Churchill Suggestions

[bigkev]

Been a long time customer of FOH and have mostly purchased Robustos, coronas and some torpedos. I'm a big fan of the Partagas Shorts, Monte #5's and Bolivars. I recently purchased a box of the Monte #2's for my son's HS graduation at the suggestion of my wife, which I still can't believe because fairly recent #2's were not that great IMO. I like a med-full bodied flavorful smoke. I now have some more time on my hands and looking for a longer smoke like a Churchill size or similar would be. What are some good suggestions? Thank you!

[Edicion]

Lots of demand for double Coronas or Churchills sized cigars these days. If you can find Cohiba Esplendidos or Partagas Lusitanias, they might do the trick. 

[bassistheplace]

The RyJ churchills are smoking good right now

[foursite12]

Good luck. Esplendidos, Sir Winston, Romeo y Julieta, ERDM Tainos is about it anymore for true Churchills. All are excellent cigars with the evolving character profiles coming through over the course of the smoke that I look for in a Churchill.

The double coronas may resemble Churchills in size but to me they are a very different smoking experience.

All require some diligence to find currently, 

[cigaraholic]

If your looking for a Churchill the geniuses at HSA have left you with only 3 choices, Cohiba Esplendido, Upmann Sir Winston and RyJ Churchill. The Cohiba and Upmann are extremely hard to find right now and priced for multimillionaires. The RyJ would be an excellent choice if you can get Rob to pick you out a nice red wrapper box. Fruity tobacco has always been my favorite flavor profile, a nice cherry flavored box would probably be the most enjoyable for a new smoker. Monte 2’s can be very powerful smokes, might be too much for someone starting out. Another nice fruity stick I would recommend for someone starting out is Ramon Allones Superiores.

[bigkev]

Thank you, I have had RyJ in the past and enjoyed them.

[gustavehenne]

As others have mentioned, the vitolas have dwindled away to so few these days. Other than what's already been mentioned I can't recommend the Ramon Allones Gigantes highly enough....

[Chibearsv]

Stay out of my Churchill wheel house!  Kidding, kidding.  In general, you'll pay a premium for the Churchill, 109s, and DCs so be ready for that.

If you can find the Bushidos on Bond Roberts or anywhere else and they're in your budget, I think that's your bell ringer for a medium-full cigar.  They are terrific but a bit of a unicorn.

For close to medium-full, RAG and Lusitanias are very nice cigars.  I prefer both of these with some age on them.

A little lighter, I really enjoy the RyJ Churchill when they are well constructed, but that has been a challenge in my experience. 

Esplendidos and Hoyo DC are delicious but may be too light based on how you describe your preference.

Lonsdales are also a nice option for a longer smoking cigar.  For the profile you describe, If you like RyJ, the Cazadores are very nice smoke.  They have a lot of flavor when they are young and in the foil and lighten as they age.  I really like them fresh.

[foursite12]

16 minutes ago, Chibearsv said:

Stay out of my Churchill wheel house!  Kidding, kidding.  In general, you'll pay a premium for the Churchill, 109s, and DCs so be ready for that.

If you can find the Bushidos on Bond Roberts or anywhere else and they're in your budget, I think that's your bell ringer for a medium-full cigar.  They are terrific but a bit of a unicorn.

For close to medium-full, RAG and Lusitanias are very nice cigars.  I prefer both of these with some age on them.

A little lighter, I really enjoy the RyJ Churchill when they are well constructed, but that has been a challenge in my experience. 

Esplendidos and Hoyo DC are delicious but may be too light based on how you describe your preference.

Lonsdales are also a nice option for a longer smoking cigar.  For the profile you describe, If you like RyJ, the Cazadores are very nice smoke.  They have a lot of flavor when they are young and in the foil and lighten as they age.  I really like them fresh.

I second all of this, especially the lonsdale recommendation. Love Cazadores but caveat as noted above that they can be strong. The Monte 1 is simply an excellent cigar and is commonly available, at least for now.

[RDB]

Another somewhat similar vitola is the corona gorda. Just a bit shorter, but more options, and more easily obtainable. Punch Punch sound like it might be in your zone. 

[Enduin]

For me a corona gorda (which is my absolute favorite vitola!) is a very different experience compared to a churchill. I second the suggestion of lonsdales as being a potential alternative closer to a churchill.

