The rise of young cigar smokers in Britain

I do like to keep up with current news stories, particularly when they involve tobacco and cigars. So it was with some interest that I clicked through to a recent article by Imogen West-Knights wrote for The Guardian about young people ditching cigarettes for pipes and cigars.

Alas, aside from some interesting opening facts about young cigar smokers being on the increase, I was rather disappointed by what I read. It seemed to approach our hobby with a view of disdain from the outset, trotting out the same old stereotypes that cigar and pipe smokers are still saddled with. On top of which, the author seemingly had no intention of ever smoking the cigar that she ultimately purchased.

It is all too easy for someone to take a pot-shot at a community that they don’t understand. It is equally easy for that same community to come out swinging with what boils to a propaganda piece in response. That is in not my intention with this article. Instead, I hope to offer a balanced view from inside the cigar community regarding both female and young cigar smokers.

Editors’ Note: Shortly after posting this article, I received an in-depth email from Spencer, who had been quoted in the original Guardian piece. I have subsequently included some of his additional comments in this post.

We were all new to this hobby at one point or another…

Being in my 40s, I am admittedly outside the age demographic of young cigar smokers covered by the article. However as a long term cigar smoking woman from a decidedly not affluent background, I do feel as though I have something to add to the conversation.

Over the years I have come up against a lot of prejudice and I can absolutely relate with Imogen’s experience of setting foot inside a Mayfair cigar shop looking to purchase a cheap cigar for a first-time smoke. Indeed, as she pointed out, the words “cheap” and “cigar” are often considered mutually exclusive, however it is entirely possible to find reasonably priced, good quality cigars in the UK if you make the effort to look.

I have first hand experience of being greeted with a polite, yet somehow contemptuous way when entering a humidor, especially when I first started smoking cigars. Luckily though, these experiences have become much less common, especially with the various independent cigar shops I have visited outside the capitol. It is sometimes a wonder that anyone would take up the hobby given how “welcoming” some cigar shops are to anyone who doesn’t quite match their dated view of a cigar smoker.

Surely a rise in the number of young cigar smokers who are genuinely interested in these handcrafted, artisanal items should be encouraged rather than alienated? The irony is that if certain parties continue to dissuade newcomers based on their age, gender or perceived affluence, they will find themselves out of a job when they finally have no old, wealthy gentlemen to sell to. So in that respect, Imogen’s article makes a valid point.

It’s not just a rise in young cigar smokers. What about women?

It isn’t just young cigar smokers that seem to be on the rise though. The same study shows that in the last ten years there has also been a significant increase in the number of women partaking in the joys of cigars. With Imogen being a young woman looking into what, from the outside, can seem like a men’s only club, it would have been a perfect opportunity for her to delve a little deeper and investigate women’s place in the cigar world alongside that of young cigars smokers.

Of the many cigar events that I have been to over the years, I have seen a growing number of women in attendance and there are several UK based women’s cigar clubs out there, including WiCC (Women’s International Cigar Club), founded in 2009 by Sarah Saunders, who is also Vice International Head Judge for the CSWC and CSWC UK Organiser. Add to that the fact that 4 out of the 20 certified Masters of Havana Cigars listed on the Hunters and Frankau website are women and you realise that female cigar smokers aren’t the unicorns that some people would have you believe they are.

What about influencers and young cigar smokers?

Regarding social media influencing the uptake of cigar and pipe smoking, there is certainly a good amount of cigar and pipe related content across the internet – this blog included! Posting pictures and videos of our latest cigar hauls, a lovely pipe that we picked up, events both formal and informal that we attend and most of all, what we are smoking right now with thoughts on the flavour notes.

I do have to ask though, how is this any more unusual than people sharing photos of what they ordered at a restaurant, which bottle of wine or whisky they have polished off, or the latest upgrade they have done to their beloved car? There is however a lot of discussion around cigar brands or tobacco blends and the “do’s and don’ts” of cigar and pipe smoking, which can be understandably daunting to newcomers. But the fact is we are nothing if not enthusiastic and forthcoming when it comes to sharing information.

