Hermès in Cowtown
Calgary catches a whiff of Paris
www.hermes.com
When Thierry Hermès opened his saddle and harness shop in Paris in 1837, there was no Calgary. There was as little inkling then that Hermès would grow into a high-fashion powerhouse as there were dreams that a city would sprout on the yellow prairie. Both events, of course, came to pass. It has taken 170-odd years for the twain to meet, but happily, Hermès rode into town last fall. Ensconced in Holt Renfrew, the French label features perfume, men’s and women’s ready-to-wear garments and a nook for jewelry sales. There are handbags, of course; some are multi-thousand-dollar Burkins. For a littler luxury, others can take home an iconic Hermès scarf in French silk.
Cost: varies per scarf, about $450
Curtis Webber bought Edmonton’s La Tienda cigar shop six years ago. He says that cigar culture appeals to a small set of mostly men “who enjoy something that takes skill and time to make.” He compares cigars to wine: both depend on the plant, weather, soil and the skill of the maker. “Some cigars don’t improve significantly with age. Others just keep getting better.” Webber has an email list to notify select customers when he gets a shipment of special cigars.
Cost of one Cohiba Gran Reserva: $165
No discussion of the finer things is complete without a taste of whisky. “We see a good market for mid- to higher-priced Scotch,” says Adam Zeliger, Scotch expert at Crestwood Fine Wines & Spirits. “There’s a growing market for good quality.” Zeliger stocks whiskies that often can’t be found elsewhere and he keeps some available to try before you buy.
Zeliger advises customers making the leap to a mid-range bottle of Scotch to try a 12-year-old single malt by Scottish distiller Stronachie. “It’s a highland-style Scotch,” he says, “with an oaky, buttery taste rather than the more heavily peated, smoky single malts made in the Islay [coastal and island] style. It’s a cut above similar 12-year-old competitors.” For those who want to venture into the rich taste of a drink made from peat-smoked barley, he recommends trying Bruichladdich whiskies.
Consultation is free, but the cost to buy a bottle of 12-year-old Stronachie: $71.95
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