We’re a couple of weeks into 2026, and it’s time to visit another new cigar establishment — this time Sam’s Aroma House, located in the heart of Colchester, Essex 🙌.
The venue offers a curated selection of cigars alongside a dedicated sampling lounge. I first wrote about it when it opened last year, and finally had the chance to visit this past weekend.
Essex’s cigar scene continues to evolve at an impressive pace. Sam’s Aroma House joins a small but growing number of cigar-friendly venues in the county, including
– Shenfield Wine (soon to open the Essex Cigar Company sampling lounge),
– Featherstone Cigars’ compact lounge tucked at the back of a barbershop, and
– Aaron’s Surplus Army & Navy—a long-standing favourite among cigar buyers.
Together, these venues point to a promising future for Essex’s cigar culture.
Backgound
Sam’s Aroma House occupies a space that was previously a vegan restaurant and has since been transformed into a tobacco-focused retail shop with a sampling lounge.
It is managed under the direction of Sasan “Sam” Nejad, his partner Sahar, and Sanaz, Sahar’s sister. In this context, all three of them collaborate closely in the business.
Sam occasionally smokes cigars, while Sahar is a genuine cigar enthusiast with a preference for Davidoff, followed by Montecristo. Sanaz also enjoys cigars, favouring Plasencia and Romeo y Julieta. That personal enthusiasm shows in how the lounge is run.
After several months of quiet operation, the sampling lounge officially opened in October 2025. While the shop’s main focus remains general tobacco and vaping products, it carries a well-curated selection of Cuban and New World cigars at competitive London-level prices. The sampling lounge itself is located upstairs.
There are also plans for a future VIP sampling lounge on the third floor, along with discussions around expansion beyond Essex, including potential locations in Newquay and Exeter. Ambitious moves — but ones that could be very positive for the wider UK cigar community if realised.
My experience
I visited on a Saturday afternoon, travelling from London Liverpool Street to Colchester by train. Engineering works meant rail-replacement buses for part of the journey, making it longer than usual. From Colchester station (Colchester Town Station may be slightly closer), it’s roughly a 22-minute walk or a short bus ride.
The shop itself is just behind the High Street and easy to spot thanks to its burgundy frontage and clear branding.
On the ground floor, the shop layout resembles a modern vape store with two humidors positioned at the back.
Cuban cigars supplied by Hunter & Frankau are displayed in the left humidor tower cabinets, while New World cigars from Davidoff UK, Tor Imports and Bright Leaf are housed in the cabinets on the right.
The selection isn’t huge, but it’s thoughtfully curated and sensibly priced.
One box immediately stood out — a Cuaba Salomones (with a 2025 EMS box stamp) priced at £48 a cigar, which was unusually low compared with typical UK single cigar prices I’ve seen around £60‑£80 for the same cigar — and significantly cheaper than most other UK options, so it was an easy choice.
After purchasing my cigar, I headed upstairs to the sampling lounge. Sam wasn’t there that day, but Sahar and Sanaz were outstanding hosts. From the moment I arrived, I felt welcome.
The first-floor lounge feels like a refined coffee shop with a subtle gentleman’s club edge.
Green walls, brown leather seating, soft lighting, and a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere make it easy to settle in.
There are approximately 16–18 seats arranged across several tables. When I arrived, a couple (who I later learned were Sanaz’s wonderful parents) were playing backgammon, and guests came and went steadily throughout the afternoon.
I ended up totally overstaying my welcome—from about 2pm until 8pm — which is probably the best endorsement of just how comfortable the space is.
Over those hours, I had the chance to catch up and spend time with my fellow cigar buddies, Daz and Neil 🫡. A big shout-out to both of you, whom I was lucky enough to meet through this blog and my social media. It was genuinely such a pleasure spending the afternoon together. I used to do these little visits on my own, so having you lot join me on this mad cigar adventure was absolutely brilliant 🙏.
There’s a small but well-stocked bar upstairs offering a considered selection of drinks. I opted for a Flor de Caña rum, recommended by the staff, which paired beautifully with the cigar.
It was here I had my second cigar of the day, the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Short Robusto.
We were also served a generous spread of hams, cheeses, nuts, and water—simple touches, but very well executed and much appreciated.
The lounge was slightly cool near the window, likely due to ventilation, but airflow overall was good. Personally, I’d love to hear some soft jazz (I’m turning dead posh init 😁) playing in the background to further enhance the atmosphere. The general vibe was relaxed, sociable, and welcoming, with easy conversation among guests.
The shop also plans to host regular cigar events, including one on the last Thursday of each month, which represents particularly good value at £35 per ticket.
Final thoughts
Despite the travel frustrations (rail replacement bus 😭), the visit was totally worth it! Going by car might be easier than public transport. Colchester High Street can get pretty lively, especially on weekend evenings, with plenty of folk on the lash 😬😂. On their launch night, all the shop’s balloons outside were stolen 😔, and at Christmas a giant inflatable Santa met the same fate 🙈. I’d recommend visiting during the day or getting a taxi back to the station if you’re out on a weekend evening.
Overall, I’d rate Sam’s Aroma House a solid 7.5/10. It’s a genuinely welcome addition to the UK cigar scene and offers something still relatively rare outside London: a comfortable, sociable indoor cigar sampling lounge run with real care. Excellent pricing and outstanding staff in Sahar and Sanaz 👏 making this a place I’m keen to revisit, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it develops.
Interested in visiting?
Sam’s Aroma House
📍 7 Culver Street West, Colchester, CO1 1JG
Website: samsaromahouse.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sams.aromahouse/
You can reserve a spot in the cigar sampling lounge for 2-hour slots. Pay a £5 deposit per person via secure Stripe checkout on their website. The deposit will be deducted from your bill when you visit. Capacity is limited to 20 guests per hour.
Opening hours
Monday – Thursday: 10:00 – 18:00
Friday – Saturday: 10:00 – 21:00
Sunday: Closed
Parking
To help plan a visit, here are some nearby car parks in Colchester worth considering (all within easy walking distance of Sam’s Aroma House at 7 Culver Street West):
- St Mary’s Multi‑storey Car Park – Large multi-storey with 24/7 availability in some hours; central location. (Colchester City Council)
- Vineyard Street Car Park – Central city centre parking close to shops and eateries. (Colchester City Council)
- NCP Colchester High Street – Pay & Display option near the High Street. (NCP)
- NCP Colchester Osborne Street – 24-hour NCP car park. (NCP)
- Priory Street Car Park, Butt Road Car Park, Britannia Car Park, Greyfriars Car Park, St Johns Multi Storey Car Parking – Other municipally run options across town. (Colchester City Council)
If you like this review, check out my other reviews of Essex’s other cigar shops, sampling lounges and terraces.
Let me know in the comments if you end up visiting — and be sure to report back on how it was!
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