[CampDelta369]

Definitely RYJ Churchill is one of my favorites. and if you are lucky enough to score a PSP/HQ box with Rosado tint in the wrappers, which El Prez notes so eloquently, you might be in for something special. of course the Sir Winston and Esplendidos are excellent but i feel a bit of aging on those may be rewarding. ERDM Tainos have been enjoyable and unique in profile. I am not sure if they are still available thought 

[Aprivateplane]

6 hours ago, cigaraholic said:

If your looking for a Churchill the geniuses at HSA have left you with only 3 choices, Cohiba Esplendido, Upmann Sir Winston and RyJ Churchill. The Cohiba and Upmann are extremely hard to find right now and priced for multimillionaires. The RyJ would be an excellent choice if you can get Rob to pick you out a nice red wrapper box. Fruity tobacco has always been my favorite flavor profile, a nice cherry flavored box would probably be the most enjoyable for a new smoker. Monte 2’s can be very powerful smokes, might be too much for someone starting out. Another nice fruity stick I would recommend for someone starting out is Ramon Allones Superiores.

I second the Ramon Allones Superiores.... Can't have enough boxes of those, wish they came in cab of 25 or 50. 

[El Presidente]

Right now, there are zero Churchills in any real quantity. R&J have dropped off the radar these past 4 months, Esplendido are being drip fed in terms of supply but at a price few could smoke regularly. Winston, nada. 

Like you, I enjoy a Medium - full cigar in something larger than a PC. My regular fallback is the Bolivar Belicos Fino, HDM Rio Seco (medium but full flavoured), RA Superiores (as others have noted), Mag 46 (finishing an excellent one off now). 

There are more holes in the HSA lineup than a slice of Swiss cheese and that is particularly the case in large format cigars. Large format cigars that are on the fuller side of medium? None really to my palate. 

There is a niche to be filled here. 

[BrightonCorgi]

I don't think there is a dud in the Habanos line up for anything remotely churchill sized.  If I had to pick one, it would be HdM DC's.  They have been stunners for the last 5-6 years.

[Rhinoww]

I do love the Churchill and the DC. Hard to find the sticks now and hard to find the time to smoke em as well (in the winter). 
great advice above. 
my view is that they all have something to offer that is enjoyable. Buy what you can find, and then make some trades. Much easier to try out a big dog if you are swapping a big dog that someone wants to try as well. 

[jakebarnes]

15 hours ago, Aprivateplane said:

I second the Ramon Allones Superiores.... Can't have enough boxes of those, wish they came in cab of 25 or 50. 

Same. I'd get a 25 of them. 

[jakebarnes]

10 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Right now, there are zero Churchills in any real quantity. R&J have dropped off the radar these past 4 months, Esplendido are being drip fed in terms of supply but at a price few could smoke regularly. Winston, nada. 

Like you, I enjoy a Medium - full cigar in something larger than a PC. My regular fallback is the Bolivar Belicos Fino, HDM Rio Seco (medium but full flavoured), RA Superiores (as others have noted), Mag 46 (finishing an excellent one off now). 

There are more holes in the HSA lineup than a slice of Swiss cheese and that is particularly the case in large format cigars. Large format cigars that are on the fuller side of medium? None really to my palate. 

There is a niche to be filled here. 

I certainly miss the LgC Tainos. Felt those brought a lot to the table in the Julieta 2 realm with a medium strength but highly complex profile. 

More regular production Corona Gordas would be nice as well (move Superiores to regular/25s, make a non-anejado Partagas, and as a pipe dream, bring back Black Prince and maybe ERDM Gran Corona). Love the HU46 and JL1. And per Prez, the Punch Punch are insanely good. Perfect size for those of us who prefer the sub50 ring gauges.

[Puros Y Vino]

I guess you can chase the QdO Clemencau's RE.  Maybe if you're lucky you can find a box of Estupendos or ERDM Tainos RE's.  Full list of more recent Churchills here

This thread make me miss QdO Imperiales. 

[Tstew75]

Long Bois are tough these days. Gave up on DCs long ago (too many construction issues IMO), londales are basically dead, and of course I cherish what Espys & Winnies I have. And lets not even lament about Lanceros lol

I wanna pile on the Coronas Gordas train here...probably the perfect size?!   RAS, Mag 46, Epi1, JL1, Punch Punch 💥

 

[BrightonCorgi]

44 minutes ago, Puros Y Vino said:

This thread make me miss QdO Imperiales. 

