From Dallings to Davidoff
Back in the April Issue of UK Cigar scene we
wrote about Rhys Davis Hamilton, a young man
from Ayr who started a career in the cigar trade
some two years ago and had travelled to Havana
on the annual educational trip with Hunters &
Frankau.
Since we wrote there have been some major
changes in Rhys’s life. He has moved down to
London having secured a job working at the
Davidoff Store in St James’s street.
When we discovered this we didn’t want to leave it
there. We are going to keep track of Rhys’s career
and we have decided to ask him to write a monthly
diary about his move to London and his new job at
the heart of the London Cigar Scene.
cigars to discover and many new products and
accessories. I was also nervous because I have been
reading about this store all of his life, since I was
17. So working here is a dream come true.
It is taking a while know where everything is. I’ve
also spent a lot of time cleaning and making sure
everything is spic and span, which I enjoy.
I think some of the customers have a slight issue
with my Scottish accent and this also presents
some challenges as I am expected to know
everything about the huge range of Whisky we sell,
so that’s another item on my list of things to learn
about.
By the end of my second week I had relaxed a
little and by the third week I was happy that I was
fitting in OK.
“Having secured my job as at Davidoff the next
stage was to find a flat to live in. This was a very
stressful process because I knew what I wanted
and flats in London are let almost as soon as they
are advertised.
I’ve continued to explore London’s cigar spots and
I went to an event at the Bulgari to sample the
new Ramon Allones Anniversario 225. A fantastic
cigar but unlike any other aged cigar I have ever
smoked. It’s great now but in another two years it
will be a superb cigar.
I came down to London and stayed in a hotel for
a week to be close, as I wanted to see the flats for
myself. For the first few days I sat in Sautter with a
cigar and my laptop searching for the right flat and
then visiting flats for up to six hours a day.
As its summer I’ve been enjoying sitting out
in London on pavement bars with a drink in
the evenings and this has led to some great
conversations. When you are smoking a cigar you
will always make new friends”.
After just three days I found a perfect flat and
this meant I could spend a few days exploring
London’s cigar stores and terraces. I have
continued this and I’ve introduced myself to
people and I have been delighted with how
friendly everyone is.
Four days before I started work I moved
everything down into my flat. The main items
were my humidor and all my suits.
The first week working at Davidoff was nerve
wracking. It was a huge step and I wanted to do
everything right. The store and the humidor were
much bigger than my previous store in Ayr so
there was a huge amount to learn. There were new
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