The 1990 Vintage Churchill is a medium bodied 7×48 size cigar created by legendary boutique cigar manufacturer Rocky Patel. Despite his small beginnings, Patel has managed to compete alongside the mega corporations through the quality and uniqueness of his smokes.
The 1990 Vintage Churchill is a somewhat dry but well balanced cigar offering diverse notes and a model appearance. The aged Honduran Broadleaf wrapper is almost flawless; the veins are scarcely visible and the familiar red and gold Patel label adds even more class. There aren’t any soft spots and the foot is well packed. The 1990 Vintage’s draw is on the tight side but doesn’t offer too much resistance and the ash doesn’t flake at all.
The filler is a combination of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco and offers a delightful, alternating mix of interesting flavors. The cigar starts out on a sweet note with cocoa and caramel flavors and creamy smoke, and just a hint of cherry. As the smoke progresses, these notes give way to dry woodsy, earthy overtones. These tones don’t overwhelm the initial flavors completely though, so some complexity and balance between the two main elements remains. These elements change places again about a third of the way through the smoke with the chocolate again in the foreground. The second half of the smoke is once more predominated by the earthy woodsy tones, and then at the very end, the creamy cocoa, caramel and cherry rush back in for the finish.
The Rocky Patel 1990 Vintage Churchill is an elegant cigar with an intriguing blend of aromas, none of which completely dominate the experience. If you’re looking for something with imagination that isn’t too overpowering in any one aspect, the 1990 Vintage is a great choice in the $7.00 range.