Cigars
-
New cigar terrace opens at Dakota Manchester Airport hotel
A new outdoor cigar terrace has opened at the Dakota Manchester Airport hotel after the luxury property welcomed its first guests earlier this week. The seven-storey hotel, which opened on 1 July 2026, features a purpose-built al fresco cigar terrace alongside its Bar & Grill. Guests can enjoy cigars in a sheltered outdoor setting, with access…
-
Trident Military Cigars – The Most Secret
Today marks Armed Forces Day, an annual opportunity to recognise and thank the men and women of the British Armed Forces community — serving personnel, reservists, veterans, cadets and their families — for their commitment, sacrifice and service to our nation 🫡🇬🇧. It is a day of appreciation and reflection, making it the perfect time to…
-
Inside the James J. Fox Selección Launch – My evening at St James’s
Just a week after publishing a post on the new James J. Fox Selección cigar range, I was lucky enough to attend its official London launch at the iconic St James’s Street store. The evening marked the first of two launch events, with James J. Fox hosting a second celebration in Dublin next week. If you’re looking…
-
UK cigar events 2026: Wimbledon parties, World Cup cigar celebrations, cigar cruises & festivals lead a packed summer calendar
The second half of 2026 is shaping up to be one of the busiest periods in recent memory for cigar enthusiasts across the UK, with a packed calendar of launches, sporting celebrations, cruises and major festivals stretching from June through to the end of the year. Check some of the highlights below: 25 June 2026:…
-
Oud Garden Cigar Lounge at Baloci Hotel, Birmingham
I often get messages from people asking where they can sample a cigar in Birmingham. Despite being the UK’s second-largest city and home to well over a million people, I’ve always found it surprisingly difficult to recommend dedicated cigar venues. Years ago, behind The Prince of Wales pub in Moseley, there was a small ‘cigar…
-
Luxury London cigar merchant closes months after opening
A luxury cigar venue at one of London’s well-known hotels has closed less than six months after opening. The Cigar Merchant, located within the historic DUKES Hotel in St James’s, ceased operations on Friday (19th June), according to reports from customers and visitors familiar with the venue. The business opened in December 2025 and was…
-
James J. Fox unveils new Selección cigar range for UK and Ireland
James J. Fox has announced details of its new cigar range, Selección, which will be sold exclusively in the UK and Ireland. The range will be launched at the company’s store at 19 St James’s Street in London on 25 June, before becoming available there and at Selfridges. It will then be introduced in Ireland…
-
CIGARS: A Culture, new book by Aaron Sigmond, coming later this year
A new limited-edition book examining the cultural world of cigars is set to be released later this year. CIGARS: A Culture, by author Aaron Sigmond and designer Liliana Guia, is a follow-up to Sigmond’s award-winning 2025 title CIGARS: A Biography. Published by Mad/Dash Press in partnership with the Premium Cigar Association, the book is scheduled for…
-
Meet Ashlar House: Sculptural cigar accessories and the visionary behind the brand
Over the years, this blog has given me the opportunity to meet some fascinating people connected to the cigar world in the UK. Most recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Hayk Yeghikyan, the man behind the newly launched sculptural cigar accessories brand, Ashlar House. We met for a cigar in the garden of The…
-
City of London Cigars Pop-Up at London Concours
If you’re into your cars and cigars, get yourself over to London Concours over the next couple of days. I popped along on Tuesday evening to the beautiful grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company in the heart of the City of London. With more than 130 incredible cars on display and a relaxed garden-party atmosphere,…
-
S.T. Dupont x Cohiba 60th Anniversary Collection Preview
It’s not every day that an invitation from S.T. Dupont lands in your inbox — especially one inviting you to an exclusive preview at the Royal Society of Arts in London. So when Stone Marketing invited me to preview the brand’s upcoming Haute Création range, I knew I had to book a half-day of annual…
-
The Ritz London opens new Cigar Shop & Sampling Lounge
The Ritz London has officially opened its new cigar shop and sampling lounge, replacing the previous venue, which closed over the weekend. Located in a different part of the hotel, the new space features a purpose-built shop, dedicated sampling lounge, newly installed humidors… …and direct access to the hotel’s garden, allowing guests to sample cigars…
-
A visit to The Cigar Room in Brighton & Hove
My trek around the UK visiting cigar shops with sampling lounges continued in full force this week. In what felt like peak summer vibes, I spent this week’s recent Bank Holiday Monday down in Brighton & Hove on the south coast of England. Judging by the packed, sweaty trains heading down there and the beaches,…
-
Hunters & Frankau reveal details of Cuaba Yara LCDH exclusive at Ignite UK trade show
UK cigar importer and distributor Hunters & Frankau has used the IGNITE UK trade show at Whittlebury Hall to place a spotlight on a new Cuban cigar from Cuaba, marking the brand’s 30th anniversary. The new release, the Cuaba Yara, will be produced exclusively for La Casa del Habano retail outlets and is set to be…
-
IGNITE 2026: UK Tobacco Retailers Conference & Show – Live Updates
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.…