My mind turns to flavour, flavour and more flavour during the Summer months. My Partagas, Bolivars and other full bodied cigars go to the back of my humidor for another six months resting and my Montecristo, Trinidad and Hoyo's come to the forefront. The warmer weather means my palate is looking less for richness and intensity and more for freshness and taste. My wine goes from Bordeaux to Bourgogne, my food goes fro...

So Father's Day is this weekend so hope you can all sit back, watch the football games that are on, crack open your beer along with a great Cuban cigar in hand. Whether you are out and about on the golf course, watching the US OPEN, watching the Euros or just in the garden with the BBQ, make sure you have a good cigar to chomp on and enjoy. Combined with great weather it really makes for the perfect weekend. ...

You know I love it. So smoke and enjoy the games, no questions asked. Well, after four years of waiting, the big event is back. The UEFA Euros in Poland and Ukraine kicked off on Friday 08th June. Just under one month of footy, 16 nations represented, 368 of the best footballers in the world, 31 games all culminating with the final on the 01st July in Kiev's Olympic Stadium. This global event will dominate events thi...

Father's Day has always been a great smoking event on TopCubans.com, so it is with great pleasure that we present you the 2012 offers - Fathers' Day Deals - an on going seleccion of the best Cuban cigars at the best prices. David's Memorable Father's Day Smokes - Suggested cigars to discover during the Father's Day weekend. Father's Day Combos - Special Combination offers where you get more cigars for less ...

The 2012 UEFA Champions League Final will be played on Saturday 19th May in Munich's Arena at 20h45. This year's final sees a surprise final, with everyone expecting a Real Madrid Barcelona. Bayern Munich will play the Chelsea FC. This is a game not to miss. Why not do like the TopCubans.com team and make a special evening of this Smokin' event.

What a treat to have been sent in this great picture from a friend of the site along with some others, who was on Easter Island this past week. Hope you all had a relaxing break, and took sometime to kick off the shoes and chill-out with some quality Cubans?! I was up in Zermatt for the final ski of the season and popped along to the Zino Lounge in the Alpenhof Hotel - one of the most pleasurable locations to enjo...

It's Geneva's big annual exhibition, where we pay tribute to the Car. World famous, the Geneva Car show attracts thousands of car enthusiast from around the world. It is the chance for car constructors to present new vehicles and technology. Running from the 08th to the 18th March, this year's car shows will see the launch on many new cars, including the new Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. If you are in Geneva during this...

Feb 27 - Mar 02 2012 sees the XIV Habanos Festival taking place in in Havana, Cuba. This year Habanos celebrates Cohiba and Romeo y Julieta, as well as the 520th anniversary of tobacco. Find the detailed program below and be sure to follow the festival on TopCubans.com. Sunday 26/02 10.00-16.00 -Registration (Palacio de Convenciones) From Monday, February 27th until March the 2nd, registration will be pos...

Hello all! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone! Just a final entry into the blog before the year is out and what a year it has been. Undoubtedly 2012 will no doubt be as unpredictable as this year. The end of year gives us all that opportunity to take a step back from our insanely fast-paced world and think about the important things in life. Family, friends and fun. I know in the grand scheme of ...

Look out for the start of our annual Christmas Offers. So visit when you can and fill up your stockings with all the wonderful Christmas smoking spirit found on TopCubans.com

The season for pheasant is from the end of September to the end of January, but it is available frozen all year. Pheasant is high in protein, low in fat and cholesterol, and ideal for juicy pot-roasting. Ready in 1 hour 20 mins Saved by 4 cook(s) Ingredients Serves: 4 1 head of celery 70g (2½ oz) walnuts, chopped 100g (3½ oz) fresh white breadcrumbs 2 pheasant or chicken livers, chopped ...

I am sure you have noticed the recent increase of Cuban cigar sites claiming to be based in and shipping out of the Swiss Free Zone and yet, have their Sales or Administrative offices in another country. You must be wondering how big the Free Zone is here in Geneva with all the new sites that keep popping up every day. Believe me, I am the most surprised and the most frustrated by this worrying trend. What these new ...

Well folks, it has finally come. We have managed to put it off for a number of years now, but there will be a price increases on Cuban cigars this summer. Habanos S.A. keep raising their prices (around 5% a year) and we must now follow. This situation has been amplified by Habanos S.A. promising more cigars to the new markets without producing more stock. The result is an additional price rise on the products due to ...

Hi everyone - hope everyone has been enjoying the Summer holidays. I know the weather has been up and down in Europe and then scorching in other parts of the world so hard to generalise. Winter of course for our Southern Hemisphere friends! Just a check in with you to share what myself and Richard feel are smoking great at the moment, the ones which suit this relaxing time of year. The Cohiba Behikes of course ar...

"Ich bin ein Barbequer" Whether you are smoking, baking or braising, the month of May is the beginning of the BBQ season. A favorite here at TopCubans.com, the BBQ season is the ideal excuse to light up a fat Cuban cigar to slowly enjoy throughout an afternoon. Do not risk being disappointed; consult the TopCubans.com BBQ procedure – 1. The woman buys the food. 2. The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegeta...

