Arnold Schwarzenegger wins Spectator Cigar Smoker of the Year 

‘This a long way from the pigsties in east Kent where I smoked my first cigar,’ said 92 year-old Baroness Trumpington as she collected her lifetime achievement award at the Spectator’s Cigar Smoker of the Year awards last night. At a packed Boisdale, the top prize was awarded to Arnold Schwarzenegger, with Frasier’s Kelsey Grammer runner up. ‘It’s like you meeting someone from Vogue,’ said one chap to his Russian wife explaining why he was so excited to meet a humidor expert.

Ever the charmer, ‘The Governor’ claimed he was a loyal Spectator reader and that the award meant far more to him than winning Mr Universe: ‘When you do body building you are awarded a lot of tro-phees, but I never thought I would vin another prize.’

Addressing ‘friends, smokers, countrymen’ host Tom Parker Bowles heaped praise upon the ‘entirely laudable principles of libertarianism’:

‘In an age where government is threatening to become bigger, more bossy and more interfering, where a person’s right to smoke in a car can become a crime for God’s sake.’

You can’t fault his politics; the only louder cheer was for when the cigars came out.

Writer of the year. Winner Bill Knott presented by Jeremy Clarke of The Spectator Terrace of the year. Winner 10 Manchester Street presented by Simon Stone of ST Dupont Retailer of the year. Winner Davidoff presented by  Jemma Freeman of Hunters & Frankau Producer of the year. Winner Oliva presented by Mitchel Orchant of C.gar ltd Cigar of the year. Winner Habanos presented by Reinhold Widemayer of The Cigar Journal Life Time Achievement 2014. Winner Baroness Trumpington presented by Chris Campbell of Rothschild Wines Cigar Smoker of the year. Runner up Winner Kelsey Grammer presented by Nancy Dell’Olio Cigar Smoker of the year. Winner Governor Schwarzenegger to be presented by Mehmet Kurt of Kingwood Stud. See more pictures on the Spectator Events Facebook page