RyJ Wide Churchill 2017 (FRC)

[Danimalia]

Preliminaries:

Romeo y Juliete Wide Churchill

Montesco

5.1" x 55

Scored a quarter box during a 24:24. Believe it was a PSP/HQ listing. Straight off, this thing is gorgeous, with an oily and streaky rosado-colorado wrapper. Feels great, and very substantial in the hand. Feels a lot less great in the mouth. They call these Montescos, which sounds like the name of a lefty specialist relief pitcher from Venezuela or something. It's a fat 55, too. Probably the equivalent of a 56 or 58 RG non-Cuban. This is not my favorite size to say the least, but I have really enjoyed the first two cigars that I previously smoked from this 6 pack. I would offer them as examples of why I don't believe in blanket condemnation of the fat boys.

The draw is a bit snug, but will be fine. The other two were pretty open. Takes a lot of work to get it lit, but right off the bat, it's toasted tobacco and dark fruit.

I have to run my Perfect Draw tool through it a few times, and pull out a few gnarly leaf ribs. 

As the cigar gets to the halfway point, some notes of leather and coffee bean are coming through, replacing some of the sweetness from the beginning.

This cigar is not as good as the first two I sampled. Less flavor, worse construction. 

The burn is very nice, even and slow.

God, the wrapper on this cigar is superb. Gleaming with oils. I suspect it might have benefited from 24-72 hours of dry box time, though I can't remember if the other two samples received it.

I'm having a hell of a time deciding the body and strength levels of this cigar. Maybe a tick over medium. Flavor intensity is medium.

In the home stretch now, and the cigar is getting a bit tannic. The last few puffs are quite gutsy, and a little bitter. Time to put it down.

The main issue I have with this cigar, even at its best, is that the value isn't great. For roughly the same price as the regular churchills, this is a cigar that will end up lasting me about 70 minutes. The first two examples carved out a niche for themselves, and were in 92-94 range. I'm going to say this is 88/89. Decent smoke, but nothing spectacular. I was eager to buy a full box after the others, but now I'm going to smoke my remaining 3 to make up my mind. 

[TheMonk]

Nice job! I agree, value isn't that good with the Wide, and the ring gauge is a bit much as well IMO.

[BinBin]

been looking at these and the short churchill....ryj seems expensive and not that great

 

[shadowACE]

I never understood this cigar. Wide...yes. Churchill? No.