An interesting article recently appeared in the Economist (Smoked Out, 28th April) talking about the numerous problems that currently face Habanos S.A., internally and externally. Although we all suspected that corruption was rife and understood that the production of fakes and back-door-stock in Cuba and abroad was a real issue, it the scale of the problem that is worrying, to say the least. Habanos's Vice-President...

Easter/Passover is a peaceful time for those in search of the ultimate smoke. Find your own get away spot this Easter/Passover, to experience solo bliss. And to make the weekend smoke even better, we are offering you a cheque for $30 to spend on TopCubans.com over the Easter/Passover period*. Simply enter the promotional code, EasterTop11 in the ‘Promotional Claim Code field’ in step 4 of the order process and take a...

Just a heads up to all our members inquiring about payment methods and the BANK TRANSFER option. What it is and how to do it. Here I will try and explain the benefits of using it and indeed how easy it is to do. BANK TRANSFER is available to anyone who has a bank account - so everyone in the modern world basically! Why choose bank transfer? 1) Complete security in the payment - more so than credit-cards and...

I have been re-arranging the humidor, to try and allow the greatest flow of air around the numerous boxes we currently have in stock. I cannot stress enough, how important it is to allow the air to circulate round your cigars. This allows the cigars to breath and for the fermentation process to remain constant, which in essence is 'aging' your cigars. In the same way I always go on about giving your cigars a few days...

It's Geneva's big annual exhibition, where we pay tribute to the Car. World famous, the Geneva Car show attracts thousands of car enthusiast from around the world. It is the chance for car constructors to present new vehicles and technology. Running from the 03rd to the 13th March, this year's car shows gives special place to the new Green Vision for the automobile industry. The green vision 'The "green vision" i...

On February 21-25, 2011, Cuba, once more, will be the venue of the largest international gathering of enthusiasts of the best cigar in the world: the Habano. In this occasion, the event will pay special tribute to the Montecristo, Partagás and H. Upmann Habanos brands. The participants will have the pleasure of flavoring in exclusive the new vitolas to be launched by Habanos, S.A. in 2011, and of discovering the s...

It is that time of the year, once again, when YOU, Member of TopCubans.com get to elect your TopCubans.com cigar of the year per category, as well as your overall TopCubans.com cigar of the year 2010. Many cigar have made a good impression, but which was your out and out favourite?

2010 was a fantastic year for Cuban cigars with productions of excellent quality both in smoke and construction. A large number of new and varied items have brought a wave of new aficionados who are discovering the joys of the Habano. Several smokes have marked me personally during the past year. Trinidad Robustos T Montecristo Open Regata Cohiba Behike 54 Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchills El Rey del Mundo Eleg...

Here's a toast to the future, A toast to the past, And a toast to our friends, far and near. May the future be pleasant; The past a bright dream; May our friends remain faithful and dear. Cheers to you, Cheers to us, Have a Happy New Year’s Eve! David and Richard www.TopCubans.com

Look out for the start of our annual Christmas Offers. These will run throughout the December month, right up to Christmas day. So visit when you can and fill up your stockings with all the wonderful Christmas smoking spirit found on TopCubans.com

The release of the Beaujolais Nouveau has become a traditional event celebrated every year on TopCubans.com. Not only are we all very keen wine drinkers, but we are, more importantly, annual judges at our local Beaujolais Nouveau event. A heavy responsibility, which we take extremely seriously. Beaujolais Nouveau is a young red wine made from handpicked Gamay grapes grown in the Beaujolais region of France, where ...

Hi folks. Hope you're all doing really well. Just to say that I have been away for the last week or so, traveling around. First off I popped into Washington DC where I was meeting with old friends from my student days. Northface fleeces seem to be all the rage in DC? Just an observation! A lovely old school tobacco shop is over there in Georgetown, really worth a visit if you are in the neighbourhood. I then flew...

It's that time of year again folks to try a delicious game recipe for the best time of year to smoke interesting blends of cigars. This venison should get your mouth watering... Enjoy! Ingredients For the game gravy: •600g/1lb 5oz venison rib bones (ask your game dealer or butcher) •25g/1oz unsalted butter •200g/7oz venison trimmings, roughly chopped •4 shallots, finely sliced •8 button mushrooms, sl...

Hi Everyone! I hope the cooler days and the shortening days aren't making you too depressed. Back to work next holiday may seem a way off but I am here to perk you up and get you into what is the best time of year for smoking Cubans. We have recently updated the Deals Page as well as our changing Seasonal Page. Some really woody, outdoorsy flavours in amongst these cigars - If you are looking for a recommendation I w...

Produced in 2,400 individually numbered boxes of 25, the new El Rey del Mundo Elegantes is one (more to come) of the vitolas that Habanos has created especially for the Swiss Regional Production series for 2010. Rolled with leaves from the Vuelta Abajo region, the Elegantes are already showing a creaminess in the smoke and although young, the green aspects are starting to give way to silky fruity flavour. Like all Re...