Live updates 🚨 from IGNITE 2026 — the UK Tobacco Retailers Conference & Show 2026, running from 15–17 May at Whittlebury Park in Northamptonshire.
Sunday 17th May 2026
16:00 🇬🇧
And just like that… IGNITE 2026 comes to a close! It was an absolute pleasure to attend such a fantastic event and meet so many incredible people. Another reminder of just how hard the cigar industry works behind the scenes to bring us the very best cigars. David, Scarlett and their team did a great job hosting and running this event! 👏
15:00 🇬🇧
Super great catching up with Theo too! Read about his cigar shop that opened up last year in Long Melford 🙌 It was great bumping into so many retailers — many of whom I’ve met along my travels while working my way around every cigar shop with a sampling lounge or cigar terrace across the UK. Still a long way to go, but I’m steadily making progress!
14:52
Following the huge success of the Puro Dominicano launch, Davidoff UK is already gearing up for its next major release — the highly anticipated Zino Honduras (the red band), arriving globally on 26th June 2026. This marks only the second time the brand has coordinated a worldwide release on the exact same date, with the Puro Dominicano making history as the first. Another exciting milestone for cigar enthusiasts worldwide — and one release you’ll definitely want to keep on your radar!
14:45 🇬🇧
Fresh from PCA and already turning heads — the Oliva World Cup cigars has landed and didn’t stay around for long, selling out quickly this weekend at the Tor Imports booth.
Oliva presents the Serie V Melanio Gran Reserva Limitada Double Toro – Soccer Edition, a special World Cup release crafted by Tabacalera Oliva S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua.
14:35 🇬🇧
Global Leaf has also added the Padilla Fumas to the current cigar lineup — one to keep an eye on.
14:15 🇬🇧
I only discovered Barkers of Harrogate relatively recently, despite the fact they’ve been around for many many years.
The family-run business was founded by Roy Moss-Allison and is now led by Becky Moss-Allison, who continues to build the company.
It was great catching up again with Blas Elias representing Las Villas Cigars in Nicaragua.
Alongside the original Las Villas Toro — which he described as having a smooth latte-style profile — which I really enjoyed when I tried it last year — they’ve now introduced the new Selection By the Book cigar, which takes things in a richer, darker direction with espresso and dark chocolate notes.
This updated blend has over five years of ageing behind it, including tobaccos aged for three years before rolling and at least another year after production. Built around an Estelí blend with a 1998 binder and two filler leaves, it delivers a deeper, more refined smoking experience.
13:10 🇬🇧
Always great to bump into the team behind Raching — their humidors are something else.
12:48 🇬🇧
Next is Chateau Diadem, a family project from cousins Emily and Thierry, blending Swiss roots with international cigar experience. Thierry first got into cigars in Boston and later launched one of Switzerland’s early online cigar platforms in 1996, while Emily came from a luxury food and beverage background in New York before joining him. After a brief crypto venture and an online marketplace, they refocused during Covid and moved to the Dominican Republic to develop their own blends.
Their Monkey Business medium filler line is Dominican-made with an Ecuadorian H 2000 wrapper and a multi-origin filler, offering notes of cedar, chocolate, and leather across Petit Robusto, Robusto, and Gran Robusto sizes.
Emily also has family ties to the Sahakians, and there’s talk that something interesting may be coming online soon 🤩.
12:36 🇬🇧
Over the course of the weekend, I’ve been hearing from various people that smaller half coronas in tins and compact packaging are proving quite popular across a lot of shops. The main appeal seems to be that they suit people with limited time to smoke a cigar, making them ideal for a quick lunchtime break. Check out these half corona Rocky Patel cigars…
12:32 🇬🇧
Was super looking forward to seeing HR, which are being brought in by Brightleaf.
HR Cigars carries over 170 years of Robaina family tobacco tradition. Founded by Hirochi Robaina (who I met last year in Cuba #mindblown 🤯😊) — grandson of legendary Cuban grower Alejandro Robaina — the brand blends Cuban heritage with Nicaraguan craftsmanship, producing premium handmade cigars in Estelí, Nicaragua.
