The proliferation of (genuinely) world-class hotels in London continues apace. Hot on the heels of Raffles at The OWO in autumn 2023 came The Peninsula on Hyde Park Corner in spring 2024. Next, was the new-build Mandarin Oriental Mayfair in summer last year, followed swiftly by the all-suite The Emory, another new-build bolted onto the side of The Berkeley (a London Grande Dame itself, although one that has occupied its current site since 1972).

These hideouts for the rich and famous have wasted no talent or readies in making sure cigar aficionados are catered for. And, having spent a pleasant couple of hours in what I consider to be the most remarkable cigar room yet created in London, I can confirm that it’s never been a better time to be a cigar lover in the capital.

On a dull, cold morning in town, the burnt orange glow of The Emory, the work of interior designer Rémi Tessier, who was given charge of the hotel’s public spaces, is a warming fire at the end of a long day. An early lunch at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Abc Kitchens, his first this side of the pond, is a triumph of zing: fresh, crisp tempura, fried Dover Sole tacos, a sensational rice and chicken, and, in particular, a butter-yellow Portuguese Quinta dos Carvalhais Branco Especial, which simply transformed my day.

Suitably fortified, I took the lift to the Bondian lair that is the Emory Cigar Merchants. It’s at the very top of the hotel, so not so much a lair, as a loft, offering a ridiculous view of London’s helter-skelter skyline. Again, Tessier has created a warm, welcoming space of reds, bronzes and brown leather. It’s a breathtaking place, with a floor-to-ceiling Airkel purification system meaning not a whiff of smoke is detectable just moments after a fine Havana has been enjoyed.

And what a selection of fine Havanas there are. With a click of a button from his laptop, Blue Curran, the Bond villain-named master of these walls, opens one of the humidified windows and a host of modern, aged and rare Cuban cigars is at his fingertips. Curran is a relative newcomer to the cigar scene, but already a Master of Habanos and, I’m sure he won’t mind me saying so, a proud cigar geek. He cut his teeth at Oscuro, the Arts Club's cigar lounge, and has curated an extraordinary collection of cigars for every occasion.

As you’d imagine, they’re not the cheapest in town; you can easily spend more than £1,000 on a single cigar in this high-blown, hi-tech rarefied window on the world. It’ll be a cigar experience you’ll never forget, but you don’t need that sort of cash to enjoy this most singular of cigar rooms.

More prosaic, but nonetheless delicious, examples of the art abound, and I am drawn to the Romeo y Julieta Cedros de Luxe No.1, a cigar that used to be ubiquitous, but which, like many of its smaller, more slender brethren, has been recently discontinued. This little beauty harks back to the good ol’ days – 2000, to be exact – and with a quarter of a century of slumber, it is a superlative example of what happens when you mix good Cuban tobacco, good management, and time. It smokes beautifully, aromatically and slowly.

“I like to find things that perhaps are often overlooked,” says Curran, as we sit in swivelling leather armchairs. He is only missing a white, long-haired cat to stroke. “Experimenting with things like tea and cigars is fun – I particularly like Madeira, personally, which I think can be a wonderful cigar accompaniment.”

Across a rooftop passageway is Bar 33. Similarly blessed with incredible views, it is a bar to end all bars. I make a mental note to return at twilight, when the London skyline must be spectacular in the extreme. It’s breathtaking enough in the gloom of a cloudy afternoon. Curran and I embark on a wide-ranging chat that covers the cigar scene, old and new, current vitolas (or sizes) of interest, and some of his personal favourites among the incredible collection.

“I didn’t know what the hotel and cigar lounge would look like when I went for the job,” says Curran. “It wasn’t finished. So, to walk in here and realise I would be responsible for sourcing the kind of cigars we would be selling – well, it was the icing on the cake. I feel very privileged to have such a beautiful place in which to work and meet people.”

If you’re into your cigars, the Emory Cigar Merchants is a must-visit. It’s open until 1am, but will be popular, particularly in the summer months, so it’s worth booking ahead. Cigars aside, the central merry-go-round humidor, designed by Italian humidor maestros DeArt, which forms the centrepiece of the space, is worth a visit alone. Like most of things at The Emory, even the humble humidor has been raised to the level of masterpiece. It really is quite the achievement.  

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