Punch Churchill DFG/CCUT

[Boxdoctor]

Well I finally have a smoke worthy of review. Its fairly rare to find a box with this age on it right off the shelves, and I,m certainly not complaining. Its 58 degrees in Chi Town today and not too windy so I took myself out on my deck with a cup of strong Brazilian coffee and this great looking Churchy. The wrappers are a deep chocolate brown and matted with not too much sheen and some reasonable oils. The capa is a bit sloppy and there is a fair sized vein. The pre light taste is of cocoa and cedar and upon lighting the ash is a flaky gray and the burn is even with a nice black carbon ring and a perfect draw.The cigar starts with a muted sweet spice in the first 1/2" with tastes of spice and a hint of cocoa on the tongue and lips. Notes of earth and herbal qualities come out at about the 1/3 point.Peppery spice and more herbal bottom notes appear at about the 2/3 point.The coffee is a good companion to this cigar, especially at 2pm. I will try this one again with my favorite tawny port a bit later on another day.This stick is mature right out of the box and the tang of youth is smoothed out considerably.The spice turns to cinammon and a hint of burnt wood in the last 1 1/2" and for a very brief time there is a hint of bitterness like fall turning to winter.The bitterness is gone in the last 1", replaced by a honeyed, woody, peppery spice that nearly burned my fingers. Suffice to say I nubbed it and had a delightfully pleasant afternoon with this marvelously complex and mature cigar. Can,t wait to try another with the Port.

Rafael Gonzalez

Edited by - Boxdoctor on 03/13/2002 5:12:19 PM