The Delage Room at Brooklands

A Tasting Room and Cigar Lounge from Manu Harit and The Peninsula London

The aromas of roasting tobacco, spices and cedar wood welcome guests to the finest cigar tasting room by Manu Harit, Master of Cigars. From the Tasting Room to the state-of-the-art humidor, and hidden The Cigar Vault, The Delage Room brings an unrivalled and entirely unique experience to London.

With over a decade in the business, Manu and his team of experts provide an intimate experience, taking time to understand each guests’ personal preferences to offer a uniquely considered approach to cigars. With 95% of London’s cigars hailing from Cuba, Manu aims to broaden horizons by introducing cigars from Cuba and the New World, through to Europe, and via masterclasses thereby supplementing the knowledge of cigar aficionados, and encouraging new patrons alike.

As with the other spaces throughout Brooklands, the lounge takes inspiration from a pioneering automotive, the Delage Grand Prix, the first car to win at Brooklands race track in 1927. The Tasting Room, meticulously designed by architect, Archer Humphryes, is enclosed with dark stained walnut panelling and a coffered ceiling. The leather walls are lined with ultra discreet extractors and a complex air purification system, designed exclusively for The Peninsula London, to ensure no fume strays into the restaurant and bar or lingers following a session.

The interiors of the humidor are inspired by the famous racing cars of Hispano Suiza with timber body work and chassis, detail in mahogany, brass and cedar wood. The state-of-the-art room has been designed for the perfect environment to house cigars, fully climate controlled with the latest technology. With a display of more than 2,000 of the world’s finest cigars, focusing on bringing back Cuban classics to the market, the space boasts the highest quality collection in London.

Hidden underground, the hotel houses The Cigar Vault, the largest public locker room in the world, with 280 lockers, humidity and temperature controlled to exacting standards. A global first, the vault is fully accessible to the public with a dedicated lift that descends to the masterpiece, designed by Italian fine furniture maker, DeArt.

The cigar menu is curated by Manu who shares his own private vintage and rare cigar collection for guests to enjoy in the lounge. From Cuban classics, such as the Cohiba Robusto, to 1989 Cuban Davidoff No.1, and the Nicaraguan Oliva Serie V Melanio, the collection encompasses a wide scope of flavourprofiles to suit all tastes. Each cigar is sourced, aged and sold at the peak of its smoking quality and the inventory is continuously reviewed to ensure the best possible experience.

Louis Delage’s obsession meant that this milestone car was all-conquering on the racetrack, and this passion and unwavering dedication is reflected in the expertise at The Delage Lounge. Manu is a renowned figure in the cigar industry, having been named as the youngest Master of Havana Cigars in 2016. Together, with the Delage Room’s Director, Luca Galioto, they have assembled a team of experienced cigar connoisseurs from around the world. Each has been chosen for their extensive training and depth of knowledge to ensure the guests’ needs and expectations are exceeded.

The partnership between The Peninsula London and Manu Harit allows for a dynamic cigar business, not only reacting to the market but staying one step ahead to create an unrivalled cigar experience. Take the bespoke ashtray, based on the Mystery 4, the first French plane to reach the speed of sound. Designed by French creator, Eric Chalvin, who collaborates with Manu to challenge the status quo, bringing new designs for lighters, cutters and ashtrays, into the cigar market. Stumbling upon the plane’s nose cone in a French flea market, Eric spent three years developing the idea, which was hand blown by artisans in pure crystal.

Striving for the highest level of service with an innovative approach to the guest experience, the team are on hand during every part of the journey, from priority on new cigar releases to inventory reports. Whether a novice or an aficionado, each guest is assisted in the humidor before being guided to The Tasting Room where each cigar is served on the bespoke serving tray, and opened with elegant, handmade Katana Samurai cigar scissors.

The drinks menu for The Delage Room has been carefully selected, offering an unexpected and exceptional pairing experience, from rare spirits to fine wines. Curated by The Peninsula London’s Director of Mixology, Florian Thireau, the dedicated cocktail menu offers the perfect balance of precision engineering and unique innovation, matching drinks to cigar strength rather than flavour. As with Champagne, the characteristics of cigars depend on the soil, terroir, and climate. Here, guests are invited to try sparkling wines by the glass as part of the experience. Traditional rum, cognac, and whisky serves have also been chosen to complement both earthy, spicy notes of full-bodied cigars, as well as more mellow, woody and floral varieties.

Designed by Brooklands’ Chef Director Claude Bosi, the snack menu reflects the elegance of the restaurant with a selection including Welsh rarebit and pork rillettes; Leek tart and preserved black truffle; and Whelks with tartare sauce.

With the ability to order in advance, shop personal favourites at The Humidor and house private collections, The Tasting Room at The Peninsula London is the first of its kind.