Romeo y Julieta Churchill TPL JUN 20 (S&FBRW)

[hrs1]

The Churchill vitola is my favorite.  

I started smoking cigars 20+ years ago in no small part because I’m a huge Winston Churchill fan.   His accomplishments were epic and so was his cigar consumption.   If you were to take some cues from someone in life and cigars, you couldn’t do much better than WSC.  

20 some odd years later, this belief hasn’t changed.   The Churchill isn’t too short or long.   Not too wide or skinny.   It’s just right.

Unfortunately work, a young family and lack of a suitably sized support staff keep me from smoking these like WSC. Oh yeah - there are only 3 regular production examples left.  CCs are behaving more like a high performing asset class.   These facts don’t help either.  But, it makes them even more enjoyable when I do get an opportunity to have one.

Last weekend was one of those opportunities.

 

 

With Churchill on my mind, I grab some champagne and reach for a tubo.  

In a stunning turn of events, it smells like cedar.  After a punch, I’m met with a perfect draw and faint hints of cherry.  

This is not the rosado wrapper you’re looking for  

 

 

Light it up.  It greets me with thick, velvety smooth smoke and cherry on the retro.  

Yup definitely not the wrapper you’re looking for  

Ash drops halfway through the first third.   I’m getting hints of cinnamon, chocolate, and nuts.  

Damn.   The flavor is better than examples from a 2017 dress box I’ve been smoking lately.   The smoke is a little less silky, but that’s a trade I’m willing to make.

 

 

2nd third.   No changes.   Not complaining .....

Now the burn starts going wonky.   Getting wonkier.  

Cigar goes out.  

I realize I’ve hit a patch of flame-retardant wrapper.   Maybe this really isn’t the wrapper you’re look for 😂 

Torch fixes the issue.   Flavor is still on point.   Noticing a little floral note on the edges of the sweetness.   Nice.
 

 

Final third and she’s gone canoeing again.  

I appreciate that it’s a hot summer day and some cool water would be perfect, but c’mon!  The long run viability of a premium pricing strategy requires a premium product.   For the life of me, I can’t understand why Cuba doesn’t just import some better production practices.   I’m sure there are some formal and informal elements to the relationship among the parties involved that makes this harder than it seems.  But … for the love of God, just do it!  

My invoice is in the mail.   You can pay me later.

After shaking my fist at the sky, I realize that the cigar still tastes delicious.   Damn.   I’ve smoked it right down to the nub.

Ignoring the burn issues, this is a 94 point cigar.   I imagine the construction on these has vastly improved since WSC last smoked one.   If that was good enough for WSC, then this is good enough for me.

Then, I realize I’m running low on Churchills in tubos.   Maybe I should pick up another box ....    

Maybe HSA is smarter than they look .... 

Maybe.
 

[Tdm_86]

Great review, I’m going to need to break one out real soon. 

[ha_banos]

Certainly not a fatty not a skinny! Just right ☺️

[MrBirdman]

Wonderful review!

[El Presidente]

Thoroughly enjoyed the review 

[sw15825]

Great review ! I agree, the perfect size for the connoisseur. Too bad there are hardly any left in the HSA portfolio. BCJ, Hoyo, Tainos, Punch, SLR, Imperiales. 😞. For those of us who have been around this hobby for a while, we have seen them all go. HSA follows the $$, not the connoisseur. Pretty clear nowadays. When they can't meet demand, don't correct, just raise the price. I'm grateful to have gotten into the hobby a couple of decades ago to experience all the cigars I was able to. When I look at a lot of my old, discontinued boxes, I appreciate those past experiences more and more.

[jakebarnes]

Great review. Making it hard to not reach into my Churchill box. 

[Ford2112]

I'm on the hunt for these and some sir winnies. Thanks for the review 

[Connoisseur Kim]

What a wonderful review indeed! As a big fan of long and skinny CCs, RyJ Churchill is one of my wishlist CCs along with HU Sir Winston. Hope that I have a chance to snag a box of RyJ Churchill in the future. 🙂

[hrs1]

On 7/26/2022 at 1:49 AM, sw15825 said:

I'm grateful to have gotten into the hobby a couple of decades ago to experience all the cigars I was able to. When I look at a lot of my old, discontinued boxes, I appreciate those past experiences more and more.

Thanks very much!  

I wish that I would have been more acquisitive earlier on in my cigar journey so I'd have some of those discontinued cigars to enjoy still.  But looking back, it was a lot of fun and I wouldn't change those experiences for anything.  When it's all said and done, the shared experiences with people along the journey is really what it's all about.   Plus, it makes the times when you can enjoy what's still around even more special.

Cheers 🥂 

[OrangePaw]

Fantastic review, very much enjoyed. 👍

[greenpimp]

Very nice review. I've always loved the RyJ Churchill, such a great size and flavor profile.

I have had performance issues with tubos cigars over the years if I don't dry box them for awhile first. They seem to retain moisture for quite awhile. Canoeing, going out, wonky burn. Especially with more recent vintages. I wonder if that hurt the cigar here?

[PuffDaddie]

Great review, 

[hrs1]

1 hour ago, greenpimp said:

I have had performance issues with tubos cigars over the years if I don't dry box them for awhile first. They seem to retain moisture for quite awhile. Canoeing, going out, wonky burn. Especially with more recent vintages. I wonder if that hurt the cigar here?

Great call! I usually do OK with tubos when I keep them at 62RH/65F, but have left a couple notes to myself to dry box smokes from this particular box.  I'm prone to grabbing something in the spur of the moment, so continually need to remind myself 😊