Jack Straw
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2005
- Messages
- 2,702
First, I would like to thank khari for sending me this cigar. At the SC Sitdown we were talkng about them, and next thing I know, he sends me one to try!
Winston Churchill Chequers
Size: 5 1/2" x 46
The Winston Churchill is the only brand with full Cuban seed tobacco produced by Davidoff. The filler is a blend of Dominican Republic, Peruvian, and Nicaraguan tobaccos, finished with an Ecuadoran sun-grown wrapper.
As I am a big fan of the Davidoff and AVO lines of cigars, I was excited to receive this cigar, and was looking forward to trying it. Although, as my wife is fond of pointing out, I really do not need another "favorite" cigar!
After removing a couple of items from the latest " Honey Do" list, I sat down with the cigar and a couple of fingers of Sazerac 18 year old Kentucky Rye, which I have, yet. to find a cigar with which it does not pair well!
This cigar has a light brown wrapper, much lighter than most sun grown wrappers, was smooth with just a couple of small veins visible. With a bit of pressure applied, it gives just a bit, but seems to be firmly rolled with no soft spots.
Prelight draw tasted of sweet tobacco with a hint of caramel, and drew very easily.
The initial draw was surprisingly harsh with a light spice and a bitterness on the back of the tongue which I hope goes away soon.
1st Third
The bitterness I first tasted is still present, not at all overwhelming, and not totally unpleasant, just a bite on the back of the tongue. The wrapper has a mild sweetness on the lips and tongue, and is not nearly as sweet as other sun grown wrappers I have smoked. Actually, it tastes more like a Connecticut shade wrapper than a sun grown wrapper. The cigar produces a very solid grey-black mottled ash which I ashed at about 1 1/2", or so. I have never been one to see how long I can get an ash, as I have seen too many end up in the smokers' lap!
2nd Third
The bitterness is still hanging around, still in the background, but still very present. The caramel has been replaced with straight ahead tobacco flavor. This cigar generates copious amounts of smoke that is yellow tinged in blue. A very well rolled cigar, as you would expect from the folks that produce the Davidoff line. The burn has been perfect throughout. However, the bitterness has taken away from my enjoyment of this cigar, and there is very little sweetness left from the wrapper, which I find disappointing, as I have come to expect a sweetness to build while smoking a sun grown wrapper.
FInal Third
This cigar has remained unremarkably consistent from beginning to end. The bitterness still persists, and the only change I have noticed in the flavor is, now, the total lack of any sweetness coming from the wrapper. It is still producing a very nice volume of smoke, and is a very smooth drawing cigar, but, frankly, I would be happier with less smoke volume and more flavor!
Conclusion
I let this cigar die with about 1 1/2" left, as it was not improving, in fact, it was becoming quite harsh and the everpresent bitterness had moved to the forefront and was overwhelming.
I found this cigar to be a huge disappointment considering its pedigree. Maybe it was a case of my expectations being too high, and maybe with some serious humidor time, it may become a great smoke. However, I expect a cigar, at this price point, to be great just out of the box, knowing that it will get even better with some down time. Of course, I may have just got the oddball, and the rest of the box tastes great, but based on today's smoke, I will not be laying in a box of these any time soon.
To close on an up note, I highly recommend the Sazerac 18 year old Kentucky Rye! A couple of fingers of it, with a couple ice cubes, makes for a great afternoon.
Now excuse me while I pour another Sazerac, and clear my pallette with a Fuente Chateau Sun Grown!
Winston Churchill Chequers
Size: 5 1/2" x 46
The Winston Churchill is the only brand with full Cuban seed tobacco produced by Davidoff. The filler is a blend of Dominican Republic, Peruvian, and Nicaraguan tobaccos, finished with an Ecuadoran sun-grown wrapper.
As I am a big fan of the Davidoff and AVO lines of cigars, I was excited to receive this cigar, and was looking forward to trying it. Although, as my wife is fond of pointing out, I really do not need another "favorite" cigar!
After removing a couple of items from the latest " Honey Do" list, I sat down with the cigar and a couple of fingers of Sazerac 18 year old Kentucky Rye, which I have, yet. to find a cigar with which it does not pair well!
This cigar has a light brown wrapper, much lighter than most sun grown wrappers, was smooth with just a couple of small veins visible. With a bit of pressure applied, it gives just a bit, but seems to be firmly rolled with no soft spots.
Prelight draw tasted of sweet tobacco with a hint of caramel, and drew very easily.
The initial draw was surprisingly harsh with a light spice and a bitterness on the back of the tongue which I hope goes away soon.
1st Third
The bitterness I first tasted is still present, not at all overwhelming, and not totally unpleasant, just a bite on the back of the tongue. The wrapper has a mild sweetness on the lips and tongue, and is not nearly as sweet as other sun grown wrappers I have smoked. Actually, it tastes more like a Connecticut shade wrapper than a sun grown wrapper. The cigar produces a very solid grey-black mottled ash which I ashed at about 1 1/2", or so. I have never been one to see how long I can get an ash, as I have seen too many end up in the smokers' lap!
2nd Third
The bitterness is still hanging around, still in the background, but still very present. The caramel has been replaced with straight ahead tobacco flavor. This cigar generates copious amounts of smoke that is yellow tinged in blue. A very well rolled cigar, as you would expect from the folks that produce the Davidoff line. The burn has been perfect throughout. However, the bitterness has taken away from my enjoyment of this cigar, and there is very little sweetness left from the wrapper, which I find disappointing, as I have come to expect a sweetness to build while smoking a sun grown wrapper.
FInal Third
This cigar has remained unremarkably consistent from beginning to end. The bitterness still persists, and the only change I have noticed in the flavor is, now, the total lack of any sweetness coming from the wrapper. It is still producing a very nice volume of smoke, and is a very smooth drawing cigar, but, frankly, I would be happier with less smoke volume and more flavor!
Conclusion
I let this cigar die with about 1 1/2" left, as it was not improving, in fact, it was becoming quite harsh and the everpresent bitterness had moved to the forefront and was overwhelming.
I found this cigar to be a huge disappointment considering its pedigree. Maybe it was a case of my expectations being too high, and maybe with some serious humidor time, it may become a great smoke. However, I expect a cigar, at this price point, to be great just out of the box, knowing that it will get even better with some down time. Of course, I may have just got the oddball, and the rest of the box tastes great, but based on today's smoke, I will not be laying in a box of these any time soon.
To close on an up note, I highly recommend the Sazerac 18 year old Kentucky Rye! A couple of fingers of it, with a couple ice cubes, makes for a great afternoon.
Now excuse me while I pour another Sazerac, and clear my pallette with a Fuente Chateau Sun Grown!