Not me.  I had two boxes several years apart and neither did much for me.  All were perfectly rolled and smoked like a dream, but too light on the flavors for me.

If there is one churchill I dearly miss it's the Upmann Monarchs.  Tremendous cigar at fabulous price point.  I'd like to see those come back.

[NSXCIGAR]

13 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

Not me.  I had two boxes several years apart and neither did much for me.  All were perfectly rolled and smoked like a dream, but too light on the flavors for me.

I agree. The end run of Imperiales were pretty lackluster IMO. And sales numbers support that assertion--absolute dust gatherers. 

I would have to put the last few years of the LGC and ERDM Tainos in that category as well. They did not go out on a high note. And as with the Imperiales they were total sales dogs. 

And the Hoyo Churchills...just awful. Definitely a contender for worst CC of the 2000s. Partagas and Punch Churchills not far behind. 

The BGC on the other hand went out with a bang. Those 15s & 16s were solid 95 pointers while the 2000-2014 examples were nothing special and, again, was an awful seller.

I think HSA is as much to blame for the demise of the Julieta 2 as the consumer. They really weren't giving us much to work with since 2000. The only ones that could be depended on were the Espy and the SW. As I said putting out turds like the Hoyo, Partagas and Punch Churchills are not going to help retain a vitola's popularity.

I think if they were to reintroduce the LGC & ERDM Tainos and the SP CG they would be much better products and sell much better today. 

 

[Puros Y Vino]

6 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

I agree. The end run of Imperiales were pretty lackluster IMO. And sales numbers support that assertion--absolute dust gatherers. 

I would have to put the last few years of the LGC and ERDM Tainos in that category as well. They did not go out on a high note. And as with the Imperiales they were total sales dogs. 

And the Hoyo Churchills...just awful. Definitely a contender for worst CC of the 2000s. Partagas and Punch Churchills not far behind. 

The BGC on the other hand went out with a bang. Those 15s & 16s were solid 95 pointers while the 2000-2014 examples were nothing special and, again, was an awful seller.

I think HSA is as much to blame for the demise of the Julieta 2 as the consumer. They really weren't giving us much to work with since 2000. The only ones that could be depended on were the Espy and the SW. As I said putting out turds like the Hoyo, Partagas and Punch Churchills are not going to help retain a vitola's popularity.

I think if they were to reintroduce the LGC & ERDM Tainos and the SP CG they would be much better products and sell much better today. 

 

I've been lucky with my Imperiales (2 * 2008 boxes).  I love the ERDM Tainos.  Had half a box from 2001 and a still unopened box from 2005.  The first 2 LGC Tainos I smoked were horrid.  Never chased them down after that.  Same goes with the Hoyo.    I have enjoyed the few Partagas and Punch Churchills I managed to grab.  Never tried the Bolivar one.  I love the vitola.  Too bad it's so sparse these days.

[jakebarnes]

21 hours ago, Tstew75 said:

Long Bois are tough these days. Gave up on DCs long ago (too many construction issues IMO), londales are basically dead, and of course I cherish what Espys & Winnies I have. And lets not even lament about Lanceros lol

I wanna pile on the Coronas Gordas train here...probably the perfect size?!   RAS, Mag 46, Epi1, JL1, Punch Punch 💥

 

I guess I was the only one that had good LGC Tainos. I guess they were from 1998-2000s, so that may have made a difference. I never really seek out Churchills due to the commitment. I also now remember that part of the blind spot I had for them was due to a lot of construction issues that started to pop up.

But yes, PC's, Corona Gorda,Lonsdales,  and Dalias (except you, Monte D) were my rotation for a long time. I get the push for bigger gauge cigars, but certainly hope at least the CG sees more regular production release from marcas in the future. As I satted above, would love an LGC and an ERDM one added. And seriously, just bring back the Serie A already as regular production (without 6 bands that notate the EL/Regional/distributor name/name of the roller's cousin)

[Doublesh0t]

Partagas Lusi, RYJ, Esplendidios (spendy, get two boxes of something else instead hahah) Gigantes by RA. This 50 is plenty big, and man is it awesome!! This had 5 years on it. A friend here sent me this, this community is awesome. Everyone wants to share the knowledge they have and though we may disagree on a few things, one thing we can always come back to is the craft. 2017 h.up magnum 50. Fun the whole smoke all the way to the nub. 
 

I have an 03 Lusi I look at every day and ponder….today??