HdM Churchill

[Styler]

HdM Churchill

Size: 47 x 178mm

Box Code: PAS Feb 01

Duration: 1h 20m

Paired with: Southwold IPA

It was my 30th birthday yesterday so I pulled out a bigger stick to celebrate, I made some notes so thought I would have another crack at the review comp. I got 5 of these 01 Churchills as part of a box split at the end of last year, this is the first one I've tried.

Prelight: The cigar looks fairly good for it's age, the wrapper is a bit rough but without any obvious blemishes. Of more concern is the hard spot just past the 1st third but the draw at least was good with just a little resistance. The cold draw was amazing, easily the most flavourful I've ever had, it was all morello cherry and leather.

Opening: The opening was great, salt on the lips with a high volume of rich smoke. A toasted tobacco core carried dark fruit flavours and cocoa, straight into medium bodied.

1st third: The smoke dies back to light bodied but the flavours stay consistant, I just wish they were a bit stronger. At this point I'm wondering if 10 years of ageing has mellowed this cigar a little too much, there was a good helping a cream to help things along though.

2nd third: The smoke comes back to meduim bodied and woody flavours become dominant, balsa wood especially. There is a little butter on the finish as well. The smoke is still very smooth and cool with no rough edges, the undertones of fruit and cocoa remain the same. Mid way through the second third the knot I felt earlier made it's self know, the smoke volume dipped and the cigar started to canoe. Some surgery from my trusty Palio and a good torching soon sorted that out and we were soon back to business as usual.

3rd third: Towards the end of this cigar the power ramps up, I really wasn't expecting to this level of strength from a 10 year old cigar but I'm going to need a snooze after this! The Flavours again remain the same, wood with cream, fruit and cocoa but the finish is very buttery. With the toasted tobacco and butter on the finish it's almost reminding me of garlic bread which is certainly a first for me!

Thoughts: This is the oldest cigar I have smoked so far and I am left in confusion over whether the cigar needs more age or has had too much? On one hand the flavours of the first two thirds were well behind what I would expect of a young RASS or Des Dieux but on the other hand the final third displayed the kind of nicotine strength I would expect in a young cigar. Did I enjoy it? Well I can't say I didn't but the smoke struggled to hold my attention and at several points I started to think about sticks that I would have enjoyed more. Never a good sign! It was quite possibly just me, I'm not a fan or really woody flavours or strong sticks so chances are that this could have suited another BOTL but it wasn't doing much for me. Thankfully a Siglo VI rescued me later on in the evening

[headstand]

"I started to think about sticks that I would have enjoyed more"

Ya, I don't like that either. I think it's worse when you are smoking alone and the experience is 100% about the cigar.

Thanks for the review.

[Colt45]

Counts me as a fan of the HdM Churchill. I can't really comment on the '01s, but I've been smoking from an '07 box that were

very nice early on, with a very recent sample excellent. Hopefully members who have experience with the vintage will chime in.

On a side note, from perspective of the pics (and not questioning you), the cigar looks more the size of the double corona....

[Styler]

Just checked the length of the cigar and it is about 178mm, I thought churchills were closer to 190mm? My apologies if I am wrong, how embarrassing not even knowing the cigar you are reviewing!

[Colt45]

Just checked the length of the cigar and it is about 178mm, I thought churchills were closer to 190mm? My apologies if I am wrong, how embarrassing not even knowing the cigar you are reviewing!

No - exactly what I didn't mean Just thinkling out loud that to me, the photo perspective makes the girth look big.

[Styler]

No - exactly what I didn't mean Just thinkling out loud that to me, the photo perspective makes the girth look big.

Ah, sorry! Well I just managed to find an RyJ Churchill tube and these fit in which I presume it wouldn't if it were a DC.