avantgrade purchased this cigar on 2010-01-01.
It has 3.5 months of additional aging.
Upon inspection, I realize that I am holding a very beautiful cigar. It appears to be expertly rolled, even though it is a small-sized cigar. The foot has a rich tobacco core, tantalizing the sense through and through.
A quick snip and a light, and I am off to a great start. The smoke is plentiful with each puff, and flavors of oak and other wood greet the palate. There is a good amount of cinnamon spice in the mix, evolving slowly into more of a peppery bite.
Cinnamon spice is only a faint nuance in the background, and white pepper abounds along with woody flavors. Complementary flavors of leather and earth come into the mix, coating the palate with a buttery film. The draw is perfect, offering a good amount of resistance; yet the puffs are not labored. The smoke is cool for a small cigar, which only adds to the enjoyment.
Coming into the mix of previous flavors is a slight mineral taste, present many of Davidoff blends. It is a wonderful addition in my book, not often seen in other blends.
The smoke is now becoming a little warmer as the final 1/3 approaches. By all means it is not hot, but this trait is inherent to smaller smokes.
Flavors are as powerful as can be. Wood, leather, and dark spices play along well in the medium bodied range. The cigar never becomes harsh, and the flavors are carried through very smoothly.
For the finale, the flavors increase by another notch, while the body stays at a solid medium level. Smoke is plentiful as in the beginning, slightly hotter, but appropriate for the vitola. The closer I get to the very nub, the more the flavors build, making for a memorable experience.
Ash held very well, requiring only 3 taps along the entire length to avoid unexpected drops.
This is a quality piece, which makes me wonder what the bigger sticks of the Winston Churchill brand have in store. It’s not cheap for a small cigar, but well worth it. To sweeten the deal, it even burned for 35 minutes.