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Oldest smokable cigar found in castle basement in Ireland

rectifythis

CP; may cause dependency
Joined
Oct 24, 2006
Messages
1,082
I am looking for verification of a story I keep hearing, but cannot seem to find much information or details about it.

Every time I talk about cigars, a guy at work tells me the following story over and over:

The world’s oldest smokable cigars were recently discovered in the basement of a castle in Ireland. Supposedly from the 1800’s, they had been stored in the basement which averaged 70 degrees and 70% humidity. Apparently, a whole room full of boxes of cigars which had been acquired by the castle owner several generations back, were being used as firewood by the last couple of owners, as they were not cigar smokers. The current owner had gone down to the basement with a friend of his (who happened to be a cigar aficionado) to throw some more boxes onto the fire (as he’d seen his father doing). Being down to only 10 boxes, his friend stopped him and said that he may just have the oldest smokable cigars there, and asked if he could try one. Telling his friend it was the best cigar he’d ever had, the remaining 10 boxes were auctioned off at Sotheby’s for something like $10,000 a box. At least 1 cigar is rumored to have been purchased by Joe Pantoliano (well known actor and aficionado).

Can anyone verify this or clarify any incorrect or missing details? This is more to satisfy my curiosity than anything else…and possibly to silence the storyteller at work.

If this is true, can you imagine how the guy must have felt when he learned he was burning $10,000 boxes of cigars?
 
I know of some mid 1800's cigars that are smokeable so could be true. If they were so-so and in good shape seems they would fetch much more than $10,000/bx IMO!
 
I read this article several years ago in a notable newspaper (I think the NY times), so I think it's true.
 
It takes a special kind of stupid to use full boxes of cigars for firewood.
 
Google didn't turn up anything other than that allcigarsonline link. Snopes.com didn't have any reference to it either. I do find it difficult to believe about a castle basement in Ireland maintaining any temp above 60 degrees, let alone a balmy 70.
 
A open stoked fire furnace in the basment doesnt bode well for 70% either.
 
Our basement never gets above 68 here in Northern MN even if it's 90 outdoors for 4 days straight. I find it hard to believe that a basement anywhere else that is cool or cold would hold that temp. We also have to run a dehumidifier to keep the humidity out of the 80s at times. I think Ireland is a bit wetter than we are on average.

It's a neat story, but I find it hard to believe.

Wouldn't Sotheby's have some sort of record of this sale? It doesn't seem like it would be too hard to contact them and ask.

EDITED TO ADD: I just sent them an e-mail. I'll post the reply if/when I get it.
 
I know of some mid 1800's cigars that are smokeable so could be true. If they were so-so and in good shape seems they would fetch much more than $10,000/bx IMO!

You might be right....maybe it was $100,000 a box. I cannot recall exactly...that's why I'd like some clarification.
 
I got a reply from Sotheby's today. I'm not sure if it sheds any real light on the subject, however.

Dear Mr. Onken,

Thank you for contacting Sotheby's.

Sotheby's does not sell cigars or has not since 1998.

To see items Sotheby's have sold in the past (up to 1998) please visit
our website's "sold lot archive" at:

http://www.sothebys.com/app/search/quickSe...coll=liveClosed

If you have any questions, please contact me and I will be happy to help
you.

Yours sincerely,

Christina Cook

Sotheby’s Client service representative

tel: (541) 312-5682

fax: (541) 312-5684
 
I got a reply from Sotheby's today. I'm not sure if it sheds any real light on the subject, however.

Dear Mr. Onken,

Thank you for contacting Sotheby's.

Sotheby's does not sell cigars or has not since 1998.

To see items Sotheby's have sold in the past (up to 1998) please visit
our website's "sold lot archive" at:

http://www.sothebys.com/app/search/quickSe...coll=liveClosed

If you have any questions, please contact me and I will be happy to help
you.

Yours sincerely,

Christina Cook

Sotheby’s Client service representative

tel: (541) 312-5682

fax: (541) 312-5684


So in other words, we cannot find out since we can only search 1998-2007, and they possibly sold cigars pre 1998. Anyone else have any info? Oh yeah, another clue...the guy at work said he saw it a few years ago on a TV show called 'Treasure Hunters'.
 
Wouldn't it be Christies' that would be auctioning off these over in The United Kingdom, rather than Sothebys'?

Also, When at Desmond Sautters in 2005, he had a box of cigars from 1882 that was still in perfect smoking condition, so I don't think that they would be that huge of a find.
 
I have to call BS on this. First, besides one mention there is no confirmation to be found. Second, as already brought up, there is no castle with a 70/70 basement and it isn't like there is central heating with a fireplace in the basement. Fireplaces are in individual rooms. Third, maybe one owner would be stupid enough to use boxed cigars as firewood.....but several? Fourth, one has to ask why the original owner would have ten thousand + of boxes of cigars all from the same period (give or take). Think about the firewood math. Supposed castle fireplace so let us assume just 5 boxes a day times 120 days a year is 600 boxes a year minimum times a couple of owners (say 4) = 2400, times 5 years ownership each = 12,000 boxes. Now if you have ever used a fireplace you know 5 pieces of wood doesn't last very long so that number is extremely low to begin with and could easily be 50 a day.....it is a castle after all. :whistling:

Total and complete BS.
 
Spoke with the guy today and he swears up and down he saw this between 1996 and 1998 on a TV show called Treasure Hunters.
 
In the late 90's an auction for 600 cigars dating from 1864 from the Temple House in Sligo, Ireland were sold for a cool $1 million. It was determined before the auction that they were not Cuban but from the Phillippines. In this situation it was authenticated that the family esate cellar was humidity controlled. So this guy paid $1650 a cigar. Holy SMokes Thre was a purchase in 1996 for the Duke of Buccleuch of 193 Havanas made in 1857 & 1858 for 17,600 Euros. THis was at Christie's auction house.
 
In the late 90's an auction for 600 cigars dating from 1864 from the Temple House in Sligo, Ireland were sold for a cool $1 million. It was determined before the auction that they were not Cuban but from the Phillippines. In this situation it was authenticated that the family esate cellar was humidity controlled. So this guy paid $1650 a cigar. Holy SMokes Thre was a purchase in 1996 for the Duke of Buccleuch of 193 Havanas made in 1857 & 1858 for 17,600 Euros. THis was at Christie's auction house.
That's an interesting first post. Why not introduce yourself in the Intro thread and fill out a profile? :)
 
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