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Old 11-02-2017, 02:57 PM   #1
xrundog
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Central, Iowa
Posts: 9,806
Umbagog Churchill

Today is my birthday. coincidentally I received 2 ten packs of Umbagog Churchills in the mail. I had enjoyed the Corona Gorda size greatly and thought that more Umbagog could only be better.
Being as how the outside temperature was in the 40s and not very windy, I resolved to put some warm clothes on and smoke one.
The first comment I want to make is on the packaging. These cigars, and all the Umbagogs I presume, come individually wrapped in cellophane. Then they are put together in a group of ten and wrapped in cellophane again. Then that is wrapped in brown paper and that is shrink wrapped in plastic. I'll bet I could throw the bundle like a frisbee as hard as I could and not a single cigar would be damaged!
Frankly it's a bit of a pain in the neck to unwrap. On the other hand one must give props to Mr. Saka for caring enough about his customers to ensure that they get perfect cigars.
And each one is a firm, perfect 7x50 cylinder of tobacco. I tossed one bundle in the coolerdor and took 15 minutes to unwrap the other bundle and put it in my solid walnut glasstop humidor, holding one back for smoking. Usually I'd let the cigars sit for quite a while before smoking. But as I smoke more Umbagogs I'm finding I like them pretty well fresh. They might burn a little better with some rest, but not much, rest that is, and I like the flavor fresh. Some cigars taste good fresh and get even better with age. I am going to have to buy a lot of Umbabgogs to ever find out if that is the case with them.
I decided to clip the cap with my electric DR cutter. I don't use it a lot and it was right there, so why not? It wasn't adjusted properly and I barely broke the cap. I stuck the cigar in my mouth and made the adjustment. Then I realized that the cigar was drawing perfectly! You'd think by the feel of these cigars that the draw would be firm. But I have not found that to be the case to this point. The draw is always free. So I did not re-cut it.
I took it outside and opened a camp chair and set my garage ashtray stand alongside. You would think that I'd have a really swank ashtray stand. But it's an old wooden one with a shelf that most of the finish is worn off of. The metal tray holder is crusty and dirty, perfect for a garage.
Taking a whiff of the foot makes me think of planted corn fields (I'm in Iowa) with freshly spread manure. Images of fertility dance through my head! It's an aroma I enjoy from a good Nicaraguan cigar.
I lit it with a kitchen match, rotating the cigar getting a nice even light.
The first inch or so is kind of mundane, the Umbagog is a slow starter. But then the flavor opens up and I get that good Nicaraguan maduro flavor. Slightly nutty, a little carmel and some anise on the exhale.
The Umbagog has an earthy richness that lights up the pleasure centers in my brain. I have read reviews where the writer describes the smoke as chewy. I always laughed at that. Chewy smoke, ridiculous! But for the Umbagog it's a good analogy. The smoke is thick and rich. It seems like it almost has substance, as if one could chew it.
At the halfway point the flavors intensify. I brought my kindle along to do some reading, but I'm just sitting there smoking. It's really good!
As I get down to the last couple inches I am marveling at how well this cigar retains it's shape. Some cigars get soft and mushy at this point. And that usually means bitter flavor. Is that where the term "bitter end" comes from? Well, none of that with my fresh Umbagog Churchill. At this point there isn't much nuance to the flavor. It's mostly just strong. But not off putting at all. Plus, the cigar never got hot. I finally set it down when the coal was making my fingers hot.
I really like these cigars. The flavor profile is right in my wheelhouse and the construction is first rate. I could be happy buying a hundred of these cigars and smoking one every day. Okay, I might get bored with that eventually, but I would never complain about the cigars.
This was a really fine birthday cigar. If you haven't tried an Umbagog, you should. Cheers!
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