Special Stogies

There are few things more enjoyable on a hot humid summer's evening than sitting back with a cold drink and slowly puffing on a fragrant Havana cigar. Well, summer is coming (really, it's true!) and hidden in an alley off King St. West is a small bit of Havana transplanted right here for our pleasure.

Frank Correnti Cigars Ltd. (606 King St. W, back alley, follow the signs) is a cigar factory which manufactures hand-made cigars from important Cuban tobacco leaves. It is, in fact, the only such establishment in Canada. The leaves are aged for 10-12 years before being put to use, resulting in a milder and more refined flavour. After aging, they are hand-rolled by Cuban cigar rollers who are trained in the Cuban cigar-making tradition.


A visit to the shop is a must for any cigar lover, or even anyone interested in seeing first-hand an old-style cigar factory, filled with smells, sights and sounds of old Havana, right in the heart of Toronto.

Cigars can be purchased on-site. A Correnti petit corona ($8.50) is a good introduction to the brand.