Sketches from a cigar smoker’s album: The Villiger Appendix

Whilst listening to Joe Walsh's fantastic album 'life's been good' I was struck by how rare such a glorious day is in England and how spoilt we have been over the last week by the fantastic weather. True I have spent the majority of it stuck behind a desk in the office, but that makes these moments, out in the sun with a pint and a villiger maduro all the more special. 

As such, let me turn to the cigar, a lesser known format of the ever reliable Villiger stable, the maduro. To be honest there is little difference between this and the grosseformat pressed variety (readily available from any good newsagent or supermarket) but the maduro is satisfyingly heavier and can certainly match richer drinks for a great, short, affordable smoke. 

It has a slighty bitter aftertaste which betrays they lesser quality tobacco that has been used in the blend compared to a fine cuban or high end cigar from another producing nationn but for the price it is hard to complain. 

Their longevity is also a prime reason for choosing these, unlike their cheaper behind the counter comparisons. Rather than burning up in a matter of minutes they maintain a steady ember and if you don't drag it down like the marlboro man after a smokeless month in the desert you can spin one out to 20 minutes. This is far more agreeable at social gatherings than puffing away on a corona in the garden for up to and hour if not more.

The price ranges comfortably between the £8.00-£10.00 mark depending on where you shop. I will say that these cigars give you real bang for your buck and are worth checking our if you want to have a noncommittal smoke but don't want to settle for the cheap and shorter lived alternatives.