HR White Line – Robusto Gordo
HR Blue Line – Toro
HR Signature Line – Corona
HR Black Line – Extra Toro
12:15 🇬🇧
What an absolute honour to finally meet Jemma Freeman of Hunters & Frankau – I said ‘I’ve been following you for such a long time, the history of Hunters & Frankau is amazing’, she said ‘I’ve been following you’ – mind blown! 🤯☺️
Hunters & Frankau have also introduced/reintroduced these cigars for the UK market.
Romeo y Julieta Sport Largos is a historic Cuban cigar brand founded in 1875, inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The Sport Largos is a short, fully handmade cigar (short panetela, 117mm x 38 ring gauge) made with long filler tobacco from Vuelta Abajo. It is medium-bodied with a balanced, lightly floral and woody profile, offering around 20 minutes of smooth, refined smoking in a dressed box of 25.
Rafael Gonzalez Panetelas Extra is a milder Cuban cigar brand established in 1928 with strong UK historical ties. The Panetelas Extra (127mm x 37 ring gauge) is handmade using short filler tobacco from Pinar del Río. It is smooth, mild, and subtly complex, designed for a refined smoke of under 30 minutes, and is often regarded as a hidden gem among aficionados.
Fonseca Delicias comes from a brand founded in the 1890s known for elegance and careful presentation, including its signature tissue-wrapped cigars. The Delicias (120mm x 40 ring gauge) is a mild, handmade short filler cigar from Pinar del Río. It delivers a smooth, elegant smoking experience of about 30 minutes, often recommended after light meals.
11:54 🇬🇧
A wonderful presentation by Ana Lopez 👏The big news is that a new Cuaba Yara – an LCDH exclusive, will be available the end of the year here in the UK!
11:50 🇬🇧
Ana López guided us through the origins and evolution of the Cuban cigar brand Cuaba, marking 30 years of the brand while reflecting on the broader wave of creativity that shaped the Cuban cigar industry during the 1990s.
Some of my notes from the talk:
Between 1985 and 1994, Cuba’s tobacco industry underwent major political and structural changes under Cubatabaco. These included reforms in distribution, trademarks, and export control.
Cuba faced serious trademark and ownership problems because many famous Cuban cigar brands were registered or produced outside Cuba after the 1960s. Brands such as Montecristo and others were controlled by foreign distributors, especially in Spain and France.
In response, Cuban tobacco leaders wanted to create new cigar brands fully owned and controlled by Cuba, rather than relying on disputed historic names.
A major figure in this process was Francisco Linares, who believed Cuba needed innovative, premium brands that revived traditional cigar-making skills and shapes.
During visits abroad, especially to the UK, Linares noticed interest in old cigar styles, particularly figurado-shaped cigars (non-standard shapes). Cuba had almost lost the expertise to make them.
Cuban factories searched for veteran cigar rollers who still knew the traditional techniques. Older craftsmen trained a new generation of rollers to produce these difficult shapes again.
This effort led to the creation of the brand Cuaba in the mid-1990s.
The name “Cuaba” came from an indigenous Cuban word related to the early use of tobacco by native peoples.
The brand’s presentation and packaging were designed to recreate the appearance and traditions of 19th-century Cuban cigars, with unlabelled wooden boxes and historical styling.
Cuaba launched in London in 1996 with strong support from UK cigar enthusiasts and distributors – a lot of them were in the room!
The launch included auctions and charity events that later became traditions in Cuban cigar festivals.
Over the following years, the brand expanded with new cigar sizes, limited editions, and collaborations with luxury companies such as S.T. Dupont.
The speaker explains that making figurado cigars is extremely difficult and labour-intensive, which limited production but also made the brand distinctive – 60 to 70 cigars a day were made – and my god the attention to detail here is insane! Ana shared a video of them rolling it.
Although not every cigar smoker appreciates the unusual flavour progression and shape of Cuaba cigars, the brand gained respect because of its craftsmanship, consistency, and historical authenticity.
