Take note of these exceptional cigar accessories

Beyond producing cigars, many cigar manufacturers make various accessories that capture the spirit of a specific release or the brand. Rocky Patel has been producing — often in partnership — high-quality cutters, lighters, humidors, ashtrays and even apparel like shirts and cufflinks for some years.

The Rocky Patel V-Cutter by Colibri that was released in 2018, which I bought in 2021, is still doing it for me. It is also the cutter that introduced me to the v-cut, which is now my preferred cut on a cigar. Before this, I was all about the punch, except, of course, on a torpedo or tapered cigar, having started with the straight cut.

There are times and cigars that need a specific cut. It can be frustrating when you want to cut a particular way but don’t have the cutter for it. The Rocky Patel Poseidon Triple Cutter Series, which carries a lifetime warranty, solves the problem. It comes in three colours: black and copper; rose gold and white; and white and navy blue. As the name suggests, it has a guillotine, punch and v-cut. It is slightly wider than their other cutters and not as thick as their v-cutters, like the Viper c-cutter. This means that the v-cut is not as deep. It weighs in at 180g and is probably better suited for a lounge, whether at home or one that you visit, but can also be carried in a pouch.

Another cutter whose look I like is Haso Design’s Taiji Cutter, which is a straight cutter inspired the Chinese (Taiji) philosophy rooted in harmony between yin and yang and designed to reflect the interlocking swirls of the two.

It weighs about 99g, is made of aluminium die cast and has 4130 stainless steel blades, which are opened using a slip-resistant activation button. The Taiji cutter comes in black, blue, green, orange and red/black and cuts up to a 60-ring gauge cigar.

To complement their Royal Release cigar which has an Aromatica Dominicana wrapper, Ecuadorean Habano binder and five varieties of eight-year aged Dominican filler, Davidoff released a blue lacquered Royal Release Prestige lighter manufactured by ST Dupont and a crystal ashtray “mouth-blown” by Murano glass blowers. Only 200 numbered pieces of the lighter were made and only 50 ashtrays were produced. These were released in 2016 so they may be difficult to find but, where there is a will, there’s a way.

Spanish artist Pablo Picasso passed away in 1973, making 2023 the 50th anniversary. To commemorate this, ST Dupont released a limited-edition Pablo Picasso collection of accessories all featuring Portrait of Jacqueline in a Straw Hat, a 1962 portrait he created of his wife Jacqueline Roque. Part of the collection are two lighters, both of which also feature a reproduction of Picasso’s signature on the back. One lighter is a Ligne 2 series with a white lacquer palladium base and a double flame. The other, called “Slimmy”, is in chrome with a white lacquer finish.

Founded by Richard Solloshi in 2014, Solloshi Design produces luxury cigar accessories. I particularly love the design of the Hyperion Titanium Travel Case Diamond edition, which can carry up to seven cigars, depending on size and length. It comes with a built-in, integrated humidifier and is built using titanium which gives it a sleek, solid and luxurious feel.

Solloshi’s Series 69-Cigar Punch Diamond Edition is also exceptional, manufactured out of one block of titanium shaped through computer numerical control (CNC) precision process. The blade is made from stainless steel and is replaceable. Functional and beautifully designed.

The tools you use can often make or break the smoking experience. And, as you design your own private smoking lounge, there are so many options for cigar accessories. Good luck with deciding. A dilemma many of us face.