But in most films, it’s not usually the comics who smoke cigars. In most movies, cigars are used to signify a certain level of sophistication – a costume piece to show that the cigar-smoking character is a cut above the other characters in the film. Consider that in the Dirty Dozen, a 1967 war movie, only one character smokes a cigar: the two-star general who is the highest ranking officer in the film. What do all the other characters smoke? Mere cigarettes. Cigars on the silver screen represent both status and wealth.

Famous Cigar Smokers on the Big Screen

Jack Nicholson

In 1973, actor Jack Nicholson abandoned cigarettes for cigars beginning with the movie The Last Detail. Nicholson plays a tough naval petty officer who smokes only Cuban cigars.

credit

Al Pacino

A decade later, Al Pacino played the cigar-smoking Cuban gangster Scarface in the movie of the same title. And Al Pacino wasn’t the only actor to play a gangster tough-guy with a love of cigars.

Albert Finney

Albert Finney played Irish gangster Leo O’Bannon in the 1990 film Miller’s Crossing. Finney’s best scene in Miller’s Crossing is generally considered the scene in which he rids himself of a host of assassins, while finishing his cigar at the same time.

Clint Eastwood

In Westerns, too, cigars have a role to play. Clint Eastwood smoked cigars in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – specifically, Virginians, a skinny American cigar with a strong flavor. Eastwood’s man with no name also appeared with his trademark cigars in the two movies leading up to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and For a Few Dollars More (1965). This is despite the fact that Eastwood has publicly stated that he hates cigars, but that they fit the character he was playing at the time.

Will Smith / Jeff Goldblum / Pierce Brosnan

In more recent times, cigars haven’t always been the trademark of the rough-and-tumble tough guys and bad guys. In Independence Day, Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum smoke a cigar of celebration in a slightly goofy scene inside an alien spaceship just before they blow it up and win the day. And Pierce Brosnan’s version of James Bond didn’t smoke cigarettes as he had in the past, but cigars.

credit

Rose McGowan

Even when women smoke cigars, such as bad-girl Rose McGowan in Lewis and Clark and George, the cigar still represents a sense of rebelliousness mingled with class – much like cigar smokers themselves.

Victor Ferreira of Boisdale of Belgravia was crowned the UK Habano Sommelier Champion for 2009. The final was held at Hunters & Frankau’s London head offices on Tuesday December 9th and the decision was unanimous.

In Victor’s favour was his strong written exam, detailed in-depth knowledge of Cuban cigars and exemplary cigar service . The prize is an all expenses paid trip to Cuba for the annual Cigar Festival and the considerable privilege of representing Great Britain in the Cigar Sommelier World Championship.

Ranald Macdonald, owner of the cigar-friendly Boisdale of Belgravia and Boisdale of Bishopsgate, said, “I am absolutely delighted that Victor has won this award.  Our staff are renowned for their whisky, wine and cigar expertise and it’s a real credit that two out of the four finalists were from Boisdale. I wish Victor the best of luck at the international competition in Havana.  His in-depth knowledge, skill and determination will, I am sure, carry him through the competition”.

The four finalists had to prove their specialist knowledge of Habanos cigars, selecting the most appropriate cigar for an occasion, the best corresponding spirits as well as demonstrating cutting and lighting skills.  In a staged scenario, Ferreira considered the merits of various Habanos cigars, including Romeo y Julieta and Bolivar, before making a choice recommendation to a fictitious couple celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary.  He then selected their drinks to correspond with cigars.

A delighted Victor said of his upcoming challenge in Havana, “I am very competitive and when I go out there I will be going out to win. Now I need to do even more studying!”.

Like all rituals, the detail is important and a brief summary cannot do full justice.  Suffice it to say that speeches, a lot of standing up and sitting down, clapping, bagpipes, respect for the haggis and recitations of The Bard’s works are involved – all in strict order. The menu features favourite Scottish dishes and is washed down by good quantities of excellent whisky.

By nature the Scots are patriotic and many of them head north for a traditional Burns Supper and wee dram of whisky.  This year however, to experience and appreciate the full glory of this merry celebration you don’t need to venture up to the Highlands.

Boisdale of Belgravia and Boisdale of Bishopsgate, Scotland’s principalities in London, will be featuring the legendary piper Pipe-Major Willie Cochrane and Scottish actor Brett Findlay, who will be reciting the Ode to a haggis in 18th century period costume as well as, not wanting to spoil the plot, stabbing (murdering!) the Haggis every night from Monday 18th January until Saturday 30th January 2010 at Boisdale Belgravia and Thursday 21st until Tuesday 26th at Boisdale of Bishopsgate.

Three set menus, featuring the finest Scottish ingredients including, amongst others, Hebridean salmon and langoustine, Mini roast Macsween haggis and the very best grass fed dry aged Aberdeenshire beef steaks will be available.  In keeping with tradition, a small noggin of Johnnie Walker whisky will be served with the haggis.  The menu options for parties include:

Boisdale of Belgravia

• Talisker 10 years old Burns Night Menu at £47.50 for four courses
• Talisker Distillers Editon Burns Night Menu at £55.00 for four courses
• Talisker 18 years old Burns Night Menu at £69.00 for four courses

Boisdale of Bishopsgate

• Talisker 10 years old Burns Night Menu at £38.50
• Talisker Distillers Editon Burns Night Menu at £59.50.

