Dickens House Wine Emporium, Rochester, Kent

[Robusto]

Has anyone been to this wine and Havana cigar shop in Rochester, Kent?

It's about 45 miles from my house and I'm thinking about having a drive up there in one of my many very long holidays.

However, I don't want to go and find four clapped-out Havanas in a display cabinet. I'm sure you know that scene.

Nic - You mentioned this place to me and I have heard about it.

Just wondered if any members have already been HERE.

Bryan

[Boss Hog]

The range they have from their website looks ok dont know how the prices compare though. They must store them in the shop so it cant be that bad.

[nicwing]

In the circumstances Robusto and with you being the nearest and all, I guess it's your duty as a Super Dooper Mod to go forth and suss it out.

You know you will find some hidden treasure and, after all you do have that cavernous new Humi to fill.

Next thing is to get Deano to enable the map feature to link Retail threads to a pin on the map.....

If only he wasn't swanning around Spain, forming pyramids and frightening the children he could be doing this critical work

[Boss Hog]

In the circumstances Robusto and with you being the nearest and all, I guess it's your duty as a Super Dooper Mod to go forth and suss it out.

You know you will find some hidden treasure and, after all you do have that cavernous new Humi to fill.

Next thing is to get Deano to enable the map feature to link Retail threads to a pin on the map.....

If only he wasn't swanning around Spain, forming pyramids and frightening the children he could be doing this critical work

Maybe we need a spare sys admin who can take on these activities for critical work such as this in times of absense? problem is, I've no idea where you would find someone with over the 15 years IS experience
that would be required to look after this system alongside some of the countries other most high profile systems.

[nicwing]

I agree Boss, someone as invaluable as that would be extremely difficult to find and it's a million to one chance to find them on this forum!

Oh well...............

[misterbulgarin]

Found this thread on google just from searching for a local cigar shop! Im local to the area and the original cigar shop CUBAN CONNECTION has shut down, I saw the shop open a few times and Jason the owner (yes I am/was a regular) says they're open a few days during the week, but I never see em. I cant say if they are or not as im down there every sat and theyre always shut up . That shop meant alot to me, seeing it open that time, total surprise seeing that big wrought iron gate open and the light on, my heart kinda flutterd, whatta sad bastard I am!

So now I get my smokes from the Dickens emporium. All I can say is 'standard fare'. Youve got all your Cohibas, Romeos, monte cristos and all the 'mainstream' names here. Even guantanameras and piedras. Theres 2 humidors of those kinda cigars, with set prices. No independant brands as such. Lacks character, but for them the Cigars are only extra profit so I guess they dont care.

The old cigar shop (Cuban connection) was a lovely little quaint shop, I got friendly with the owners and I loved the customer-to-owner relationship Id made, it was proper old fashion. Theyd always have new brands in, I loved trying all the random ones they got, I even had a few freebies just to try, shame its not open every day like it used to be, goddamn recession.

But na, the Dickens emporium only has a few of the typical mainstream cigars, nothin rare or exciting. Better some cigars than none though...

[Robusto]

Is it still worth a visit, mate?

I'm an hour's drive away and thought I'd visit it and chuff one off in a decent pub garden nearby out of curiousity.

Could I drive up and get - say - a Cohiba Robusto to chomp?
Or a Sublimes to shock the locals?

I don't want to displace myself to buy a tubed stogie I could have bought in Tesco.

At the moment, I have a lot of time to go exploring.

[misterbulgarin]

I say go for it if youre an hour away. Its a nice lil wine shop in itself, very nicely laid out . The two guys running it are ok (although I still think theyre alittle mythed that I come in there askin for cigars by name rather than 'can I have a cigar pleeez' im only 19).

The selection is ok really, Ive seen Cohiba (couple of sizes, no robustos!), Monte cristos, Piedras, Partagas's, guantanameras, a few tubos (romeos, cristos). Slightly unremarkable but theyre not ALL in tubos and sealed up. The fun of lookin in a humi and feelin the cigars in their entirety is still there, just ask the guys that youd like to have a look.

Rochesters a nice lil town so if you want a day out, buy a smoke, go sit in that pub by the castle, if the weathers nice, cant complain eh?

ALTERNATELY: You can check to see if the Cuban Connection is open. The original cigar shop. Its randomly open, im never down there sundays but it might be open on that day as the foot traffic may be good. Worth a try. Its at the bottom of Star hill just at the beginning of the highstreet. Right inbetween a newsagents and some other shop. Just look for an alleyway and a large sign on the wall . It's hard to miss so keep your eyes peeled.

heres the map

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=rochester+kent&sll=43.154148,-77.619282&sspn=0.177325,0.308647&g=rochester&ie=UTF8&ll=51.385788,0.507409&spn=0.000296,0.000603&t=h&z=21&lci=com.panoramio.all,org.wikipedia.en

Should work, its right there down this alleyway, hope theyre open

[Robusto]

Thank you, mate.

I will take this adventure in silken breeches and a stovepipe hat.

I will sit in Rochester Castle gardens and pretend to be Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

I'll be avoiding the Guantanameras, though.
Won't drive for a minute for one of those.

I'll do this in about a month.

Many thanks.

[misterbulgarin]

Hah yeah, when I dont feel like spending much and want a quick light.....unremarkable smoke, I get a grotty guantanamera.

Hopa ya enjoy roch! love that town

[PoohBore]

Had one of those guantanamera's in Cuba when i first started. It went in the bin before half way and I was a wet behind the ears newbie. My step dad and I dubbed the the Guantanomo Bay specials..

[misterbulgarin]

My first guantanamo was ok, easy going smoke, quite nice actually. The last one I bought was for a party (followed by heavy drinkin) so I only needed a cheapy. It was proper limey and grimey, the quality has gone down totally. They never always used to be capped at the end did they? I remember my first one; I cut it?

[HabanoSy]

I do a fair amount of work for Greenwich University, so next time Im down in that neck of the woods I think I might just get myself along to this establishment and have a look around.

You never know, might unearth something interesting...!?!

Cheers, HabanoSy

[misterbulgarin]

I do a fair amount of work for Greenwich University, so next time Im down in that neck of the woods I think I might just get myself along to this establishment and have a look around.

You never know, might unearth something interesting...!?!

Cheers, HabanoSy

if you guys are around on a saturday, lemme know cause i do some voluntary work down there on sats, lemme know and we can smoke it up