Hundreds joined the merry throng in London’s Canary Wharf for the 13th annual Boisdale Cigar Smoker of the Year awards. Stars of stage, screen, and sports field were on hand to hand out the goings in this much-loved winter institution, sponsored this year by Xerjoff scents.
Sir Winston Churchill’s great-grandson, Randolph, was crowned Cigar Smoker Of The Year, and in a long and raucous awards ceremony, the great and the good of the industry were also ‘handed their flowers’.
British accessory firm Mantis were first up for Cigar Accessory of the Year; Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky won Spirit of the Year; US author Aaron Sigmond won Cigar Communicator of the Year and Antonino Lo Iacono of The Beaumont Hotel won the coveted Cigar Sommelier of the Year; The Charatan by Tor Imports won Cigar Newcomer of the Year and Best Value Cigar of the Year went to the Mitchellero Nicaraguan Robusto. The Limited Edition Cigar of the Year went to the Davidoff Winston Churchill Limited Edition 2025 – The Artist, followed by the Cuban Vegueros Centrofinos winning the Robusto Cigar of the Year.
Oliva scooped the prestigious Cigar Of The Year with its evergreen Serie V Double Robusto; Cigar Producer of the Year went to Fuente, represented on stage by Carlos Fuente Jr. Tatuaje’s Pete Johnston collected the Cigar Blender of the Year award and Joshua Habursky of the Premium Cigar Association picked up a new award – the Cigar Guardian of the Year. An emotional Christian Eiroa of CLE Cigars was a popular winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Enzo Oliveri won Cigar Chef of the Year. Former England Rugby Union Captain, Laurence Dallaglio, won Cigar Sportsman of the Year.
Over fine dining, great wines and live music on-stage, the gathered guests also raised funds for Dallaglio’s Rugby Works, the Clan Donald Landfs Charity Trust and the BREDS Treasure Beach Foundation for victims of Hurricane Melissa.
As well as a taster collection of perfumes and some Tomintoul whisky, guests also received in their goodie bag no less than nine cigars, including Tatuaje, Charatan, CLE, Oliva, Vegueros, and Macanudo, which they enjoyed with more drinks under heat lamps on the terrace.
Former World Heavyweight champion boxer David Haye was present, as was James Cosmo of the hit TV show Succession.
