Soho cigar den?

[grumpybaldy]

Fascinating programme last night on the story behind the Allegri Miserere narrated by Simon Russell Beale. At one point he ducked into a cigar shop/ tobacconist (I saw a sign for 'sampling lounge') to use a cigar cutter (on a cigar!) as a prop for his explanation about the castrati, who sang the high notes - including the renowned 'top C' - in the early renditions, and the serious sacrifice they'd had to make to achieve this! Anyway, I was interested to know where the shop is (I don't know it). It was in an alleyway and I think the door was blue. At that point he'd been talking about Mozart living in Soho and filming there (SRB not Mozart), but - and it's likely my ignorance - I can't place a cigar shop there. Any ideas (including does it sound like somewhere other than London)? Intrigued. (BTW, the film was worth an hour of anybody's time)

[ldncigarsmoker]

Was the program you were watching this one - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi2n7srJ_v8? Around the 11 minutes and 20 seconds mark, it seems like the presenter entered Casa in Wardour Street, Soho, London. Casa was formerly the humidor of Floridita. This branch, connected to the larger Cuban bar and restaurant next door, transformed into an independent cigar store and sampling lounge. I've had the opportunity to enjoy a cigar there a couple of times, but it appears to have closed down a couple of years ago. You can read about it in Nic Wing's article here - https://londonist.com/2010/09/london_cigar_scene_casa. I'm uncertain about why it closed, or who owned it. Be interested to find out more.

[ha_banos]

Only visited the lounge a couple of times when it was open there. Feels like it closed down a lot longer than 2 years ago to me.

[grumpybaldy]

Was the program you were watching this one - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi2n7srJ_v8? Around the 11 minutes and 20 seconds mark, it seems like the presenter entered Casa in Wardour Street, Soho, London. Casa was formerly the humidor of Floridita. This branch, connected to the larger Cuban bar and restaurant next door, transformed into an independent cigar store and sampling lounge. I've had the opportunity to enjoy a cigar there a couple of times, but it appears to have closed down a couple of years ago. You can read about it in Nic Wing's article here - https://londonist.com/2010/09/london_cigar_scene_casa. I'm uncertain about why it closed, or who owned it. Be interested to find out more.

Yes, that's the one. Thanks for the info. Shame if it has folded. And tapas too - great combination. Nice to see Nic Wing's work still being referenced - I joined the forum shortly after he died (and so never met him), and recall from then the great fondness and respect in which he was (and no doubt still is) held.

[ldncigarsmoker]

I was lucky enough to go on one of Nic's Cuban Cigar Walks - it had such an impact on my own cigar journey. A very special human.

[Simon Bolivar]

I smoked there regually before the indoor smoking ban. Smoked my first ERDM Lonsdale, RG Lonsdale there & my last smoke 24hrs before the ban, was a RG Slenderella of my own.