Cigar Aficionado

Two grand British marques—Bentley and Linley—have launched their first collaboration with the unveiling of a new automobile at the showrooms of Jack Barclay in Berkeley Square in Mayfair, London. They have come together to produce the Linley limited-edition Bentley Continental Flying Spur, a four-door car of such stunning elegance you can easily believe that it is a project that has been six years in gestation.

This is a meeting of two great British names. Bentley built its first car in 1919 and has produced some of the most stylish and iconic motorcars of the last 100 years. Linley is the quintessential British furniture, humidor and design company. In the 25 years since Linley was founded, it has become one of the most stylish bespoke furniture and interior design companies in the world, with a customer list that includes Oprah Winfrey, Carolina Herrera and Jo Malone.

Inside the car, you quickly see the design and skills of Linley craftsmen. The waist-rails and the picnic tables of the car feature Santos rosewood, which contrasts with four beautiful inlayed veneers of marquetry with the iconic Linley Helix design, featured in the distinctive Linley Helix Furniture Collection to the fore. The Linley logo is inset into the wood of the glove compartment and the beauty of the wood sits elegantly with the fine white leather seats.

The whole effect is stunning, and as your feet sink into the deep carpets in the rear of the car you have the added luxury of being able to lift the polished wooden lid of the bespoke Linley humidor that sits between the two rear seats. The size of the humidor can be tailored to the cigars favored by the car's owner. The model on launch day held some very tempting Cohibas. For the cigar-smoking passenger every detail has been thought of, as there are also snug homes for a lighter and a cutter.

Sir Roy Strong, previously the Director at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, once said that “David Linley’s furniture will become the antiques of the future.” There is no doubt that the beautiful Linley Bentley Continental Flying Spur will be regarded as a classic of British automobile excellence, and it is to be hoped that this model is the start of a long line of future projects between the two companies.

Only 10 Linley limited-edition Bentley Continental Flying Spurs are being produced.

Only 10 of these stunning cars will be made and because of the huge demand for Bentley’s four door models in China, it looks as though all ten of them will be shipped out to the Far East.

“It is a great honor to be working alongside such an esteemed British brand as Bentley,” said David Linley, chairman of Linley. “Our two brands share a commitment to superlative craftsmanship and design. I believe that the culmination of our efforts will result in a car that is utterly unique and reflective of the passion that both brands share for pushing boundaries of engineering and excellence”

For those of us who don’t live in China, or who aren’t in the market for one of the finest automobiles in the world, Linley also produces a magnificent range of humidors, including the Flag series, which includes the American flag, and the Skyline series, featuring both the New York and London skylines. These are available exclusively in New York at Nat Sherman and in London at the Linley showrooms in Belgravia and Mayfair.  

Nic Wing is the creator of the Cuban Cigar Walk London.