As for certain undesirable characters being an influence on young adults taking up cigar smoking, I am sceptical. Of course there are people out there who will make it part of their image for whatever reason, and there are those who will try something because they saw their favourite celebrity doing it. But how many of these young cigar smokers would stay the course beyond their first try if they did not savour some sort of pleasure from the experience?

Several people I talked to whilst putting together this article cite that either family or co-workers as the people who introduced them to the world of cigars and pipes. Peter, a 30 year old living outside Hull in the North East of England, started his journey into cigars after a former co-worker expounded the virtues of cigar smoking as a means of relaxation.

Cigars have more in common with aged wines and fine spirits than they do with cigarettes. Rarely do you hear a cigar smoker say they crave a cigar in the compulsive sense. As Spencer noted to me, cigar smokers often look forward to enjoying a cigar at the end day or week as a treat to help them unwind. For him it is “about embracing a culture steeped in tradition and an appreciation for [the] finer things in life”. There is an “artistry and craftsmanship involved in creating a premium handmade cigar” and by lighting one of them up, we are taking time to respect this.

What do young cigar smokers have to say for themselves?

I contacted Filip, a 20 year old third year university student in London. He said that his cigar journey started as much out of curiosity as anything else. He told me that seeing cigar smokers in London isn’t uncommon, and after reading into cigar smoking, took the plunge in October 2021. With some guidance from the store keeper of a small humidor, he stepped into the amazing world of cigars with a Romeo y Julietta No. 3 and hasn’t looked back. Indeed this was one of the first hand rolled cigars I ever smoked.

“I have many different hobbies, such as martial arts, swimming, and video games, but no other hobby of mine can bring people of all ages and backgrounds to share their common passion and just relax and enjoy the moment”. And I think that is the central value of the modern cigar smokers – community and friendship across all perceived divides, sharing precious moments with complete strangers who can end up becoming friends as a result of sharing the mutual passion of a fine cigar.

Another young man I talked to told me that it was actually his girlfriend that got him into cigar smoking. He too found it an escape from the stresses of day-to-day life. He said “When smoking in public, I get quite mixed reviews, mostly in response to my age. A lot of the time it’s a brooding face followed by… ‘[aren’t you] too young to smoke cigars?'”. He went on to tell me that more often than not comments are positive and related to good memories of family members and/or lost relatives. “I have offered [them] one of my spare cigars. On few occasions, people have taken that offer and I have shared a cigar and conversation with a complete stranger”.

There is a long history of young adults trying new things in order to differentiate themselves from others and find their own identity. Perhaps this renewed interest in cigar and pipe smoking is just part of that tradition? Granted this hobby isn’t for everyone; some will try their first cigar or pipe and know instantly that it is not for them. Equally there is so much variety available in the world of cigar and pipe tobacco that I am sure that us seasoned cigar aficionados will pick up some new cigar smoking companions along the way.

Matt, founder of Cigar Club LDN, told me that he was proud of the family that his little club has grown into. “We have members all over the UK from many different backgrounds. From students, manual labourers, teachers and mothers, to fashion designers, property developers and chefs, with everything and more in between. There’s no entry requirements, no special handshakes and no tests to pass. Everyone is welcome and that how it should be”

My final thoughts on young cigar smokers

Whatever the underlying truth of the matter is, cigar and pipe smoking is something that anyone, no matter their age, demographic or location can dip their toe into. We are a welcoming and open community who are more than willing to share our knowledge and experience with others. Perhaps Imogen West-Knights would be interested in stepping a little further into cigar world and seeing what it is really like for those young cigar smokers she mentioned in her article?

What are your thoughts on young cigar smokers? Please do let me know in the comments and perhaps share the story of your journey with us.

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