11:00 🇬🇧
The seminar room is near enough full for the Cuaba 30th Anniversary talk, Jemma Freeman of Hunters & Frankau is in the building, the busiest attendance of the event. Ana Lopez is about to present – she has such a history of knowledge – this will be a good one!
09:20 🇬🇧
And so we arrive at the final day of this year’s IGNITE show. Later this morning, Hunters & Frankau will present a brief introduction to the iconic Cuaba cigar brand as it celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026. The session takes place from 11:00–12:00 in the Melbourne Room.
Saturday 16th May 2026
00:45 🇬🇧
The evening finished in style with guests heading outside as fireworks lit up the background as we cut our caps and lit our cigars.
A fitting end to the Golden Gala Dinner 👏 – a memorable celebration of 50 years of AITS.
I gotta give a big shout out to the awesome Dave Wright of STG whose birthday it was!!! And a big thank you to everyone who has made me feel so welcome at this event – I’ve met so many incredible folk both old and new this weekend. Honestly it’s very appreciated – your company 🙏
Right I’d better go to bed, for the finale tomorrow! My aim is to make it all the way around the full exhibition tomorrow 💪
20:55 🇬🇧
The brilliant Jose Antonio Cejas Diaz of Hunters & Frankau hosted a cigar blind tasting with 60 participants taking part during the day — and 13 correctly identified the cigar as the Vegas Robaina. He announced each and every winner!
Phillip Kruger of Cigar Kings also spoke about the Figurado we were all able to enjoy this evening after desert — revealing it was originally designed using a 3D printer before becoming a reality! #mindblown!
20:30 🇬🇧
Former Chair James Barber of the brilliant James Barber Tobacconist also gave a speech just before the main course, taking a moment to thank everyone for coming along.
19:50 🇬🇧
David Worsfold, Chair of the AITS, kicks the dinner off with a great speech where he reflected on the association’s incredible 50-year journey.
He spoke about how AITS started with just a small group of specialist retailers before growing into a respected voice for the trade. He praised the resilience and adaptability of independent tobacconists, highlighting how the industry has continued to evolve through decades of change in retail and consumer habits.
Worsfold also emphasised the strength of the cigar community and the importance of working together to support the future of specialist tobacconists. He thanked the committee members, volunteers, and supporters who have helped shape the association over the years.
Ending on a lighter note, he joked about the industry’s ability to adapt to almost any challenge before inviting guests to raise a toast to the next 50 years of AITS.
Now it’s time to tuck in!
19:45 🇬🇧
I’m on Table 14 tonight, sharing the table with Colin Cameron (a previous winner of Boisdale’s Cigar Smoker of the Year – Communicator of the Year award) and some of the awesome crew from Mitchell’s Wines / La Casa del Habanos Sheffield who I visited last year for their opening 🙏
We have a three-course meal coming our way paired with some outstanding cigars including a Romeo y Juliet and the new Davidoff Puro Dominicano.
19:30 🇬🇧
Just walked into the dining space and it looks awesome.
Tonight is all about celebrating 50 years of AITS, and guests were asked to come dressed in gold — and the cigar industry has absolutely delivered. I swear a few folk look like they’re just about to step on the Eurovision stage!
19:20 🇬🇧
En route to the Pavilion for this evening’s Golden Gala Dinner. Just a short walk from the main exhibition and Ignite event space, all within the grounds of Whittlebury Park — it’s funny you can actually hear the sound of racing cars flying around nearby Silverstone!
17:15 🇬🇧
As the day drew to a close at 5pm, folk started to wrap up and get ready for tonight’s gala dinner. There’s been a strong presence of Sautter’s cigar shirts throughout the day, with many attendees spotted wearing them. I hoped to catch them at the stand but just missed them today — hoping to connect tomorrow.
Despite plans to cover more of the floor, only a few stands were reached after extended conversations with retailers from across the country, alongside full attendance at the day’s seminars. Tomorrow I’m gonna be set to focus on a deeper exploration of the exhibition stands.
