find the photos I took on the visit, so here are some from Matthew’s social media account…
The key difference: there’s no sampling lounge here. It’s purely a retail space. While that limits the overall experience, the selection is solid, and it’s always good to see a dedicated cigar shop in London.
For me, this visit rated a 6.5/10—less immersive than Harrods, but still a worthwhile stop for cigar shopping if you’re in the area. If the powers that be at Selfridges upscalled and installed a sampling lounge that would definitely bump up the points.
Interested in visiting James J. Fox (Selfridges)?
James J. Fox (Selfridges)
400 Oxford Street, London, W1A 1AB
020 7318 2479 / 020 7318 3945
If you liked this review, check out my other cigar venue reviews!
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