H. Upmann Sir Winston
2018

H. Upmann Sir Winston

Rank: 5
Rating: 94
Price: £32.91
Made By: Habanos S.A.
Factory Location: Cuba
Dimensions: 7" by 47 ring gauge
Filler: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Box Date: Oct. 2017

One of the last Cuban Churchills in the Habanos S.A. portfolio is the H. Upmann Sir Winston. It doesn’t seem right that such a classic format has been deleted from almost every Cuban brand, but the trend is leaning towards fatter, shorter cigars. We at Cigar Aficionado have lamented this tragedy before, but there’s no sense in wasting too much time on what’s been lost. Rather, let’s focus on the Sir Winston.

Its dimensions, 7 inches by 47 ring gauge, are nearly perfect. It’s thick enough to deliver ample smoke, thin enough to fit comfortably in your mouth and long enough to give you at least an hour of pleasurable smoking. It’s medium bodied, making it approachable for beginners but complex enough for more experienced smokers. The cigar is brimming with refined chocolate, marzipan, floral notes and a sweet, graham cracker finish, all brought together by that unique, inimitable Cuban taste.

The size is known as a Julieta No. 2 in Cuban cigar factories, and was a favorite of Winston Churchill, perhaps the most famous cigar smoker in history. He consumed so many Julieta No. 2 cigars that the grand and elegant size was eventually named after him. It’s only proper that the H. Upmann Sir Winston happens to be a Churchill.