15:41 🇬🇧
Carlos Zúñiga of Charatan traced the brand’s origins to an early British pipe-maker who rose from underdog beginnings in a market dominated by imports, becoming a leading figure in English craftsmanship.
Carlos outlined over 160 years of heritage, highlighting British identity, the unicorn emblem, and the brand’s evolution alongside key national milestones, as well as its international growth and ownership changes.
The talk also covered recent modernisation efforts, including new cigar formats and refreshed packaging – which got recognition from the audience – it was designed to balance tradition with a more contemporary market approach – which has done so well!
We got to sample the cigar afterwards. I went for the Charatan Maduro.
13:18 🇬🇧
The next seminar was by Philipp Kugler of Cigar Kings founded in 2016, beginning as a university design project before evolving into a fully established cigar brand.
The business now supplies 23 international markets across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, with a strategy focused on steady, controlled expansion and ensuring product availability before entering new regions.
Today, the company operates as a structured group with representation through Bright Leaf.
In 2025, production reached 741,000 cigars, with a target of 850,000 this year, reflecting a mid-sized but growing operation.
We later sampled one of his cigars, the Cigar Kings Elegantes, which was mild and sweet; its shape reminded me of a Cuaba. A decent smoke!
12:22 🇬🇧
My favourite spot of the day… Bright Leaf has just unveiled the new “Elvis” cigar by Freud cigars, and it’s already turning heads. A bold, music-inspired release that feels like it was made for the fans 🙌
11:47 🇬🇧
Live from the exhibition floor: House of Rum have unveiled an exclusive new Cuban single cask release today.
Distilled at Ron Cubay in Villa Clara, Cuba, this 16-year-old vintage rum was initially aged for six years in Cuba before a further 10 years of continental ageing in the UK. Bottled in 2026 from Cask #2617, only 253 bottles have been released.
Tasting notes include vanilla fudge, pepper spice, toffee, chocolate, oak and tobacco, with a long sweet vanilla finish.
Get in touch with house-of-rum.com for more infos.
11:20 🇬🇧
For the first seminar of the day, Tatiana Camacho (Secretary General, ITPAC) and Daniel Freeman (AITS Trade Legislation Lead, JJ Fox), discussed the implementation and impact of forthcoming tobacco control legislation, including Track & Trace obligations, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, licensing proposals, plain packaging measures and smoke-free restrictions.
They outlined the current legislative timetable and noted that several key policy areas remain subject to secondary legislation and future consultation. Attendees were encouraged to maintain compliance with existing regulations and to participate in consultation processes as further details become available.
Attendees raised questions regarding enforcement, consultation processes, international comparisons, consumer engagement and potential future legal or policy developments affecting the industry.
08:30 🇬🇧
Tor Imports have just dropped some great footage from last night’s Partner’s Garden Gathering on their socials.
I was caught up chatting and didn’t manage to make it over to the actual BBQ bit 🙈😄.
I’ll definitely be making up for it this morning though… the hotel buffet breakfast is about to get my full attention.
07:00 🇬🇧
Day 1 was all about the setup and the evening gathering. Day 2 today, and tomorrow’s Day 3, is when things really spring into action. Retailers are here searching for the best cigars and accessories for their customers, and there’s certainly no shortage of choice this weekend.
It’s also an important opportunity to learn more about the impact of the recent UK Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, which passed on 29 April.
The generational ban comes into force on 1 January 2027, making it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born after 1 January 2009. This places the responsibility firmly on retailers, making it vital they understand the next steps and how to adapt to these upcoming changes, with today set to play an important role in that process.
Then in the evening the Golden Gala Dinner.
02:10 🇬🇧
Just got back to the hotel room… and wow, I’m gonna be knackered tomorrow haha 😅 But what an incredible evening!!!
I’ll be honest — I thought I’d capture way more footage tonight. The second I walked into the event though, that plan completely changed. Everywhere I turned there were familiar faces: cigar retailers I’ve visited over the years, people whose shops I’ve written blogs about, friends from across the industry. It genuinely felt less like an event and more like a family reunion… a cigar family reunion. And honestly, that’s what makes this UK cigar community so special.
