Romeo y Julieta Churchill BEL JUL 20 (FYARW)*

[jonnyfromiranny]

This is my first time reviewing a cigar, so bear with me...

Disclaimer: This cigar had only been resting for 2 weeks or so, which I know is a big no-no, but I coudn't help myself.

Ambient Temp: 55F

Storage: Desktop Humi @ 67rH and kept between 63F-66F

Draw/Construction. Perfect throughout with no burn issues or touch ups needed. Cold draw had some notes of cedar and wood.

Smoke time: 1h 45m (I took my time with this one)

Paring: Nigori Sake, with chamomile tea as a backup just in case the Nigori was too strong.

 

1st third: My palate got a touch of spiciness. Not the wild cherry that I was expecting, but more of a peppery feel. This continued for most of the 1st third, but a more sweet sort of spice started to come in and out as I got nearer to the 2nd third. MILD  bodied. 

2nd third: Sweet spice still dominant, but some earthy and woody notes started coming through as well. About midway through the 2nd third the sweetness popped into the drivers seat. To me, it seemed like a vanilla/creamy flavor. his is what I had been waiting for - definitely the most enjoyable part of this cigar. MILD-MEDIUM bodied.

3rd third: Sweetness hung around for a little while, but quickly evaporated into barnyard and hay, which I also quite enjoyed. All other flavors took a backseat and the barnyard took charge till the end. MILD-MEDIUM bodied.

 

Conclusion: Although this cigar did not have a ton of depth or complexity, it was very, VERY smooth, which I enjoyed. The only other stick I've tried from this marca was RyJ Wide Churchill, which I prefer (for now) over the Churchill. The rep for RyJ Churchills as of late has not been good, but I will say that this stick exceeded my expectations. I haven't tried any of the formerly glorious RyJ Churchills, or any of the less-formerly 'not-so-good' ones, but this 2020 stick was solid. Being that this stick was so young nd not well rested, I can see them turning into showstoppers with some age. Hopefully I will see some of that cherry goodness I've been hearing so much about.

Would I recommend? Yes. For those times where I want a good amount of smoke time from a premium cigar without breaking the bank. Also, for those times where a Siglo VI is a tad too indulgent and I want to be able to fall asleep within a couple hours of smoking. These are a good value, given the size, and have definitely earned a spot in my humidor.

TL;DR: 88 points. Smooth sailing the whole way. Simple and mild, yet enjoyable. Will benefit from some age. Buy 2020 stock.