The Foundation of Liga, and A Great Value

Cigar Reviewed: Chateau Real Habano Churchill

Smoked at: Martinsburg, WV

My favorite online retailer featured these for their Memorial Day promo. The original Chateau Real cigars were discontinued a few years ago, but served as a foundation for what is now Liga Privada, something I am very familiar with and a fan of... However the Chateau Real is considered a midline stick, so it boasted a Liga flavor at a lower price point... I couldn't resist, and had to take the plunge. 20 beautiful 7-inch sticks (well, 19 now...) have taken up residence in my box, although they may not be in there all too long...

Aesthetically, it doesn't have all the luster of a Liga, but it's not a bad looking stick by any measure. It does have a bit of a veiny wrapper, but at the price point I've seen a heckuva lot worse. It has a beautiful draw and very easy to smoke. I'd daresay it might actually draw a little bit easier than a Liga, and I always liked how they draw.

Tastewise, if you're familiar with the taste of a Liga, this is very similar but a bit lighter in the flavor. It's a very even-keeled flavor, with light spice and a nice earthy finish. Really enjoyable and satisfying all around. It even retrohales very nicely and enjoyably. If I had a guest over who was new to cigars, I'd hand them one of these without hesitation. It's one almost anyone could enjoy and doesn't carry a super high price point which means it's a good general smoke at a reasonable cost. What's not to love?

Now, I hear these might be a limited rerelease, which I hope isn't true. I'd keep a box in my humidor proudly alongside my H99s. They're well worth the investment.