Bourdon House
Dunhill,
2 Davies St,
London
W1K 3DJ
Passed: November 18th 2025
I’m extremely fortunate that I could turn my passion for cigars into my profession. Cigars offer a moment of solitude and, by the way we smoke them, a calming experience. Choosing the right cigar for each occasion is important. Every morning from my humidor I select the cigars I will take out with me for the day - this ritual is a way of anticipating the moments of my day ahead and the joy I’ll find with my Habano. Guiding someone to finding the perfect cigar for their own experience is incredibly rewarding and I appreciate the opportunity to do this at Dunhill’s Bourdon House whilst connecting with interesting people and delivering those joyful moments for them.
I was drawn to the experience of slowing smoking through the cigar, with the tantalising aromas and smoke lingering around me. It creates a true moment of relaxation and clarity for me, in a way I hadn’t experienced before discovering cigars. It was very much a moment with my first cigar that just felt right and I’ve smoked ever since. What has really expanded my interest in cigars beyond the smoking experience is learning about the history of Cuban cigars, working with the Keeps at Dunhill with its rich heritage has been eye opening in this regard.
Yes, it was a Cohiba – Siglo 3 I believe. It was my childhood friend’s 18th birthday and he had received some as a gift. I didn’t smoke at the time but was happy to try - I loved it! The experience and aroma stand out the most in my memory, I can’t say I remember much of the taste. A week later I was in my local wine shop’s small walk-in humidor and a month later I had tried a cigar I’ll never forget, the Bolivar 2014 Super Corona… the rest, as they say, is history.
Starting your cigar journey is so exciting and I’ve had the pleasure of introducing a number of clients to their first smokes at Bourdon House. I always advise people to explore and learn their palate, let someone guide you through the options and make recommendations based on what you’ve enjoyed so far/ what your preference to drink is, it’s about understanding your personal palate over time. You can add depth to your experience by letting someone tell you about the production and history. Then enjoy the cigar, taking your time to focus on the aromas and flavours and the smoking experience (remember to stop when your enjoyment ends - there is no rule on how far to smoke). I’ve found a light to medium cigar in and around a robusto size is often the perfect place to start.
This is always a challenging question! I’ve tried to choose cigars I have enjoyed more than a few times. My all-time favourite from the core range is the Bolivar Belicosos Finos, a cigar which offers a rich, strong and indulgent experience. A cigar I’ve enjoyed from multiple vintages is the Hoyo De Monterrey Double Corona, one of life’s luxuries as you need 2 hours to smoke these, but an excellent experience and a cigar that smokes great young all the way to a 1998 vintage I tried. Finally, a Limited Edition I’ll never forget and aim to one day buy boxes of and smoke again is the Bolivar Super Corona 2014. This cigar changed my perspective on the complexity of a Habano, and that’s why I’m here today at Dunhill selling fine Havana cigars.
Yes, I have aspired to become a Master since I learned about it while at University (I was researching for an essay about power relations in business applied to the cigar industry). I was truly inspired and it became a personal goal. Joining this community of dedicated individuals is an honour. The studying process challenges you immensely, whilst also offering a humbling perspective on our roles as advocates and guardians of a product with a rich history which is ‘totalmente a mano’ and takes years to produce halfway across the world! In my decade of smoking Habanos, I feel I have lived through a small part of that history too; seeing brands develop and shifts in the industry, and I enjoy keeping up to date with this new wave of changes. Studying to become a Master has deepened my respect for the creation of cigars and broadened my knowledge of the range available, putting me in an excellent place to help my clients find and appreciate the perfect cigar for every occasion so they can experience the joy of a good smoke.
James J Fox
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Read More*There are also a number of Masters of Havana Cigars working in private members clubs that are not listed here.
