Many Cuban cigar lovers are fathers themselves, and many more will use Sunday 19th June this year to honour theirs. The day on which Fathers’ Day is celebrated differs depending on where you find yourself – many Europeans use the Feast of St Joseph on 19th March to celebrate their dads – but our followers and friends in the UK, USA and China will join many more around the world in just a few short weeks to pay tribute to the male role models in their lives. With that in mind, we have curated a little guide to some excellent gifts Yer Auld Man (as we say in Scotland) is sure to love. Happy Shopping!
ST Dupont Cohiba 55 Collection
Simon Tissot Dupont first began making leather goods almost 150 years ago, and it wasn’t until the Second World War that his descendants began making luxury lighters. Since then the brand has become known for making some of the best cigar accessories in the world. From their beginnings crafting bespoke petrol lighters for Indian royalty, ST Dupont have now perfected the technology which allows smokers to switch from soft flame to wind-proof jet with almost unbelievable ease, and they have been chosen by Habanos SA to be their official accessory partner for the Cohiba brand. The 55 collection was released to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the flagship Havana marca, and features humidors, cigar cases and 2 different lighters. Each product wears handsome black-and-gold livery and will be a stylish addition to dad’s smoking set.
From £180, www.st-dupont.com
Elie Bleu x Hotel Byblos Desktop Humidor
Another Parisian brand which is known for excellence in cigar accessories, Elie Bleu will be familiar to most readers of this blog. For this limited-edition humidor they have partnered with the legendary Hotel Byblos in St-Tropez, famed across the world as the most luxurious spot in one of the French Riviera’s most glamorous towns. Hotel Byblos was built in 1967 as an ambitious attempt to woo Brigitte Bardot – the attempt failed, but the hotel lived on and became one of the go-to locations for the jet set of the 1970s. Mick Jagger famously honeymooned there, Tom Cruise and Leonardo Di Caprio are known to frequent the on-site nightclub, Les Caves du Roy, and the hotel today is a perfect mix of golden-age glamour with modern luxury. This humidor, then, is the ideal collaboration: it holds c110 cigars and is crafted by hand in the finest cedar, sycamore and mother of pearl.
€3,700, www.byblos-shop.com
Baudoin & Lange Sagan Stride Loafers
Allan Baudoin and Bo van Langeveld only launched their brand of loafers to the world in 2016, but they have quickly established themselves among the most stylish on the market. Baudoin’s history as a bespoke shoemaker and love of comfortable, well-made shoes inspires their designs and each pair is made by hand using the finest materials available. The Sagan Stride is a more casual version of their original Sagan – using a rubber sole to provide even more comfort to the wearer and presented in soft, supple suedes. They are the perfect shoe for the impending hot weather and will pair as well with shorts to the beach as they will with trousers for an al-fresco summer lunch meeting. This is a young brand from young designers, and one your father will be proud you helped align him with in their early days.
From £320, www.baudoinlange.com
New & Lingwood Liberty Print Pyjamas
We all know that comfort is key to enjoying a fine cigar, and there can be few outfits quite as comfortable for home smoking as a pair of New & Lingwood pyjamas. These editions feature exclusive prints designed by Liberty of London, printed in Italy on fine cotton and silk. The cut of the pyjamas is slim and modern, so Dad will be able to remain stylish while enjoying his Fathers’ Day smokes in the garden sun. New & Lingwood are a heritage brand with over 100 years of history in menswear – luxurious pyjamas are one of their trademarks, and with these sets they are showcasing how they will keep their brand relevant in the modern era while retaining the character which has served them so well over time.
From £395, www.newandlingwood.com
Serapian Travel Bag in Black/Asphalt Mosaico
Serapian of Milano are another heritage brand – their 100th anniversary is fast approaching. The hand-woven Mosaico leather exhibited in this travel bag has become their signature, with each piece being crafted by artisans in their Milan atelier and the option of having fully-bespoke pieces created if you pay them a visit. I was lucky enough to see a demonstration recently by one of their most experienced leatherworkers, and the deftness of her hands as she created the lattice pattern was quite astonishing. For this edition exceptionally soft Nappa leather is woven in tones of jet black and silvery grey to create a refined, elegant piece of luggage. If your father enjoys travelling, for business or pleasure, he will definitely appreciate this stylish accessory.
£1,765, www.serapian.com
Partagas Legados Edition Limitada 2020
A special father deserves a special cigar, and few are more worthy of that title than the Partagas Legados. This was the only Limited Edition Cuban cigar created for 2020 – a change from the now traditional 3 sticks per year – and has only now become available to the smoking public. Presented in the same Hermosos No 2 vitola which proved so popular with the Quai d’Orsay Senadores in 2019, it will smoke for around 90 minutes and provide all the body, strength, pepper and spice that we expect from Partagas. There aren’t many of these around and getting your hands on some is difficult, so your smoking dad will know just how appreciated he is when you hand one over on Fathers’ Day. Just remember to grab enough that you and any siblings can join him in this wonderfully Cuban indulgence.