FEATURE

A Band of

Brothers
Belgravia boasts more cigar connoisseurs than some countries.
To celebrate this, the Belgravia Residents Journal rounds up four of
them: Eddie Sahakian, Giuseppe Ruo, Tom Assheton and Pavel Kabina,
to divulge all the mysteries of their smoky world

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FEATURE

Eddie Sahakian

Pavel Kabina

of Edward Sahakian, Bulgari Hotel

of the Havana Cigar Exchange

...on the best cigars

Im often asked what my favourite cigar
is the simple answer is the next cigar I am
smoking as I genuinely enjoy the majority
of those I smoke. If forced into compiling a
shortlist, it would include the following:
1. Davidoff No.2 light in strength with a
creamy, slightly floral bouquet on the palate.
The size (38 ring gauge x six inches) lends
itself to a 45 minute morning stroll through
the park or perhaps a one hour post-lunch
digestif. I also find the size to be particularly
elegant and somewhat understated. It was the
first cigar I ever smoked.
2. Trinidad Fundadores ideally it will need
to be a Fundadores from 1998 or 1999 El Laguito production.
A heady combination of lightness and complexity, eventually
developing into a nut and coffee climax. There are very few
cigars that can match the early production Fundadores from El
Laguito for sheer elegance and exquisite flavour.
3. Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure No. 2 a very well
balanced and perennial favourite. This classic robusto
rarely disappoints; this is the cigar I have smoked most
often in my life.

that in recent years my taste has

migrated towards the classics
of previous generations. The
Laguito No. 2, Panatelas
Grandes and even a traditional
Corona are a rediscovered joy
for me and more manageable
than some of the new tree
trunks being released.

...on the cigar strength

The strength of a cigar is usually calibrated as full, medium
or light-bodied. A few examples:

Full Body Cigars: Cohiba, Partagas, Bolivar

Medium Body Cigars: Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta,
Trinidad
Light Body Cigars: Hoyo de Monterrey, H. Upmann,
El Rey del Mundo

on aged cigars
Sometimes Im asked whether a certain box of cigars should be
aged before smoking. This leads to the fascinating subject of
vintage cigars a sector that has experienced explosive growth in
interest and prices. In general, Cuban cigars need some box ageing
to achieve their most satisfying taste. Non-Cuban production
(Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras etc) will typically be
ready to smoke by the time it reaches the retailer. However there is
no dogma on which cigars should be aged all that matters is the
individual cigar aficionados palate and ensuing pleasure.

Giuseppe Ruo
of The Wellesley

...on the big trends

on cigar shapes
I enjoy most shapes and sizes in cigars although I confess

Edward Sahakian Cigar shop, Bulgari Hotel, 171

Knightsbridge, SW7 1DW, 020 7151 1010 (bulgarihotels.com)

on the cigar experience

Tom Assheton
of Tom Tom Cigars

My favourite all-rounder has

to be the Romeo y Julieta short
Churchill, accompanied by
an ale or pilsner. Dont worry
too much about bands. Youll
want to take it off when it
feels right. Theyre stuck on
with vegetable gum which
softens as the heat of the cigar
approaches. If you pick it off
too early youll damage the
leaves. Theres a lot of noise
about not being allowed to use lighters at the moment but
using them is fine really, as long as its not a petrol one.
While some people prefer to smoke socially, I particularly
enjoy smoking after a long day when I need to put my feet
up. When youre smoking with others, you get through a
cigar more quickly; you dont appreciate it as much.
Tom Tom Cigars, 63 Elizabeth Street, SW1W 9PP,
020 7730 1790 (tomtom.co.uk)

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The trend is to
smoke big, long
cigars if time
allows. Some big
cigars trending at
the moment are
Cohiba Behike,
Montecristo 520 and
Bolivar Libertador.
If time is limited,
smokers should try a shorter cigar such as Partagas Serie D
No. 4, Cohiba Robusto or Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.
2. These are all big cigars, but short so they will not take so
much time to smoke.
on cigar etiquette

on cigars to look out for

Limited Editions (two years aged), Reservas (three years
aged) and Gran Reservas (six years aged) are becoming
pretty big news. They use matured and fermented tobacco
leaves and tend to have specially selected tobacco blends
with the best
qualities of aroma,
flavours and texture.
Expect to pay
premium prices,
from 25 to 400
per stick. Due to its
limited production,
the prices for these
cigars are going up
each year.
Havana Cigar
Exchange,
Park Tower
Knightsbridge
Hotel, 101
Knightsbridge, SW1X
7RN, 020 7245 6236
(havanacigarexchange.com)

Im always very careful around children, as anyone should

be. The difference with cigarette smoke and cigar smoke is
that cigarettes are an addiction. Cigars are not, so people
can wait to have one until they are in the right conditions.
Ideally, a smoker wants to relax and feel pleasure from the
tobacco. Cigar etiquette is very personal. There are some
rules to note; first, cut the cigar with a cutter, do not bite
them or use your nails. Second, do not tap the ash but just let
it fell down by itself. Third, always take the cigar band off,
because you dont want to show off what you are smoking.
The Wellesley, 11 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LY,
020 7235 3535 (thewellesley.co.uk)

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