Traveling to London, UK -- advice on shops, cigars?

[planetary]

Hey folks. I'm traveling to London soon, on business. It will be my first trip after getting into cigars, and I was thinking about stopping into a tobacconist somewhere and checking out some cigars that I can't get here in the US - Cubans leap to mind, obviously.

1) Any suggestions for cigar shops in London?
2) Any suggestions on cigars which would be good right off the rack in a shop?

Also, I'm not sure about what's possible to bring back into the States... would appreciate any PMs on that topic.

 

[marshall9779]

I just went to London back in March. I only stopped in one shop at the recommendation of someone on here. I went to James J Fox. Small shop but nice. They have a lounge upstairs. Winston Churchill used to frequent there. Be prepared to spend about $30 a stick for regular production stuff. Crazy expensive. There was also a Davidoff shop right down the street from there too. It's near Buckingham Palace.

 

[Cigary43]

I travel quite a bit and stopped buying cigars because of the ridiculous pricing. Order your favorites before you leave and you'll save yourself a ton of money not to mention the fact you won't have to be out looking for the cigar shops and wasting time when you could be in a pub or sightseeing.

 

[planetary]

Thanks.

I was thinking of trying Cubans while abroad, since we can't get them here on the open market. I'd be willing to pay crazy London prices to try a couple sticks, but my initial reading suggests that most Cuban cigars are best with age, which means trying them from the shop humidor may not be the best experience -- unless I can find a couple that are reasonably good young. Any suggestions there?

 

[Cigary43]

Thanks.

I was thinking of trying Cubans while abroad, since we can't get them here on the open market. I'd be willing to pay crazy London prices to try a couple sticks, but my initial reading suggests that most Cuban cigars are best with age, which means trying them from the shop humidor may not be the best experience -- unless I can find a couple that are reasonably good young. Any suggestions there?

Dude ....PM me as nobody should have to go w/o having some Cubans and having to pay through the nose in Europe...and trust me....that's exactly what you'd have to do.

 

[BenvolioMustDie]

You'll get plenty of smokes in London that have been aged. The Gran Bretana REs and most of the last few years LEs will still be on the shelves because no one here will pay the outlandish prices. If you are willing to fork out your best bet is JJ Fox as mentioned above or one of the big hotel bars.
Anything else you're specifically wanting to do there? If you like your whisky check out one of the Boisdale bars or the Brittania in Borough. If you like your beer then go no further than Holborn, some great pubs there all very close to each other. There's a fantastic little pub there called Ye Olde Mitre which does great British food too, it's down a back street and easy to miss but well worth the trip.

 

[iergeni]

Thanks.

I was thinking of trying Cubans while abroad, since we can't get them here on the open market. I'd be willing to pay crazy London prices to try a couple sticks, but my initial reading suggests that most Cuban cigars are best with age, which means trying them from the shop humidor may not be the best experience -- unless I can find a couple that are reasonably good young. Any suggestions there?

Are you going only to Londond or to the mainland, too?

Prices in France, Germany and Spain are much more sensible than in the UK.

 

[planetary]

Yes, only the UK. Thanks for the tip, though.

 

[Yeovil]

I will second the shout for Boisedale. They have 3 spots that you can eat drink and smoke. One is close to Buck Palace the others in the Financial district. If good weather get a few beers and head up to Parliament Hill (Hampstead Heath) at dusk at watch the sun come down over London.

 

[planetary]

Thank you.

 

[btort]

Are you going only to Londond or to the mainland, too?

Prices in France, Germany and Spain are much more sensible than in the UK.

Going to Italy this summer. What's the cigar situation like there, if you know?

 

[iergeni]

Going to Italy this summer. What's the cigar situation like there, if you know?

Judging by the first online italian store I found, they're pricier than in Germany (though probably not as much as in the UK, depending on the GBP - EUR exchange rate).

However, beside selling CCs, Italians make cigars on their own. Look for Italian brands.

Google a couple of cigar stores in the town you're visiting and do a tour, prices might not be the same everywhere.