Cigar Review: Last Tsar Churchill by Caldwell Cigars

• Vitola: Churchill
• 7” x 47 ring gauge
• $21.49
• Review sample provided by Burns Tobacconist

Background

When last I touched base with The Last Tsar, I rather enjoyed the time I spent with him. That was the Belicoso vitola, which was the first release of this blend, commemorating the first anniversary of the Caldwell Cigar Company. Now that has been joined by a second vitola…a Classic Churchill.

This is a Limited Edition from the Caldwell Cigars company with only 1,000 boxes of Churchills being produced. They were released on November 7, Robert Caldwell’s birthday. Typical of Caldwell, there are conflicting stories on the origins of all the leaf used in the cigar. The lifestyle magazine’s website says it is a “hybrid Connecticut Arapiraca maduro from the United States” but Robert told me to my face earlier this year that it is the same Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade hybrid used for the Eastern Standard, although a different priming and a “maduro” version of it (and some people believe it is a totally different wrapper leaf from the Eastern Standard).

When I reviewed the Belicoso, I couldn’t get much information on the interior except that “it contains Carbonell” tobacco, but now CA’s website has Caldwell quoting “We are not disclosing the entire blend, but the binder and fillers are 100 percent Dominican. They include HVA 20/20, Carbonell, Corojo and Negrito.”

I’ve smoked this blend a couple times before, but this review is of the first time I’ve smoked this vitola. Mike, the owner of Burns Tobacconist, gave me this sample for the review and I do work there, but I’m still going to serve it to you straight up…although I have my suspicions before even starting. I enjoyed the Belicoso even though I am not a general fan of torpedo-tipped cigars; I much prefer a thinner ring gauge like that used on this class (47 ring gauge) Churchill. I’ll frankly be surprised if I don’t enjoy it more than the original release. (I did some background research at the h.)

Prelight

You can pretty much just read my earlier review for notes on the band and box…they are “Caldwell Cool and Strange” from the monocled image of Tsar Nicholas to the secondary band that declares “East is Everywhere.”

The wrapper of the original I noted as “a shade or two darker than peanut butter,” but this particular cigar when viewed in isolation is quite a bit darker than that. I would say this was more of a milk chocolate brown color with a bit of red mixed in. It was oily with a moderate amount of veins and had a slightly sweet aroma with notes of cedar and grass. The typical Dominican bread notes came through a bit foot, along with a touch of pepper and more cedar. The prelight draw had an odd fruit note and touches of cedar and bell pepper.

Flavor

The Last Tsar Churchill opened up with a good deal of cedar on the palate, along with some vegetal notes and earthiness. Pepper spice came up more on the finish and in a very strong way on the retrohale. After a few puffs, the flavor profile settled in a little more to a creamy textured smoke with notes of bread, cedar, and earth. The pepper notes didn’t take long to mellow out, too, with a dull burn on the palate and the retrohale taking on a more roasted nuts note. As I noted on my review of the Belicoso, before long, the flavor profile took on a more citrus and grass note, with touches of the sweetness, bread and cedar that I got before.

The saltiness of the second third of the Belicoso definitely came into play on this vitola as well, although there the citrus notes ended up dying off. On this cigar, the citrus continued on as the cigar became creamier. Overall, it was very smooth, with a refined character you usually would associate with Davidoff or other recognized high-end brands.

The final third had a resurgence of bread notes and pepper spice, along with the continuation of citrus flavors, all the while maintaining the elegantly refined characteristics.

Construction

I had just about perfect construction. The draw was excellent, the ash was solid up to an inch long, and the burn line just needed a couple minor touch-ups.

Value

I’m going to call this one “worth the price” but just barely. It’s definitely a pricey stick, but it does give a better overall experience than the Belicoso which helps it hurdle the value barrier in my eyes, even if the actual “Flavor” score is the same.

Conclusions

I really enjoyed the first release of Last Tsar; this one did everything the other vitola did, and did it better. For the price, I’d definitely have to term it a “special occasion” cigar, but it does deliver on the entry price at that level. I would definitely consider buying more of these to keep on hand for those special occasions.

By-The-Numbers

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10

Leaf Enthusiast sponsor Burns Tobacconist has these in stock and ready to ship right now at 10% off the box price…and if you use the Coupon Code NICHOLAS they’ll increase that to 20% off. Click HERE to order. There’s also a great deal on a box of each vitola…Click HERE for that.

Our other sponsors also have the Last Tsar in stock…

Small Batch has the Churchill HERE

Stogies World Class Cigars has the Belicoso HERE