The full Burns Night ritual and special menus listed above can be provided for parties of eight or more.  The menu options for all other customers include a la carte selection or Johnnie Walker Green Burns Night Menu at £40 for three courses.

Please see www.boisdale.co.uk for full details or contact Boisdale of Belgravia on 020 7730 6922 or Boisdale of Bishopsgate on 020 7283 1763 to book your table.

It is one of the busiest times of the year at Boisdale so to join in the revelry, if not the reeling, book early!

A Christmas holidays special was amongst a series of exclusive ‘radio’ shows for Boisdale, which the Emperor Rosko prepared. In his true form,  Rosko compiled an eclectic blend of favourite Christmas songs and seasonal treasures from his own priceless archives including BB King, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Louis Armstrong, Dean Martin, Jo Stafford, Eartha Kitt and No Slade.

The shows have been sponsored by Glenfarclas, a company that is renowned for producing outstanding Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky in the traditional Speyside style.  Brand Ambassador and sixth generation distillery Co-owner George S Grant said: “Boisdale is all about Scotland and Scotland is all about whisky; there is no better place in the UK for a fine Highland dram and soul stirring jazz and blues so I am immensely delighted to be able to bring ‘the King of all malt whiskies’ for the connoisseurs’ delectation to be enjoyed in an relaxing ambiance of the Boisdale bars”.

Happy Hour (6pm – 7pm) at Boisdale will now feature the special shows as an aural backdrop. Those clients lucky enough to be paying attention to the Emperor’s show in the restaurants will be suitably rewarded with a sizeable discount on their Glenfarclas whisky of choice when they mention the key words to the Boisdale barmen.

Since its launch by Ranald Macdonald in 1988, the Boisdale name has always been synonymous with high quality Scottish fare and hospitality that is accompanied by fine wines and whiskies.

The exclusive in-house Boisdale radio style programming is just the start of an exciting new project that will see the Boisdale group enter the radio market in 2010.

Stay tuned!

The “Mac”

No doubt it was Scotland’s climate that prompted Charles Macintosh to create the first waterproof coat in 1823. The early models were stiff, smelly, and tended to melt when the temperature turned warm. Fortunately, these problems were worked out about twenty years later and we can now wear a Macintosh without fear of meltdown.

Artificial Cooling

It took almost one hundred years for someone to make use of the discovery that William Cullen developed at the University of Glasgow in 1748… artificial cooling that developed into today’s refrigerators that keep us from having to chunk blocks of ice into wooden boxes.

The Television

Many have had input into the development of television but the first moving image was demonstrated by John Logie Baird in 1926. Whether or not television has improved our lives is open to discussion.

Golf

What would the world be without golf? Every country wants to claim the game as their own but the ones who put it all together and made it what it is today are the Scots. The game has come a long way since shepherds knocked rocks into rabbit holes back in the 12th century.

Macadam Road Sealant

We no longer have to slog through muddy roads thanks to John Loudon McAdam, the engineer from Ayr who, around 1816, came up with the protective layer to seals roads… macadam.

The Pneumatic Tyre

John Boyd Dunlop created the pneumatic tyre in 1887 because his son kept getting headaches while riding his bicycle as the iron bands on the wheels thumped on rough roads. Dunlop assigned his invention to William Harvey Du Cros and didn’t make much money from something that has become so crucial to the modern world.

Insulin

In 1923, John James Rickard Macleod shared the Noble Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Fredrick Banting for the discovery of insulin. Charles Best and biochemist JamesCollip were also involved in the discovery. There was dissension among the four but the discovery saved so many lives that it’s best to just ignore it.

What about Whisky, Haggis, Kilts and Bagpipes?

These inventions are famous, but some of the most famous ‘Scottish’ imports we know and love – whisky, haggis, kilts and bagpipes are arguably all from various origins but have been strongly engrained in the Scottish culture.

Regardless, all would agree that Scotch whisky,  traditional Scottish haggis, Highland wear and bagpipes are in a league of their own. Few would argue the excellence, quality and their unique interpretation of “scottishness” that has been placed on their icons to make them their own, regardless of the icon’s origin.

Whether it be inventions or traditions, we can thank the Scots for their pursuit of change, innovation, pleasure and flavour, which has produced icons now widely known and loved across the globe.

Linda

Just a quick note to say thanks for ensuring that our dinner was so successful last night. Despite the early start most of our guests stayed much later than I thought – in fact in the end we had to encourage them to leave. Feedback has been great and the food was exquisite! So thanks again to you and the team.

Best regards

Marcus

Just a note to say how much we enjoyed our excellent meal last Thursday. The quality of food and the standard of service was outstanding. We intend to return before long.

Phil