Vital Stats:
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
Vitola: Churchill
Length: 7″
Ring Gauge: 54
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Habano Rosado Jalapa
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Ometempe, Jamastran and Esteli
Factory: Tabacos De Oriente
Blender: Nestor Plasencia
Number of reviewers: 5 —– Ron (shuckins) Craig (WyldKnyght) Gregg (McGreggor57) Robert (NavyPiper) Emmett (rhetorik)
Price: $6.00
Age: 3 Months Rest
Release Date: August 2013
Contributed by: Royal Gold Cigars
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 91
“A great looking Churchill sized stogie that measures at 7×54. Medium tan, uniform in color, mild sheen and without blemishes. Seams are so smooth, tight and so well blended, I cannot see them! Great head & cap.” –Robert (NavyPiper)
Aroma: 89
“Mild barnyard and leather at the foot with a sweet cedar on the cold draw. Pleasant enough.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
First Third
Flavor: 88
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Light-Medium
“The start of this cigar was mellow and mild with lots of thick creamy smoke. After a couple of puffs, I got a little spice. Near the end of the third I got some light pepper flavor. I felt this is definitely a good start to a wonderful cigar.” –Craig (WyldKnyght) ”
A dry leathery taste with a bit of toast. Further in, some cedar develops with a touch of anise on the retro. Every once in a while I get the impression some coffee is trying to come into the mix.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
Second Third
Flavor: 89
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Light-Medium
“A spicy creaminess from the nutmeg and cocoa gives the cigar a nice friendly kick. The cedar tasting tobacco has a sweet earthy flavor to it as the cigar passes the halfway point.” –Ron (shuckins)
“Some spice has come into the mix, which is nice to change it up a little bit. Still not very complex, but enjoyable. Now I’m starting to get a hay and damp moss taste mixed in, not unpleasant, but not something I look for. At the end of the third, it needed a little touch-up for the burn. No real changes in the flavor. I’m starting to get a little bored.”-Emmett (rhetorik)
Final Third
Flavor: 89
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Light-Medium
“Finished much like it started, except for an earthy taste that joined the spicy nutmeg and creamy cocoa flavors. The tobacco kept its cedar taste, although it lost the sweetness by the time it reached the end.” –Ron (shuckins)
“The smoke has gotten a little creamier both in flavor and finish, but the main flavor is still that mild wood. I have not had to touch the burn since the second third and the draw and smoke production are still very good.” –Emmett (rhetorik)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 92
“A firm, but productive draw, with plenty of tasty smoke.” –Ron (shuckins)
Burn: 92
“Even though I had draw challenges, the burn was pretty dang good for the whole review.” –Robert (NavyPiper)
Construction: 93
“Consistent firmness throughout. No soft spots and evenly packed.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
Overall Strength: Mild-Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Light-Medium
Overall Experience: 88
“An enjoyable cigar, with a nice balance of well blended flavors, that I would enjoy smoking again.” –Ron (shuckins)
“Very enjoyable smoke, although one dimensional, it would be a great cigar for someone new to cigars. I would smoke this cigar again, probably in the morning with a coffee.” –Craig (WyldKnyght)
“I was underwhelmed by this sample. It showed some potential in the creaminess throughout the middle but the flavors never really developed. Maybe another 6 months would help? This might be a decent morning smoke with some coffee.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
“Overall, I’ll give it a ‘good’. I’m not a fan of Churchill sized stogies, or of mild flavored ones. Despite that, the flavors were good, just not my cup of tea. Appearance and construction were amazing. Burn was good, but that dang draw almost did me in. That really was disappointing and frustrating. Would I try another, probably not, as again the size and mildness really aint my preference. The biggest drawback was the draw- or lack thereof.” –Robert (NavyPiper)
“Overall this was a good cigar. It wasn’t as complex as I would like and the flavors never really changed. It would be an excellent cigar to take golfing as you don’t really have to think about it. The performance was very good for burn and draw. Not my favorite mild cigar, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to a lover of mild cigars or a new smoker.” –Emmett (rhetorik)
Smoking Time (in minutes): 102
Total Score: 90 (Very Good)
| Reviewer | Appea-rance | Aroma | 1/3 | 2/3 | 3/3 | Draw | Burn | Constr. | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ron (shuckins) | 92 | 88 | 88 | 90 | 90 | 92 | 92 | 93 | 90 |
| Craig (WyldKnyght) | 90 | 88 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 92 | 98 | 88 | 90 |
| Gregg (McGreggor57) | 90 | 92 | 88 | 90 | 88 | 88 | 85 | 90 | 88 |
| Robert (NavyPiper) | 95 | 90 | 88 | 88 | 85 | 70 | 90 | 95 | 88 |
| Emmett (rhetorik) | 92 | 90 | 88 | 85 | 88 | 95 | 92 | 95 | 88 |
| Overall | 91 | 89 | 88 | 89 | 89 | 92 | 92 | 93 | 88 |
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.
Blind Cigar Review: Royal Gold | Casino Gold HRS King