Little cigar crawl

[PeeJay]

If you're around on Monday 17th February MarkLondon and I are going to have a little cigar crawl around Mayfair with a couple of smokes in JJ's and one other with a cheap lunch in between.

[ValeTudoGuy]

Sounds like a good little day out, wish I could join you... Have fun!

[EdBlackadder]

Sounds like fun, will be working but have a great time!

[Pandyboy]

Dam I'll be at work, would loved to have come. Have fun!

[TJ:01]

Bugger - going to miss you guys by 24h! Am planning on doing my own half term trip to Foxes on Tuesday 18th! Am already busy 17th or would have joined!! Have fun though

[Robert747]

If you're around on Monday 17th February MarkLondon and I are going to have a little cigar crawl around Mayfair with a couple of smokes in JJ's and one other with a cheap lunch in between.

After JJF and lunch why not come down the road to 1a St James's Street (corner of Pall Mall - great sampling lounge) - you would be very welcome and you can post the first review of the store on here.

[PeeJay]

After JJF and lunch why not come down the road to 1a St James's Street (corner of Pall Mall - great sampling lounge) - you would be very welcome and you can post the first review of the store on here.

Rest assured, we plan to Robert. And a review would be a pleasure.

[MarkLondon]

After JJF and lunch why not come down the road to 1a St James's Street (corner of Pall Mall - great sampling lounge) - you would be very welcome and you can post the first review of the store on here.

Will you be around Robert?

[Robert747]

Yes - look forward to seeing you

all the best

[MarkLondon]

Ok...We'll say hello then.

[PeeJay]

So off we set with our scant well earned pounds and chocolate bars for a little cigar crawl. Despite enjoying cigars for over a year now I had never been to a cigar shop so MarkLondon was taking me on a playdate to JJs. We were lucky with the weather as it was brisk but stayed dry. I'm sure both our wives thought we were mad but what the heck.
First stop was the famous JJ Fox and it was like walking into paradise. If you have never been here make a pilgrimage. We were welcomed by a member of staff and I'm ashamed to say I didn't get his name but he led us straight into the humidor where I came to understand the expression 'like a child in a sweetshop'. It was bigger than my lounge and packed with cigars and the smell was divine. I name dropped the forum and got a positive response. I asked about old cigars and told him about our thread on birthday cigars and voila, a box of 1974 Bolivars for Mark's birthday for only ?10,000
Boli10k.jpg

If you haven't been here you can't imagine what a cigar smoker's paradise this room is. I sought a suggestion and asked for something mild with a hint of sweetness and is first thought was Rocky Patel but when I mentioned that I had smoked and not especially enjoyed the Maduro he steered me towards the El Rey del Mundo Choix Supreme from an unbanded cabinet of 50 for ?18.50. Mark took a lot longer and settled on a RASS. Money was paid, cigars were clipped and we were off upstairs to the sampling room where I bagged the comfiest armchair.

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We were the only one there for a while till we were joined by a genial Brazilian gentleman called Steffa and the conversation began to flow. Time flew by and a few more smokers came in including a really cool black guy with a big arsed Maduro who made me wish I had brought my decent camera. The ERdM was a damned good choice too.
On the way out of the door Mark picked up a nice little wooden cigar box by the door for a couple of quid.

Thanks to my little cigar shop app we were soon on the way to Turmeaux which I was surprised to discover is just a tiny tobacconist with room for about four customers. I bought some Boveda packs in here and a Regius Special edition for a certain American who shouldn't be able to get them on his side of the pond.

We had to use Google maps to locate Sautters and once again I was surprised to find how small it was. If you've seen her videos then you will know that this is the shop of Magali De La Cruz, a Cuban lady who once worked for JJs and who recognised the carrier bag Mark bore immediately. She wasn't impressed when he told her that he had smoked one of her recommendations already and took some friendly flak about not smoking one there. To be brutally honest I wouldn't have wanted to smoke on a plastic chair four feet from and facing the counter. I bought myself a Diplomatico #3 2001 from here for ?19 and was a little annoyed to find them for ?16.50 later in Robert's shop. Her male assistant insisted on showing us some enormous sticks fresh from Cuba with folded over feet and no bands that resembled dog turds and retailed for ?40 each. Apparently they are smoking really well and only left Cuba three days ago.

Lunch was a superb toasted ciabatta at Piggys off Picadilly and then it was off to Davidoff. This shop is very smart and staffed by elegant women who look like models. I couldn't resist a box of giant matches in here but I could resist the beautiful ashtray in the window at ?135. Hold on, I want to cover this in ash! The shop is beautiful and stylish but ultimately cold and the term 'style over substance' sprang to mind.

We spent the rest of the day at Roberts at 1a St James Street where we enjoyed a couple of Dunhills with an American and a German who were smoking the big new Cohibas. A separate report on Robert's shop will follow.

If you haven't been to JJs you must. I was amazed at how a shop that must depend on big spenders to survive could make a couple of little hitters like us so welcome.

[MarkLondon]

I concur.

[cigarmo]

So is Mark sharing his birthday bolivars with the rest of us?

[MarkLondon]

Fraid not Mo....I'll actually be living in that box after I've smoked them due to remortgaging my flat! Haha

[searsa1]

Don't get me wrong I understand people with obscene amounts of money have a different mindset than most other people. I just don't think I could spend that much on a box (or 1/10th of that on a stick). Possibly if Castro signed the box or something like that I understand. I just don't think the cigar could live up to the price. Even if it was the best cigar I was ever to smoke I don't know that it would be worth that much.