Jimmy McGhee's blog

Traditionally, winter was always the busy time of year for the cigar trade, building up to the annual hysteria of the Christmas rush. I recall a colleague, during my time working for in retail, describing the final week before Christmas as ‘a cigar riot’ in our humidor, and it was easy to see what he meant. Typically, sales of Cuban cigars would more than triple in December.

I have just returned from a flying visit to the head offices of Villiger in Tiengen - a small town near the Swiss/German border. The town is a sleepy, yet incredibly charming place with many fine sights to take in, if you have the time. Sadly, I was unable to explore as I would have liked to as I was there on business. However, during my brief stay I was looked after wonderfully by Simone Hees, Villiger’s Export Sales Manager and have promised to return for more than a few hours next time I visit.

I’m back in office for my first full week having spent the first week of March in Cuba conducting the annual Hunters & Frankau training week. Although it had been four years since my last trip it took little more than a couple of puffs on a Montecristo No2 and a sip of mojito on the Hotel Nacional terrace for me to feel like I had never been away.

The time has nearly arrived. My bags are packed and all the tour arrangements have been checked, double checked and then checked again. For the next week I shall be absent from my daily Hunters & Frankau duties. This is it then, at the end of the week – I’m back off to Cuba!

Over the past few weeks I have been smoking quite a few of the smaller vitolas within the Habanos range. These cigars have provided me with a huge amount of enjoyment and, despite a few disparaging comments, I am clearly not the only one to hold this opinion. Last year in the UK domestic market the top five selling cigars were:

Is it me, or has it begun to feel as though the snow is here for good?

This Saturday, while talking with two friends about the challenges cigar smokers face in this current weather, I was met with a very refreshing attitude by one of them.

So, as 2009 comes to an end I, like many other people, have begun, with a drink in hand, to cast my eye over the previous twelve months in appraisal.

Let me begin by thanking those of you kind enough to send messages of congratulations regarding the birth of my daughter (Lola) on November 23rd. Quite a few of the emails mentioned the tradition of smoking a celebratory cigar after the birth of a child – although significantly more of you reminded me of ritual for new fathers handing cigars out to celebrate. Message received and understood.

Yesterday I had a great fun being reintroduced to the world of cigar training with some of the team in the Hollingsworth group of specialist tobacconists.

Stephen Davis has taken the decision to relocate with his family to Bristol and will be passing on the management of the Cigar Club website to Jimmy McGhee.