WHO ARE THE BUYERS OF HIGH-PRICED VINTAGE CIGARS?

As we’ve discovered, the world of vintage cigars is poorly defined, and even less understood. With some information from a few specialists, I found out that vintage buyers can be divided into two distinct groups. Dr. Maximilian Herzog, owner of three cigar specialist stores in Berlin, is regarded as a shrewd broker on the vintage…

Cigarillos: Short and Small

In Europe, the Cigarillos, or Short, Dry-Cured Cigar, Sells. In America, it Has Never Caught On. The meal is over. The plates that once held veal marsala and other Italian delights have been cleared, and small cups of dark, froth-topped espresso are being wheeled to the table. The perfect time for a cigar, decides Max…

Why was my box of Cuban cigars opened when I received them?

EMS stands for ‘English Market Selection’ and is a term that has been used in Cuba for over a century to identify the quality of cigars designated for the British market. In 1993, H & F introduced the EMS Stamp and since then they have awarded it to all boxes and packs of Havanas that…

The most common questions we get asked about Cuban cigars

Here are a list of some of the most common questions we get asked by people about Cuban cigars, we hope you find them useful. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us directly. What is a Habano? The official Denominacion de Origen Protegida (D.O.P) or Protected Denomination…

The New Cohiba Talisman 2017 Limited Edition Launch Event

Last week Hunters & Frankau hosted the global launch of the Cohiba Talisman (2017 Edicion Limitada) in the Garden Lounge of The Corinthia, London. The party had guests arriving from all over the world, including fellow Habanos distributors and Casa del Habanos owners, all there to help celebrate the release of the latest Limited Edition…

How to identify cigars by their box codes

Factory identification tends to play a bigger role with Cuban cigars because Cuba has altered their factory seals and codes several times over the years. Moreover, unless you’ve really done your homework, trying to identify a vintage box of Havanas can be quite confusing. In the beginning… According to one source, cigars were originally sold…

The Story of the Aluminium Cigar Tube

Aluminium cigar tubes are as much part of the Havana cigar scene as labelled boxes, cedar cabinets and elegant humidors. The traditional hand-crafted boxes have been around for centuries. But when did tubes first make an appearance and who thought of the idea? Thanks to research I conducted last year into the 225-year history of…

Common Cigar Smoking Faux Pas

Whether you don’t want to look like a novice or just want to lay down the law on your fellow cigar smokers, here are some common bad practices that go by unnoticed too often. Removing the Band Prematurely This seems like a natural thing to do for most novice smokers. You might get lucky and…

A cigar-lovers’ guide to surviving the wedding season

The wedding season is upon us and there is no better way to celebrate than to share cigars. However, before you start planning you cigar purchases, there are a few key considerations to take into account. Do the numbers. If you’re a generous kind of person and intend to share the cigars around, make a rough estimate…