Thursday Evening

A quiet Thursday evening with time to spare meant a stroll down to No.Ten Manchester, a boutique hotel in Marylebone with an old school cigar lounge.

Wasting no time, I b-lined it to the humidor.

They hold a modest selection in the humidor cupboard that lines the wall.

A slim, dainty yellow labelled cigar kept giving me the eye.

It was the Trinidad Reyes. I could not look away, the connection was instant and undeniable.

Naturally, I obliged - how could I deny truth?

The sommelier commended my choice and handed me the cigar.

I retreated into their leather upholstery. The lounge was empty - all other guests had opted to sit outside.

I sat back and held her in-between my fingers, so slim, yet so firm. An entirely athletic build. She had a rare honesty about her.

And so began the ritual…

Cut… light… draw…

How exquisite.

The draw was tight, and the smoke was dense. It held a surprising presence for such a small cigar.

No bold flavours demanded ones attention, rather it was a perfect medium bodied blend of vanilla flavoured cocoa with hints of spice in the form of nutmeg; a comforting companion.

The aesthetics were later betrayed by the uneven ending to the cigar. One of natures perfect imperfections, each cigars uniqueness is the beauty of these handcrafted items.

It almost felt wrong smoking it, as her beauty disintegrated into ashes.

Yet I suppose beauty is not meant to last, it is meant to be enjoyed and appreciated in the moment before it disappears with the passing of time.

This small but might Trinidad, has climbed into my top 3 cigars of all time (for now).

Vitolas (the shape and size of a cigar) play a huge role in the experience of a cigar. The same blends express themselves differently.

You can read more about Vitolas here:

📜 Vitolas Explained: Why Size Changes Everything
How history, physics, and fire make the same blend behave differently

📜 The Vitola Catalogue
A decision framework for choosing the right cigar shape

O… and because you read until the end of this letter, you can use the link below to get a 7 day free trial of Cigar Letters Insider.

Thank you for your readership.

Until next time.

Yours truly,

The Cigar Lover

Cigar Letters
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