Cigar Champion HU Winnie VS Lusi

[Ford2112]

I was rather surprised to see the Sir Winston win by such a landslide. I have only had a couple of each so my experience in those 2 cigars is limited. I'm curious what it is about the Winston that made it garner a 65% vote. What is it people like about each cigar? I preferred the last Lusitania I smoked to the last Sir Winston I smoked by a pretty good margin. I know it is subjective and I am admittedly a Partagas guy of late.

[BrightonCorgi]

All the power to you!  Lusitania's are much easier to find.

[Corylax18]

26 minutes ago, Ford2112 said:

I was rather surprised to see the Sir Winston win by such a landslide. I have only had a couple of each so my experience in those 2 cigars is limited. I'm curious what it is about the Winston that made it garner a 65% vote. What is it people like about each cigar? I preferred the last Lusitania I smoked to the last Sir Winston I smoked by a pretty good margin. I know it is subjective and I am admittedly a Partagas guy of late.

I'm interested to see the responses, I was surprised at the margin of victory too. I prefer the Lusi, and would pick it over just about any cigar in the HSA lineup. The Sir Winstons I've smoked are just a bit one dimensional and boring to my palate. The Lusi offers so much more in my opinion. I really do believe the faux exclusivity of the Sir Winston is part of it. "Oh, they only roll one batch very few years!!" OK, what does that taste like and why is that better?  

[Lfhard]

I wish I could answer this question but I’ve never had the elusive Sir Winston so I had no choice but to vote for the Partagas Lusi. 

[Ford2112]

32 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

I'm interested to see the responses, 

Same

[Islandboy]

I completely missed this poll, but having smoked through a box or so of each, I would have chosen SW on the narrowest of margins. Both are iconic and can be fantastic when they’re on point and have a few years on them. Each is tailored to a different mood, IMO. Lusi is a powerhouse of flavors, and I love how vanilla creeps in after about 3-4 years down. SW is a more refined experience of subtlety and balance, more like a finely-aged cigar. Each has its time and place, but the nod goes to SW for its elegance.

[coug28]

What poll are we talking about here? As evident from the Deep Dive rankings, SW is ahead of the Lusi by less than 1% (95.3 vs 94.4 approx) of those who enjoy em’ (“get it”)…so not sure you’ll find any glaring opinions that SW is leaps and bounds better than Lusi, at least not here.

I enjoy both, but my preference also lies with the SW. As islandboy stated above, it wins almost on elegance alone. Perhaps also semi-sentimental as Upmann was the first marca that just suited my palate across multiple cigars in the marca. I love the creamy hazelnut aspect of Upmann, which is amplified for me, particularly in aged SW. 

[Chibearsv]

@Ford2112, remember that this event was a contest, so there may have been voters that never tried either cigar but voted anyway based on how they may have selected their bracket winners.  I would have figured the result would be tighter as well.  As I posted in the voting thread, I find the Lusis to be too much molasses sweet for a 2 hour+ smoke.  I like them, but I don't tend to want to nub them.  Sir Winston on the other hand is a thumb burner.

[Chibearsv]

36 minutes ago, Heels82 said:

Bro...

Shifty eyes show no conviction 😂

[TheDonTX]

I love em both and I honestly I cant choose! The Lusi has really grown on me. Its the only cigar I crave. I want that flavor all the time lol. Both are complex and flavors change a lot. Both taste incredible. I would pick sir winnie though by a slim margin based on smoke quality. The box of winnies I have produces this rich thick heavy but soft velvet smoke that just coats the palate leaving a very long finish that changes as well. The smoke just oozes luxury. I consider myself very lucky being only 3 years into CC’s and having a box of both! 

[TheDonTX]

1 hour ago, Heels82 said:

Bro...

I nub mine so much its burning my finger and lip 😂

[Rhinoww]

At this point I nub any DC I smoke. I’m smoking them like I have my lifetime supply on hand because I might be in that position given circumstances as they say (trying hard not to have a tanty or is it tantie?). 
I find the Lusi to have a heavier nicotine hit for me so I tend to smoke them less that say the Hoyo DC or the SW. The SW  poses its own set of challenges - do I really want to break into that 2017 box or do I want to ration my 8 or so SW singles for a while. I’m not following Lusi prices on BR so it’s easier for me to crack open a box of them. 
Both are great. But I agree with others that the voting may have had a slight self interest to the competition 

[BrightonCorgi]

SW's have more oomph to them. Better combustion and cleaner after taste.  Much prefer SW's to Lusitania's.  Lusitania is not my favorite DC either. 

[Lomey]

I haven't smoked a SW yet, but have a quarter box from FOH purchased 3 or 4 years ago.  I have smoked a few Lusi's from a 17' and 18' ten count boxes.  I actually smoked one from the 18' count box this past Saturday and it was probably a top 5-10 cigar I've ever smoked.  If the SW are really that much better I can't wait to try one!

[Ford2112]

58 minutes ago, Lomey said:

I haven't smoked a SW yet, but have a quarter box from FOH purchased 3 or 4 years ago.  I have smoked a few Lusi's from a 17' and 18' ten count boxes.  I actually smoked one from the 18' count box this past Saturday and it was probably a top 5-10 cigar I've ever smoked.  If the SW are really that much better I can't wait to try one!

