'A Summer Cigar Party'

10th Annual Habanos Festival 2008

Change was also a word very much on the lips of the 1,200 or so delegates drawn from all corners of the globe who were to attend the Festival to pay homage not to “El Commandante” but the humble Havana cigar. Big Tobacco in the guise of Imperial Tobacco had just completed an £11 billion (16.2 billion Euros) takeover of Altadis which with Habanos SA, controls and distributes Cuban cigars throughout 150 countries with a turnover of more than $400 millions…… And of course there were a mountain of cigars to smoke, sample and fall in love with alongside some of the prettiest girls in the Caribbean.

Click here to read a full review of the Festival

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Aged Habanos 1997 and 1998 Vintages

Hunters & Frankau, the two hundred years old exclusive UK distributors for Habanos, has selected certain cigars for special ageing process. We are delighted to present these cigars to you with the vintage declared on each box and every cigar.

Before releasing nay Aged Habanos they are checked by fully trained Habanos SA Quality Technicians. Boxes that receive their approval are stamped ‘Revisado’ which means ‘Checked’.

Inside the box you will find a leaflet titled ‘ Your Guarantee’ explaining the benefits of ageing cigars, the origin of the vintage and how the cigar have been stored.

On the back of this leaflet is a Vintage Certificate on which we have filled the brand, the size and the box date. There is also space to write the date of the purchase, thus giving you a full record of the cigars.

There are no many boxes of these fantastic cigars left. Also some of them are no longer made by Habanos S.A.

For a full list of available cigars, click here.

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New Tube for the Montecristo Petit Edmundo

This year marks a decade since the festival was first held in Havana bringing together cigar enthusiasts and aficionados from around the World. Sponsored and organised by the Habanos S.A Corporation and TabaCuba Business Group the Festival is scheduled to take place from Monday 25th to Friday 29 th February 2008. As in previous years the city will welcome over 1200 delegates from all over the World who regularly attend what has become the premier international forum for the appreciation of fine cigars.

Following hard on the heels of the success of the Petit Edmundo we now have stock of the small Petit Robusto from Montecristo in smart new aluminium tubes. This new packaging exactly matches those tubes previously produced for the larger Edmundo and are a welcome innovation for this popular, small cigar, the flavour and combustion of which echoes that of the classic Montecristo No.2 Torpedo.

Available singularly or in packs of three.

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NEW CIGARS FOR 2008

On the face of it 2008 appears set to be a bumper year for new cigars.

In their wisdom Habanos have decided to re-release two previous Limited Editions from 2004 & 2005 – the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Especial and the H.Upmann Magnum 50. However on this occasion they will come with a natural wrapper rather than the trademark maduro..

Later in the year we will receive three new and unique Limited Editions : Montecristo devotees will see a “Sublimes” (6.5 / 164mm x 54 ring gauge) which will be identical to the former Cohiba model of 2004 in boxes of 10.


Whilst for Cuaba we will see the addition of a “Piramides” (6.18 / 156mm x 52 ring gauge) – something of a departure for a range of cigars which have previously been exclusively presented in the “figurado” shape or format ?

Finally there will be a new Partagas ! The Serie D5 is essentially a cut-down D4 at 4.38 inches / 110 mm with a 50 ring gauge. But hey, who is complaining when the original D4 remains one of the most popular Robustos in Christendom !

To wet your appetite even further the new “Regional Editions” for the U.K. market are a bit special. We expect to see a La Gloria Cubana Gloriosos (6.18 / 155mm x 50 ring gauge) - a Robusto Extra a la Trindad but without the signature pigtail cap. This cigar will be presented in fancy, flat, varnished boxes of just 10 cigars adorned with a specially printed colour lithographic Art Deco box label. N.B. Destined to be a collectors item given that the brand is not actually distributed in the U.K. market.

Again, harking back to the past we will also receive a Punch Serie d’Oro No.1. This cigar was last sold in the U.K. over fifty years ago and dates from the 1930’s. A unique box will be specially designed and made to re-create the original in order to commemorate the re-launch of this distinguished Piramides. This cigar will be a welcome addition to any connoisseur’s humidor.

Consider these new cigars alongside smart new tubed versions of some of your perennial favourites such as the Bolivar Royal Corona, Punch Punch, Magnum 46, Partagas D4 / P2 and Petit Edmundo to name but a few and we have a great deal to look forward to during the forthcoming year.

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Our New 2008 Humidor Range

We are proud to be the only Cigar Specialist in the United Kingdom that have designed and manufactured their own range of Humidors for the storage and conditioning of fine cigars for the past seven years.

Within the Classic Humidor section of our WebSite you will find a model range spanning no less than seven designs and four sizes plus larger cabinets of 150 and 300 cigar capacity. Furthermore we offer an entirely Bespoke Service for those clients who require something more demanding or unusual in terms of handcrafted fine furniture.

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January Cigar Tasting

On Thursday 31st January we intend to sample the new Ramon Allones Gran Robusto ( 155mm x 50 Ring Gauge ) at our Club Cigar Evening along with a “mystery” cigar.

The tasting will take place from 6.00pm until 9.00pm and feature the new “Regional” Limited Edition that has been exclusively made for the Benelux countries. The Ramon Allones Gran Robusto has a typically, rich earthy aroma and plenty of flavour for a cigar which will undoubtedly develop further with age. But with production limited to just 600 numbered boxes we recommend you take this opportunity to smoke / samle it whilst stocks last.

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Por Larrañaga 'Magnificos' !

The Por Larrañaga “Magnifico” ( 6.75 inches x 50 ring gauge)

For many aficionados this cigar is a real treat having been made exclusively for the U.K.market and available in only 1400 numbered boxes. The “Magnifico” echoes the once renowned “ Magnum” – a holy grail for cigar enthusiasts in the 60’s and 70’s.

As a Cuban brand Por Larrañaga dates from 1834. Its signature gold band caught the attention of Rudyard Kipling who, in his 1890 poem “The Betrothed” famously said “There’s peace in a Larrañaga”. (This poem also contains the immortal line “And a woman is only a woman but a good cigar is a smoke”) ?

This impressive new cigar modelled on the original "Magnum" last made in 1978. (See our photograph of a re-constituted Double Figurado dating from 1912 with the same distinctive gold band ).

Despite its provenance this is a relatively mild cigar which has been well made and constructed. I quite liked the size and fragrance but didn't care for the dry and rather bitter after-taste due to its comparative lack of age which should diminish with time.

Destined to be a hit with collectors and enthusiasts alike and a canny investment !

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Habanos Regional Edition - RE Series - 

Since 2004, Habanos SA has released Regional Edition cigars (Edición Regional Series).  The worldwide Global brands are specifically excluded from this series.