PICTURED: EDDIE SAHAKIAN & EDWARD SAHAKIAN
Jermyn Street’s Open Door Series will be honouring the brands and businesses that make our street the home of gentleman’s style, and the pinnacle of British craftsmanship, by spotlighting your favourite brands, and the people behind them, as we get ready to invite you through our doors once more!
Davidoff of London has been a world-class purveyor of exquisite cigars since the Jermyn Street store opened in May 1980, but their roots have been intertwined with fine cigars for much longer.
Zino Davidoff, Davidoff London’s namesake, was born in Kiev 1906 to a long line of tobacconists. After his family relocated to Geneva when he was five, his father established Davidoff of Geneva and Zino truly immersed himself in the world of fine tobacco, travelling to Cuba and working for two years on a tobacco plantation – a tobacconist’s right of passage, before returning to Geneva in the 1930s and implementing the world’s first climate-controlled room in his family’s store. Zino’s innovation and passion continued to drive the Davidoff name, he became known for the best and widest selection of Cuban cigars, invented the first humidor – a humidified box used to preserve cigars to this day, and travelled to Cuba to make his own range of cigars in Fidel Castro’s new El Laguito Factory at their invitation. The world famous Chateau Series, including the Grand Cru, as well as and the Davidoff No. 1, No. 2 and Ambrassadrive, and the legendary Dom Perignon were born out of this partnership. Due to the colossal success of his creations, Zino transformed the world of fine cigars forever.
The Davidoff of London Jermyn Street store, as we know it today, was built on these iconic foundations and came into being under Edward Sahakian. Mr Sahakian, originally of Iranian descent, was passionate about cigars from a young age, and when he was forced to relocate to London due to the Iranian Revolution, changed career paths and his passion became his profession. Mr Sahakian along with his son Eddie, run Davidoff of London to this day and it is known as one of the finest sources of hand-made Cuban and Dominican cigars worldwide. Customers are invited to browse their selection in one of the largest humidors in the world. Mr Sahakian, and Eddie Sahakian use their extensive knowledge to guide their customers to the right cigar choice for their palette, and also offer a range of accessories and beverages to compliment the experience of a truly exquisite cigar.