Agile Cigar Reviews replace what we termed “Assessment Updates”. The concept is the same, but the name is different. Agile Cigar Reviews use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or providing a score for a first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the Davidoff Winston Churchill in the Toro size. This is a cigar we did a pre-release assessment back in January, 2015.

Wrapper: Ecuador Rojiza
Binder: San Andes Negro (Mexico)
Filler: Dominican (Piloto Mejorado Seco, Piloto Seco, Hybrid Olor/Piloto Seco), Nicaraguan (Esteli Seco, Condega Seco)
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Toro: 6 x 54

Late last year, Davidoff announced it was doing a complete makeover of its Winston Churchill line – namely from a branding, packaging, and blend standpoint. It was back in late 2007 when Davidoff launched Winston Churchill Cigars. The line was launched as a tribute to Sir Winston Churchill, the famed British Prime Minister. That original brand had been a slow mover for Davidoff, thus it made this a good candidate for a makeover. The line has now been rechristened under the Davidoff name – Davidoff Winston Churchill Cigars.

The blend is all new. It features the Ecuadorian Rojiza wrapper (seen on the Zino Make of New York and The Griffin’s Club House III) over a Mexican San Andres Negro binder and a combination of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. The Toro size is a 6 x 54 vitola – and is the thickest ring gauge of the line.

The Davidoff Winston Churchill Toro delivered notes of natural tobacco, black pepper, grass, cocoa, and nut. Like the pre-release, I found the natural tobacco notes to be prominent. There were three differences this time around. First I found a much more nutty component to the flavor profile. Second and third, the cocoa and fruit notes were much more subtle this time around. I did find the overall body seemed a little higher than when I smoked the pre-release as I assessed this cigar as medium to full-bodied. Like the pre-release, I found this smoke to be a medium strength cigar.

Overall I found this to be a well-constructed cigar and this was reflected in both the burn and draw. Both ranked “excellent” and scored nicely.

This is a cigar that proved to be an excellent overall cigar experience. While it doesn’t undergo radical flavor transitions, there are plenty of flavor nuances. It’s a cigar I’d recommend to a seasoned cigar enthusiast, but it’s not one I’d discourage the novice from smoking. It deserves to rank among the best regular production releases by Davidoff and it’s worthy of a box purchase.

Summary

Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium to Full
Finish: Excellent
Assessment: 4.0 – Box Worthy
Score: 92

References

Original Assessment: Davidoff Winston Churchill Toro (Pre-Review)
News: Davidoff Winston Churchill Details Announced
Price: $17.00
Source: Purchased
Stogie Geeks Podcast: Episode 125, Episode 135
Stogie Feed: Davidoff Winston Churchill Toro (Episode 125), Davidoff Winston Churchill Toro (Episode 135)