It was great to see two of our vintage cigars rated highly by Gordon Mott on the recent issue of Cigar Aficionado (April 2014, p.158). Like all the vintage cigars we carry, they were both purchased in our shop many decades ago and have been ageing in our cabinets since.

We are always pleased to know a smoker enjoys a cigar purchased from our store, especially when this is a vintage cigar, and knowing it is still alive and flavourful. Every day I sit in my office I look at the cabinets with held stock, all of which were installed in the mid 60’s. A lot of effort was put in designing them, selecting the right wood and making them functional in order to ensure air and humidity circulation. I am certain that Freddy Fox would have been proud today knowing that cigars kept for 35 and 65 years in the cabinets he installed are in such good condition and were rated with 98 and 97 points.

I am very lucky to sit in an environment where the natural elements are ideal for ageing cigars, without the need of artificial means to keep a stable humid environment. The humidity in our basement would not vary beyond 60% to 65% all year around, which has certainly made the cigars age better than I have!

While the environment assists greatly in ageing a cigar, not all cigars would age this well for such a length of time. The cigar itself has to be of exceptional quality in order to stay alive and evolve for so long. Back in the glory days of the cigar industry, it was possible for our company to deal directly with each factory, which gave us the ability to create cigars exclusively for James Fox, such as the Partagas Fox Selection No.1 and the La Corona Policromia Red that were reviewed on cigar aficionado. The leaf in these selections was always regarded exemplary and all the cigars we received were of the highest quality, all marked as “Claro”, with Claro not only defining the colour but also the leaf’s clarity and texture. The cabinet selections in particular were a joy, with shiny, oily wrappers, that had a very fine texture.

Although the La Corona Policromia are about the same age as me, they came in the shop and were sold before my time in James Fox. I do, however, remember receiving and selling the Partagas Fox Selection No.1, a cigar that was regarded as exceptional from our customers. As cigars of smaller sizes were the most popular in the 70’s, a large cigar such as the Partagas Fox Selection No.1 was regarded a status symbol; it was smoked by people on the pinnacle of their life that weren’t afraid to show their status.

One of the best occasions we have in my office is opening a sealed vintage cabinet to ensure of its quality before it is sent to a new home. We recently parted ways with a cabinet of 1949 La Corona Policromia Red; breaking in such a treasured cabinet and letting the cigars see daylight for the first time in 65 years is a unique experience that is hard to be put into words and can only be compared to the occasional chance of smoking such an old cigar!