There were some fascinating conversations throughout the night too. A lot of discussion around the recent Tobacco & Vape Bill, concerns about what’s happening to our friends in Cuba, and plenty of debate about what the future holds. But alongside the worries, there’s also real excitement in the air with everything happening this weekend. Everyone was in great spirits, the atmosphere was buzzing, and somehow the weather even held out for us — which was a massive win.
Now, the question I always get after these events: “What was in the attendee bag?” 👀
So before I crash and burn for the night, here’s tonight’s haul courtesy of Tor Imports:
A cigar cutter, lighter and whiskey tasting glass plus two cigars including the brand-new Undercrown El Tigre Dominicano from Drew Estate.
Friday 15th May 2026
22:46 🇬🇧
Just got a sneak peek tour of the Mantis Accessories stand and the selection here is insane.
Very sleek, modern-looking gear throughout, including voice-activated cigar lighters and carbon fibre cigar cases. Definitely one of the most futuristic setups at the event. At really affordable prices too! Make sure you say hello to David and his team at this weekends event and visit the website at mantisaccessory.com
22:24
Catching up with the unstoppable Phillip Krugler of Cigar Kings from Germany 🇩🇪 — who I interviewed on my blog a few years back — and what a journey he has been on. What started as a university project designing cigar bands has evolved into a full-blown cigar empire, cigars selling internationally, complete with his own factory in Nicaragua. Absolutely smashing it. 🔥
If you’re at the event tomorrow, don’t miss Phillip’s talk from 13:00–14:00 in the Melbourne Room.
Also great to reunite with James, the brilliant owner of Surrey Cigars, after our unforgettable trip to Cuba last year! 🇨🇺🥃
21:27 🇬🇧
First cigar of the night: the brand new Zino Honduras — and this one has been on my radar since the first whispers about it. What a way to kick things off. Full-bodied, rich spice, plenty of strength, and seriously enjoyable from first draw to last 👌
This was I think the Robusto 5×54, and it’s a completely different experience from the yellow Davidoff line — much bolder, fuller, and with far more punch.
20:38
A great moment at tonight’s event as everyone surprised David Worsfold, chairman of AITS and IGNITE, with a birthday cake for his birthday this evening. Even better seeing the whole cigar community come together to sing Happy Birthday to him — a really special atmosphere tonight.
20:10 🇬🇧
And we’re officially underway — the BBQ is now in full swing!
19:15 🇬🇧
Each guest was warmly welcomed to the Brooklands Suite Garden with an exclusive attendee gift bag upon arrival. And what a pleasure to hang out with the brilliant Scott Vines of Tor Imports 🙏.
18:25 🇬🇧
Checked in at Whittlebury Park and the countdown is officially on… ⏳ Just 35 minutes until the IGNITE Partners Garden Gathering begins 🌿✨ The big question on my mind right now… what cigar are we all going to be sampling tonight? 👀🔥
15:42 🇬🇧
More snaps are coming in from people on the ground setting up their stands for IGNITE 2026 🙏
This year’s floor is already taking shape, with some major names in the mix including Hunters & Frankau, Sautters, Davidoff, James Barbershop Tobacconists, Charatan, Raching, and Zippo — all putting the finishing touches in place ahead of a busy weekend.
15:02 🇬🇧
The team at Tor Imports are deep into setup mode as preparations continue ahead of tonight’s opening events.
Instagram stories from the Tor crew and their guests show stands taking shape, cigars boxes being unpacked and final touches going in across the venue — proper behind-the-scenes graft before the doors officially open.
14:00 🇬🇧
Staff at Mitchell’s Wines / La Casa del Habanos Sheffield are shutting up shop early today at 4pm as they head down to IGNITE 2026.
They’ve teased “exciting new products” set to arrive after the show — so watch this space.
