Vitola:

I have here with me a Black Crown Churchill. At 7 x 49, it’s a little smaller than the churchills I am used to smoking, but I have been meaning to smoke this one for a while. Very nice toothy Honduran habano wrapper. No obstructions in the cigar which are visible at this point.

First Third:

For this cigar I’ve made a punch cut. For cigars of larger gauges (which have rounded caps, of course) I like to make punch cuts. They’re much cleaner, meaning less tobacco pieces flying down your esophagus, and good puffs without putting the entire cigar in your mouth. I also like a little bit of resistance in my draws, and a punch cut usually gets the job done. Just some food for thought. Anyway, time to light up.

Right from the first puff, light coffee and cream in the scent. Some subtle woody cedar on the palate with a toasty finish (I’m usually reluctant to use this term as it is ambiguous and very hard to explain, but as of now there is a unique roasted aftertaste that aptly fits this description). Very nice.

There is a little bit of an unevenness in the burn, and it requires a minor fix.

Second Third:

The second third is not quite as creamy anymore, although the sweetness of the tobacco is still present for the most part. There is also another kind of sweetness—sort of a grainy, nutra-sweetness that you get from bread. I am very fond of this doughy scent and it reminds me of the Gurkha Legend and its cousin, the Gurkha Legend Vintage. Makes for a very nice complement to the coffee notes.

Upon entering the middle of the second third, a savoriness makes its presence known, and every puff ends with a slightly salty, savory finish. I am also very fond of this flavor as well, probably more so than the aforementioned breadiness. Though the scent is on the fuller side, the palate is still left relatively clean, save for the subtle notes of cedar. This savory flavor reminds me of the Partagas 1845 or even a lesser Liga Privada T52, which I will be reviewing later.

Final Third:

The flavor picks up in the final third, and I am mainly picking up the savoriness of meat, and light notes of roasted coffee beans.

Unfortunately, the burn has been a constant problem for me, and I think it is because only one side is properly seasoned. I do like to have the labels facing up in my humidor, so I can imagine that the less exposed sides are seasoned less, causing them to dry out and burn faster than normal. For all the smokers out there, perhaps it might not be a bad idea to turn your cigars once in a while so they can season well on all sides.

The meat is more pronounced now and the flavor is very savory. A very slight peppery bitterness has taken its place on the palate along with the wood, complementing the savoriness very well. I also daresay I’m picking up a very light vanilla scent, although I don’t find it to be very common in unflavored cigars. After a double take, a triple take, and confirmation from my compatriot Kyle, I can say with confidence that I was picking up hints of vanilla bean.

The flavor is dying down now, and the palate is clearing up as well. My last puff has a fleeting savoriness and a lingering woody, sweet scent.

Verdict:

This was an excellent smoke. The flavor profiles of the thirds were almost like those of a three-course meal: a toasty appetizer, a meaty entrée, and a vanilla-sweet dessert (though I must stress that the flavors were very subtle). If it weren’t for the uneven burn (which is to no fault of the roller, but actually mine) this would have been a very pleasurable smoking experience. I just wish I had taken the time to season this cigar properly. Otherwise, very tasty and complex flavors, excellent construction, and overall a very nice smoke.

Total Smoking Time: 1 hour 6 minutes