Royal Vintage Churchill — Not My Cup of Coffee

Cigar Reviewed: Rocky Patel Royal Vintage

Smoked at: Long Beach, Mississippi

This was my second try with the Rocky Patel Royal Vintage. The first one I smoked was a robusto that had been over-humidified. It tasted like rotten, wet hay and was nearly unsmokable. To be fair, the shop made it right, and I gave the blend another chance in a Churchill (7.1x48).

Appearance:

The wrapper was light brown, smooth, and firm with minimal veins. It looked like a well-made cigar.

Pre-Light:

I used a V-cut. The pre-light aroma gave off a sweet tobacco scent, but the cold draw brought hay and grass. That made me wonder if what I tasted in the first cigar was actually part of the blend and not just the result of being over-hydrated.

First Third:

It toasted and lit clean. The initial flavors were hay and grassy notes with a little light pepper. Medium-bodied at best. Some smokers might call those flavors “earthy,” but to me they leaned heavily toward hay and grass. This was definitely not over-humidified, so I’m convinced that taste belongs to the blend.

Second Third:

The earthiness faded some but still lingered between draws. Pepper and spice became more noticeable, and a creaminess came in to balance things out. The smoke output was excellent. Body was mild to medium. The flavor was unique compared to other cigars I’ve smoked, but I wasn’t sure I liked it.

Final Third:

Not much changed and the profile did not improve. Earthiness remained the lingering note, and it just wasn’t enjoyable. I had to relight again during this stretch.

Burn and Ash:

The burn line stayed mostly even with a little waviness. The ash was flaky but fairly firm. I did have to relight once in the second third and again in the final third, but overall construction was still solid.

Pairing:

I paired it with coffee and Southern Butter Pecan creamer. Normally I drink coffee black, but this was a cool, sunny September morning that felt like fall on the Gulf Coast, and the pairing actually worked nicely. The pecan sweetness smoothed over the earthy flavors and made the cigar easier to finish. I let my coffee cool about halfway through to get the full effect of the cigar on its own, and that confirmed the blend just wasn’t for me.

Overall:

The Royal Vintage Churchill is a mild-to-medium cigar with reliable construction, but the flavor profile is not one I enjoy. The earthy hay and grass character dominated throughout, balanced at times by creaminess and spice, but never developed into anything satisfying. It may come down to personal preference, but this is not a cigar I would reach for again.