Tag: London

LD on Nick’s Book

IN my opinion, there are cigar books and then there’s Around The World in 80 Cigars. I must have read it half a dozen times or more, but the stories within remaining as fresh as the day they were printed, and it never fails to make me chuckle. I reckon Sautter has sold more copies than any other store in the world, and it shows no signs of stopping. In my own words, it’s off the clock.

Nick Hammond On Safari – Kenya Pt III

THE smiling face of James is the first thing I see now that I’ve finally arrived. His beam echoes the warmth of the sun all around, and after a handshake and an introduction, followed by a farewell to my intrepid taxi driver, we’re climbing aboard one of the camp’s beloved Land Rovers, and we’re inside the gates.

Nick Hammond On Safari – Kenya Pt II

THE road out of Nairobi – and there really is one arterial one that the world and his wife must use – is like something out of a movie. Vehicles of every conceivable age, hue, size, shape and antiquity queue, parp, roar, splutter and career through a fog of dust and fumes so thick you have to keep your windows firmly closed.

Nick Hammond On Safari – Kenya Pt I

I’D FORGOTTEN what it’s like to truly revel in the moment, if I’m honest. Over the last couple of years, my travelling muscles had atrophied to such an extent that I’d sort of forgotten how to do it. I made such a fuss about arranging my PCR test, packing a suitcase; I used to fly home one night sometimes and jump aboard another plane the next morning without thinking much of it.

Out Of The Frying Pan, Into The Fire

OUT of one calamity and straight into another – seems to be the way of things these days, doesn’t it? Just as Covid is pushed off the front page, Mr Putin decides he wants his 15 minutes and we’re back once again in the stormy seas of uncertainty.

Seasonal Smoking

THERE was a time when a change of seasons brought about a slew of cigar articles on what smokes went with what particular time of year. Many of these had been pilfered, poached and pillaged to such a degree that they were a real magpie’s hoard of gold nuggets buried amidst an avalanche of flowery bullshit.

Something for Everyone

IT sometimes feels like the cigar industry is moving away from its foundations. Just like oysters – which were once the mainstay of London’s poor, providing cheap, nutritious food on the doorstep and are now the bastion of high-end restaurants – cigars are now seen in many quarters as the ultimate accessory; a benchmark of luxury and success that only the rich can afford to enjoy.

People In Cigars: Magali De La Cruz

FOR someone who has been intimately involved in London’s cigar scene for decades, Magali de la Cruz still shows a remarkable level of enthusiasm for the humble hand-rolled cigar. If you’ve ever been to Sautter of Mount Street, the chances are that you will have met, or at least seen – and more than likely, heard Mags.