Cigardio. WHAT TO SMOKE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN.
While I cannot claim to be an expert in the field of cigars, I absolutely can claim to be a specialist where matters concern the whittling of time in leisure.
Cigars are growing in popularity, with the market expected to double in the next 5-8 years. Why? Perhaps they are a statement of luxury and success, maybe they are a little more old world and reassuring in times like these or perhaps they are a statement of style. The undeniable truth of a cigar is that one cannot enjoy a cigar in a rush making their slow nature one of this worlds last bastions of time as a luxury. They bring you very firmly into the present, they slow you down and they place you in that lucid liminal place of clarity and creativity.
The matter of when you should be indulging in a stogie should certainly expand beyond the glamour of celebration. Luxury should be an every day affair and I find decadence in some of the quietest of places. This is why I’m going to share three occasions for you to consider enjoying a cigar and recommendations for some of the best smokes I would choose for such moments.
The post lunch cocktail cigar: H. Upmann Connoisseur A
I far prefer lunch as a more purposeful occasion rather than dinner (any possible risk of a hangover happens when you’re asleep) and the mid day sun-on-your-face cigar is a brilliant way to digest the joy of your lunch and more importantly your company. Whether you’re enjoying a post lunch negroni, Manhattan or perhaps a bottle of Bollinger la Grande Annee 2012 this is the perfect time to elongate the moment.
My choice of cigar for this occasion is the H. Upmann Connoisseur A. Hermann Dietrich Upmann was a banker in the 1800’s who was invited to Cuba and upon falling in love with the culture, decided to purchase a cigar factory himself, establishing the H. Upmann brand - one of the oldest cigar brands still in existence. The brand is famed for its light to medium, more sophisticated flavour profiles. The Connoisseur A is a prime example from the brand; its sweet, coffee, dark chocolate palette make it a a pairing made in heaven with fresh, nutty Champagnes and bitter cocktails. With a ring gauge of 52 (my favourite) and a length of 5 1/2” you can expect to add an additional hour of leisure at the end of lunch.
The beach front cigar: The Montecristo Open Eagle
I am simply unable to sit still and do nothing in the heat of the beach for an enduring amount of time. And while there has always been the space to write, swim, work out or play cards, I am aware my active nature isn’t always congruous with others desires to relax and simply be. I have therefore found a very natural place for a cigar when sat at the beach either alone or in company relaxing with a bottle of Cevaro, or talking a leisurely walk.
My favourite cigar for this moment is the Montecristo Open Eagle. The Open series was created in 2009 with the intention of being a golfing cigar, the Eagle itself intended as the perfect accompaniment to at least a portion of your journey around 18 holes. Truth be told the cigar is simply best enjoyed outdoors, the beach of course being possibly one of the most idyllic outdoor environments. With a handsome ring gauge of 54 and a length of 5 7/8” this cigar will be a rich smoke, easily paired with an Antinori Tignanello or even a more tropical buttery white chardonnay.
The Saturday morning cigar: Quai D’Orsay 54
Mornings are precious gifts bestowed onto us every day and the duvet so often steals us into its unrelenting hideaway denying the pleasures of the first few hours. Come Saturday when the promise of lunch with Miss English is on the horizon I am always like a kid at Christmas. Up as early as possible, ready to embrace the day.
The morning is also the one time when none of the days admin has crept in, no tasks have been dished out, no emails have been penned demanding reply, no problems have raised seeking resolution. The morning therefore is the best possible time to allow for your most creativity; great conversations, idea generating, plan making, life appreciating. I therefore have developed a habit of placing a strategic cigar in the odd Saturday morning with a coffee to allow for a solid hour of this fertile moment. A wander down the river, winding through the red bricks and townhouses of Parsons Green is the most incredibly pleasurable way of bringing oneself to life and placing an uninterruptible stopgap in the waking hours.
The best choice for this time is the Quai D’Orsay 54. Quai D’Orsay was founded in the impeccable 1970s for the French market, a time when Yves Saint Laurent popularised safari jackets, broad lapel suiting, aviator glasses for casual wear and when the Rive Gauche became high end. Quai D’Orsay was created by Cuba as a lighter brand, sensitive to the French tastes, and the 54 is a purely elegant expression of the brands signature palette. Being so light, this would be my recommendation for anyone looking to try a cigar for the first time, but also for times of the day which aren’t quite as established as lunch or dinner, making it the perfect partner to the morning mediations.
While my recommendations are educated (mainly by the founder of Edmundo’s on Fulham Road; Mr Omar) but personal, there is unequivocally no moment that I have described which I have not enjoyed. As with most aspects of establishing an enjoyably elegant life, the trick is to find out who you are, what you enjoy and hopefully, choose cigars which you learn to love in moments that you have earned.
