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Cigar Review: Montecristo Churchill Añejado (Cuban)

20 Sep 2017

You have to hand it to the Cuban government. For a communist regime ostensibly dedicated to the tradition of Marxism-Leninism, they sure let their state-run cigar company embrace capitalism and profit maximization.

The Añejados line, introduced in 2015, is a profit-seeking solution to the common complaint that Cuban cigars are frequently under-aged. Rather than address the issue across the board by better aging tobacco before cigars are rolled, Habanos created the limited Añejados line to feature cigars aged at least five years after they are rolled, then priced accordingly.

This Montecristo Churchill was the second variety introduced in the line (after a Romeo y Julieta Pirámide) in 2015. I bought two while in France last month where they cost around $22 U.S. apiece.

Both of my Montecristo Churchill Añejados exhibited good construction. Wrapped in a medium brown wrapper with a little shine, the Churchill (7 x 47) is firm to the touch. As it progresses, the draw gets a bit on the tight side, although it’s not overly problematic. The ash is notably sturdy, with one cigar holding for a full two inches before I decided not to tempt fate any further.

Pre-light, flavors are graham cracker and sawdust. Once lit, the profile starts with musty bread with cinnamon notes, soon followed by a cacophony of flavors both good and bad.

Most prevalent is a traditional combination of cedar and oak with leather and coffee notes. There are also Davidoff-esque mushroom notes and a metallic finish that hits the tip of the tongue. It’s a complex and sometimes discordant flavor profile.

Needles to say, there’s a lot going on throughout the two-hour smoke. Perhaps some of this is the result of over-humidification (Paris cigar shops tend to keep their humidity levels too high), but two months in my humidor didn’t result in much change.

Instead of aging tobacco more in bales prior to rolling, the Añejado series is aged for at least five years in cedar bins after rolling. I suspect that strategy benefits the cigar’s construction, though I wish more of the aging would take place prior to rolling where it could be better targeted to the specific type of tobacco.

Price is a serious drawback to this cigar, which doesn’t taste under-aged but does feature an unusual mixture of flavors. That combination earns the Montecristo Churchill Añejado a rating of three and a half stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

One Response to “Cigar Review: Montecristo Churchill Añejado (Cuban)”

  1. Travis R Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 2:10 pm #

    Few, few are the times I’ve ponied up $15+ for a Cuban and thought to myself, “This was a good cigar purchase.”