May 22, 2026 |
“I do smoke, but I’ve moved to sugary vapes now,” I say, immediately feeling like I shouldn’t have. I’m in the elegant Edward Sahakian Cigar Lounge at the Bvlgari Hotel in Knightsbridge, explaining my smoking history to Craig King, the shop’s expert cigar sommelier.
My colleague Paul Toner and I are trying out the cigars – I’ve always liked how the act of smoking one can take you out of the humdrum. Cigars are such beautifully handcrafted objects. There’s a ceremony to smoking a cigar and an undeniable old-world glamour to it.
We are in good hands. King is unfazed by our novice status and takes us to the humidor room, where we stare at what look like rows of chocolate logs in cabinets. There are cigars here to suit every taste and every wallet: the most expensive, a Cohiba Majestuosos, costs £3,000.
Neither Paul or I have any idea what to choose. King gently advises, “We have a couple of different options when it comes to cigars. The most popular is Cuban.” He gestures to the neat shelves behind him. “The oldest brand we have is Ignacio Larrañaga from 1834. Anything not from Cuba is classed as ‘new world’ such as products from Honduras, Garagoa [Colombia], Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. As well as origin, we must consider strength profiles.” We nod appreciatively. King explains that the stronger “more ligero” tobacco flavour comes from leaves plucked from the top of the plant.
We select one each on the lighter side – the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 Cigar and Quai d’Orsay No. 50 Cigar – and settle into the leather-panelled room. King brings a pair of what look like miniature blowtorches to light us up. The theatre of it is part of the appeal. The act is quiet, tranquil and somehow spiritual. The calm room feels a world away from the bustle of the streets outside. There’s also something deliciously transgressive about smoking inside and this is one of the last indoor smoking lounges in London. A quirk of licensing means you can only smoke cigars here – ciggies are against the law, and you must buy their cigars, you can’t bring them in. I couldn’t help but feel special and protected in the space, far away from the madness of the real world.
The Edward Sahakian Cigar Lounge has cigars to suit every taste and every wallet, with the most expensive costing £3000. Taken from 10 Men Issue 63 – CLASSIC, CRAFT, NOSTALGIA – out NOW. Order your copy here.
