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Size Doesn't MatterAug 03 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Cigars and Tobacco Accessories
The Bottom Line Churchills vary somewhat in size depending on the manufacturer. Shop brands if you can. Also consider where the tobacco is grown, usually indicated on the band, or the box.
The purists (my father among them) will refuse any Churchill that does not adhere to the 7x50 standard of measurement. A lot of manufacturers offer 7x50 Churchills, including the originator of the line, Romeo Y Julieta. This is actually a bit larger than the original product, named, as you might have guessed, for Sir Winston Churchill, who was rarely caught without his prized smoke. Romeo Y Julieta applied the name to their 7x47 product to honor their famous customer. Historical documents indicate that Sir Winston purchased as many as 4000 of these cigars annually. I'll leave it to others to prove whether he actually smoked them all. In any case, R&J eventually rounded up the dimensions to the more familiar 7x50 size seen today. For the benefit of the uninitiated, a 7x50 cigar measures seven inches in length, as suggested by the first number in the figure. The second number is the diameter, or "ring gauge" of the cigar, and is expressed in 1/64th-inch increments. Therefore, when a cigar is said to have a ring gauge of 32, it would be 32/64th's, or 1/2 inch wide. A ring gauge of 50 is almost 3/4 of an inch, and is considered by some (I'll include myself, here) to be the perfect width. The quest for the ultimate Churchill experience should begin with name brands. Romeo and Julieta (7x50), Arturo Fuente (7 1/4x48), Ashton (7 1/2x52), and Monte Cristo (7x48) are fine Churchills that I have enjoyed at various times. As the dimensions in parentheses indicate, size should not be the only criteria by which a Churchill is judged. While on the subject of brands, I should mention the La Gloria Cubana Churchill (7x50). Mind you, the last time this cigar was mentioned in a review, it became quite scarce for a while. Note to self: restock before publishing... So what makes a cigar a Churchill? It really is up to the manufacturer. Macanudo offers a 7 1/2x49 cigar they call a Prince Phillip. Placed next to a Churchill of similar proportions, the two are indistinguishable. Do you boycott the Mac simply because it doesn't carry the traditional moniker? Fine. Just means more for me. It should be noted that Churchills can take anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 hours to smoke, so you better know what you like before lighting up! Just as the size can vary, the flavor and aroma of a lit cigar can differ greatly between manufacturers. Up to four different tobaccos are used in the filler, and the blends are unique to each brand. Since all you see of any cigar is the wrapper leaf, how can you learn about what's inside? For one thing, you can find out where the cigar is made. There is a reason why even casual smokers get reverent in the presence of cigar made in Cuba. Somewhere on the box, or even the cigar band, you'll find the country of origin. If you see "Habanos", "Habana", or "Cuba" anywhere, you can be sure of two things: 1) you are in for a memorable smoke, and 2) you ain't in Kansas anymore (or any of the other forty-nine United States, or its territories for that matter - don't get me started). Other cigar producing countries include Nicaragua, Honduras, Jamaica, Ecuador, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. I happen to favor Dominican cigars (R&J, Monte Cristo, and Arturo Fuente) because they come closest to a well-made Habana. This is because many great Cuban tobacco families settled there after Castro "acquired" their factories. You'll now find "forbidden" brands like R&J, Cohiba, and Monte Cristo in shops across the US. Don't think for a second that these are knock-offs. Because they are manufactured by the original patriarchs of the brands, these cigars often rival their Havana counterparts. Going back to labels again, I find that Macanudo (country of origin: Jamaica) is quite mild, perfect alone or with a fine single malt scotch. La Gloria Cubana and Arturo Fuente (Dominican Rep.) are medium-bodied cigars, which is more my preference to finish out good meal. (Hey, breakfast IS a meal!) R&J, and Monte Cristo (also Dominican) are more robust products, providing a spiciness that goes well with coffee or your favorite port/bourbon/sherry. Keep in mind when considering your purchase that a cigar is constructed with three components. There is the filler, which is what you see at the open end, or foot, of the cigar. As mentioned earlier, this can consist of a blend of different tobacco leaves that are trimmed and rolled together. It takes years to perfect this process, which is why experts in this field are regarded as the demi-gods that they are. The type of filler described above is known as "long filler". If not shopping brands, it is a good idea to check the box, or ask your tobacconist, to make sure the cigar consists of long filler. These cigars will burn more evenly, and won't "bite", i.e. won't burn the back of your throat. Short filler cigars use a combination of long filler and scraps from the cutting board. The ratio of long filler to scraps will determine the quality of the cigar. Since this ratio can vary widely, short filler cigars are a crap shoot. The second component to cigar making is the binder. This is a leaf that is rolled to resemble a cord that wraps around the filler. While imparting little flavor, the binder is very important to how the cigar "draws". Wrapped too tightly, the binder will make the cigar very difficult to smoke. If you ever had to suck in your cheeks when smoking a cigar, then you've encountered a stogie with a bad draw. On the other hand, a binder wrapped too loose will cause the cigar to burn too quickly, and it may tend to bite regardless of the filler. Finally, there is the wrapper. This is the leaf that encases the filler and binder. Aside from the visual appeal, the wrapper adds flavor and gives the cigar it's "body". Wrappers are graded according to their color, which is determined by the method and length in which they are cured. Generally, darker wrappers increase a cigar's spiciness and body. Natural wrappers, sometimes called EMS, are most commonly used, and can vary from very light to dark brown. Green wrappers, also known as "Double Claro", are somewhat rare, and are very mild. The most robust wrapper leaf is the almost-black Maduro. A lot of manufacturers offer their Churchills in both Natural and Maduro wrappers. Try one of each to see how much the wrapper leaf can govern the smoking experience. Enjoy.  |
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by toiletoctopus