12:55 🇬🇧
The Brooklands Suite is beginning to come alive as exhibitors start building their stands — and Cigars Amigos Club may be among the first fully underway.
Created by cigar aficionados for cigar aficionados, Cigars Amigos Club is a new social platform aiming to bring the cigar community together online.
🔗 Check out the beta site: https://cigarsamigos.club/
If you’re attending this weekend, make sure to stop by their stand and say hello.
08:42 🇬🇧
IGNITE organisers have shared a more detailed itinerary for the weekend, including clearer schedules, activity locations and updated timings for key events across the venue.
With seminars, tastings, anniversary celebrations and exclusive showcases ahead, the weekend schedule is now starting to take full shape.
06:54 🇬🇧
Current BBC forecasts suggest a very British weekend ahead in Northamptonshire ☀️☔
Light rain showers and gentle breezes are expected tonight, followed by lighter cloud tomorrow and possible drizzle on Sunday.
Keep an eye on the forecast here throughout the weekend:
bbc.co.uk/weather/2634011
06:00 🇬🇧 British Summer Time
It’s that time of year again for IGNITE 🔥 — the UK Tobacco Retailers Conference & Show 2026 — a trade-only event bringing together specialist retailers, distributors and premium brands from across the industry.
It all kicks off tonight at Whittlebury Park in Northamptonshire and runs from 15–17 May.
I’ll be covering the event on the ground and via social media as much as I can, and I’ll keep sharing updates here throughout the weekend.
The A.I.T.S (Association of Independent Tobacco Specialists) host the event in partnership with UK distributors Hunters & Frankau, Bright Leaf, Davidoff and Tor Imports.
There will be 23 exhibitors across more than 7,600 sq ft of exhibition space, with attendees able to access exclusive supplier discounts.
Tonight’s opening begins with the IGNITE Partner’s Garden Gathering at 7pm, where exclusive Diablo Rum samples by House of Rum will set the tone for a packed programme over the next three days.
Saturday sees the exhibition and partner zones open from 9am, followed by a key seminar exploring the future of specialist tobacco retail in the UK — a particularly timely discussion following the recent passage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill into law.
The day will also feature sampling sessions hosted by Phillip Krugler of CigarKings and Charatan, before concluding with the Golden Gala Dinner & Celebration in the evening. This year’s event also marks the 50th anniversary of the AITS, guests have been asked to wear something gold for the evening.
On Sunday, the event continues with further exhibition access and a special 30th anniversary celebration of Cuaba, alongside additional sampling opportunities ahead of the Chairman’s Closing Remarks at 3.30pm.
A number of cigar releases and announcements are gaining traction on social media ahead of this weekend’s event, with several UK debuts and limited appearances expected.
Davidoff UK have announced that the new Zino Honduras will be making an appearance.
Pledge Purple from Casa Carrillo is set for its UK introduction following its unveiling at the Premium Cigar Association Trade Show, with UK distribution handled by Tor Imports.
Sobremesa Brûlée Blue from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust is also expected to feature during the show.
Crowned Heads is meanwhile entering the UK market for the first time via Barkers of Harrogate, marking a significant distribution milestone. Half Wheel reported this a couple of days ago.
Bright Leaf have announced that they will showcase a diverse range of premium cigars from major producers and boutique brands, with a focus on both established names and standout blends. Key highlights include:
Aganorsa Leaf — a headliner known for its Cuban-style growing methods and rich, balanced cigar blends.
HR Cigars — combining Cuban heritage with Nicaraguan craftsmanship. This cigar is guided by master cigar maker Hirochi Robaina, grandson of legendary Cuban tobacco grower Alejandro Robaina.
El Pulpo by Artesano del Tobacco — a bold blend created in collaboration with AJ Fernandez.
CAO Amazon Basin Rothschild — a distinctive release known for its Amazonian tobacco character and collectible appeal.
Finally, attention is turning to the Cuaba’ 30th Anniversary, will Hunters & Frankau be revealing a new Cuaba release over the weekend?
Bookmark this page and check back over the weekend for more updates as they happen!
Leave a Reply