I mean. If you end up not liking it...

[El Presidente]

if you give me a choice of a  DB19 Lusi or Winston, I will take the Lusi most  times. 

If you give me the choice of a DB 2010 Lusi or Winston, I will take the Winston most times. 

DB 2003 Lusi or Winston? .....Winston every time.  

Lusi is gorgeous with a few years down to remove the edges. Soft, sweet, cake/sourdough.  Aged Winston is still closed at the same period of time. 

Tables are turned (for me) with some serious aging (10+). Few cigars come close to Winston. Class/compexity personified. 

All bets are off however if it is a quality cab of Lusitania. Then they match up very well down the track. 

 

[joeypots]

   At a meeting of cigar enthusiasts in Boston about ten years ago I traded cigars with a terrific guy, Van, from Virginia. My end of the trade was a Sir Winston and, once home, I stuck it in a tube and put it in my humidor. I marked the cigar From Van 2010, SW 2005. On Sunday I pulled this baby out and fired it up: damn the price hikes, I’m smoking my stash of cigars. FOH cigar champion? Let’s see just how good the Winston is. The first thing I noticed was the size. I haven’t smoked a churchill in a long while and I've forgotten that the Julieta No.2 is one of the best vitolas, IMHO. This SW was epic. About two hours of pure Cuban cigar bliss. I’m not great at identifying cigar flavors so I can’t say much more than I knew this was a great cigar right away and I savored every inch of it. Perfectly constructed, it drew with just the right amount of resistance and burned to the end without a single touch up. What’s the best cigar? Who knows, but if you are lucky enough to have some Winstons a little benign neglect won’t hurt them and my recent experience tells me the Sir Winston is a five star smoke all day long.

[medzikone]

Only smoked SW once. FEB18 box code. Normal Upmann, mild in body and flavour. It wasn't even close to enjoyable cigar.

[PuroDiario]

Very few things compare to a 50Cab of Luisitanias after few years of ageing. Very few things compare to a SW after few years of ageing. 
 

what I would say is there is additional mystique around SWs in the forum that may grant a favorable perspective at the outset from many. 
 

I love both. Probably Lusi a pinch more, but I also have smoked it much more. 

[El Hoze]

I have smoked 100s of both and I love both and am deep on both. It would be an easy call on SW for me. SW much more consistent and nuanced flavors. I also prefer a Churchill over a DC generally. 

[Corylax18]

21 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

@Ford2112, remember that this event was a contest, so there may have been voters that never tried either cigar but voted anyway based on how they may have selected their bracket winners.  I would have figured the result would be tighter as well.  As I posted in the voting thread, I find the Lusis to be too much molasses sweet for a 2 hour+ smoke.  I like them, but I don't tend to want to nub them.  Sir Winston on the other hand is a thumb burner.

I hadn't thought about this. I think that's definitely part of it. 

10 hours ago, El Presidente said:

if you give me a choice of a  DB19 Lusi or Winston, I will take the Lusi most  times. 

If you give me the choice of a DB 2010 Lusi or Winston, I will take the Winston most times. 

DB 2003 Lusi or Winston? .....Winston every time.  

Lusi is gorgeous with a few years down to remove the edges. Soft, sweet, cake/sourdough.  Aged Winston is still closed at the same period of time. 

Tables are turned (for me) with some serious aging (10+). Few cigars come close to Winston. Class/compexity personified. 

All bets are off however if it is a quality cab of Lusitania. Then they match up very well down the track. 

 

So damn near neck and neck? Really just a difference in a good/bad example and your personal palate/preferences.

I lean towards the Lusi, but I agree there isn't much in between the two. More difference than any huge gap in class. I thought the voting would reflect this reality a bit closer. 

[Rhinoww]

16 hours ago, El Presidente said:

if you give me a choice of a  DB19 Lusi or Winston, I will take the Lusi most  times. 

If you give me the choice of a DB 2010 Lusi or Winston, I will take the Winston most times. 

DB 2003 Lusi or Winston? .....Winston every time.  

Lusi is gorgeous with a few years down to remove the edges. Soft, sweet, cake/sourdough.  Aged Winston is still closed at the same period of time. 

Tables are turned (for me) with some serious aging (10+). Few cigars come close to Winston. Class/compexity personified. 

All bets are off however if it is a quality cab of Lusitania. Then they match up very well down the track. 

 

So at what point do you think that the SW open up to their potential?  Is that the 6-10 year mark? Or is it greater than 10?

Two questions really. First is w the isolated SW. Second is compared to same aged Lusi. 

[El Presidente]

I think they start reaching rarefied heights at around  8.......and then keep climbing. 

[Rhinoww]

7 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

I think they start reaching rarefied heights at around  8.......and then keep climbing. 

Thanks. I have a ‘17 box of SW. I’ll sit on them for a while and enjoy some Hoyo DC and other DC as the SW age some more. 

[NSXCIGAR]

Personally I would take a SW 10 times out of 10 over the Lusi. I suppose if you give me a lackluster SW over a great Lusi I'd take the Lusi but typically the SW is a very special cigar