Something a little strange has happened…

I was having a look around the Chester shop recently and I realised something that is very odd. It has always been accepted that cigars are a “rich man’s hobby” whereas cigarettes are reserved for us regular folk.  However, as cigarettes have been gradually edging further up in price over the years, many are starting to cross over into being in the £10-£12 per pack, range. Bafflingly, this means we’ve reached a point where it is possible to find some small cigars that are actually cheaper than cigarettes. It’s not just me, is it? That is some crazy stuff right there! So naturally, that means that for this blog, I’m going to go through some of my favourites! Now, naturally we aren’t going to see any Havanas or other large cigars on this list. But when you consider how much more enjoyable even the most basic of cigars is when compared to a cigarette, it’s still very impressive!

Moods Double Filter

Online Price at time of writing: £3.82 for 10. (Equivalent of £7.64 for 20)

These are very popular in Chester, boasting a sweet, smooth and easy smoking experience. They are also cheaper than even the cheapest of cigarettes! There is something of double-edged sword with these though: Did you notice the “Double filter” part of the name?  Well, that means the filter is double the length of the usual cigarillo filter. So, the downside is that it takes up roughly half of the length of the cigar. However, the plus side here is that it counters the hot burning issues that can be a common issue with small cigars/cigarillos. So they’re not the longest of smokes, but they’re well designed and definitely extremely good value.

Break – Filter Cigarillos

Online price at time of writing: £5.09 for 17 (Equivalent of £5.99 for 20)

There are a few bargains on this list, but this one takes the cake. A lot of the cigars I’ve mentioned are cheaper than some cigarettes, but will still be beaten out on price by the cheaper end of the scale. These, however, are cheaper than pretty much any pack of cigarettes you can find in the UK.

These are probably the most unusual cigars on this list. If I recall correctly, they were first released around the time when the rules around cigarettes were really being stepped up a notch (plain packaging, minimum pack size of 20, you know the score.) So, it’s no coincidence that they’ve clearly been made with cigarette smokers in mind. They are the same size and shape and a standard cigarette and sport a cigarette-style filter. The only real difference is that they’re wrapped in tobacco leaf. So, they’re really suitable for cigarette smokers and cigar smokers alike. They also have the unique boast of being the only cigar that is available in MENTHOL. The pack of 17 is a nice reminder of when cigarettes weren’t prohibitively awkward to buy, but they still somehow wind up being cheaper than pretty much any equivalent on the market!

Al Capone Cigarillos

Chester Shop Price: £4.99 for pack of 10 (Equivalent of £9.98 for 20)

These are a new one for us and are clearly also influenced by cigarette-style smokes. They are roughly the same size as a cigarette and sport the traditional cigarette filter. They also come in a traditional style of “Soft pack” that used to be common for cigarettes, but are now more or less non-existent. You have a couple of options with these too; you can go for the traditional blend, which has a pleasantly robust, natural taste. Or – if you have something of a sweet-tooth – you have the option of the “Flame” variety, which is topped with a warming, sweet flavour, with hints of cognac and aniseed. They vaguely remind me of those “Fireball” gobstopper sweets. Very very tasty! If you’re interested in trying them, they also do a handy “Taster pack” of 3 cigars in either flavour.

As these are fairly new, they’re currently only available directly from our Chester shop. If you can’t make it to us, don’t fret: you can order over the phone on 01244 348821 or email me on [email protected] for more info.

In other news…

Finally, I’d just like to end with a quick announcement. I’m very happy to inform you that due to popular demand, we’ve decided to add an extra tasting night to our calendar for this year. We will be having a Havana sampling night at La Casa in Chester on Wednesday October 10th. As it’s a special bonus tasting, we are only doing a single session from 7pm-9pm, so spaces are extremely limited. We do still have some spaces available, so don’t delay if you’re interested. Tickets can be bought online here. Alternatively, you can reserve your place over the phone on 01244 348821, or just email me on [email protected].

Hopefully we’ll see some of you there!

Until next time: Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Calum

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