Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Lords of England Connecticut No. 3 Churchill is medium tan and shows a network of veins, but they are finely raised. The overall feel of the wrapper is pretty velvety. The seams are smooth and very well blended for a lighter colored wrapper. The head is finished off with a well applied double cap. The band is meant to look like two bands with the upper portion being a very traditional style and the lower portion being a thick strip style. Lots of gold, red, black and blue. It denotes the brand name and country of origin. The aroma from the wrapper is sweet and musty cedar while the foot brings a honey sweetness and light wood. The pre-light draw brings an even mix of honey sweetness and wood with a mild spiciness on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

Finished with a nice Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, the Lords of England Connecticut No. 3 Churchill is firm in hand and silky in texture. The coloring is a true Claro, and there are noticeable veins present throughout that are small to medium in size. The aroma is of cream, cedar, earth and raisins, and there is a touch of spice present with that also.

Pre-light Experience

The Lords of England Connecticut No. 3 Churchill has a well designed UPC sticker on the cellophane that remains intact when the cellophane is opened. The cigar wrapper is smooth and tan colored. Nosing the wrapper, I was able to pick up aromas of hay, faint cedar and barnyard. From the foot, I was able to pick up sweet plum and hay.

Pre-light Experience

The Lords of England Connecticut No. 3 Churchill has a smooth, golden claro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll on the firmer side and head well wrapped. Aromas from the wrapper tell abundant grass, hay and barnyard. Aromas from the foot tell sweet cedar and a hint of white pepper spice. Cold draw gives light cedar and saw dust.

First Third

The cigar begins with a mix of cedar and mustiness. At a half inch in, some black pepper joins the profile. At an inch in, the cedar gains a bit of sweetness. The retrohale brings musty cedar and light black pepper. At an inch and a half, the black pepper has eased up. As the third comes to a close, the sweet cedar has a slight lead over the mustiness while the black pepper is quite light in the background. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.

First Third

Lords of England starts off with some bitter notes and I am picking up some burnt paper and lemon peel qualities. There are some nutty qualities present as well, toasted walnut, and with that is some dry wood and earth. It is smoking at a level between mild and medium, closer to medium, and that goes for strength body and flavors.

First Third

My initial flavor impressions are sweet hay, with accents of chocolate through the retrohale. Hints of white pepper take up the middle of the profile, lingering well into the post draw and coating the tip of my tongue. There’s a sweet, sharp citrus note that finishes the retrohale as the first third settles in. Moments later, post draw lingering hay joins. At approximately the 1-1/2 inch mark, the chocolate on the retrohale moves up to light plus. By the 40 minute mark, cedar and some dry tannins define the post draw. Through the bottom half of the third, there is significant hay on the post draw with tannins.

First Third

The first third has a medium strength and body profile with flavors that are pretty approachable. Toasted bread, toasted almonds, cedar, light leather and a hint of black pepper spice. Retrohaling draws out the cedar and spice. The finish has light leather and cedar.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the sweetness from the cedar leaves and it becomes a bit drying. At a quarter inch in, some dry earth joins the profile. At an inch in, the black pepper leaves the profile. The retrohale is a mirror image of the mouth draws with cedar, mustiness and dry earth. As the third wraps up, it maintains the profile of musty cedar and dry earth. The strength in this third has bumped up to medium.

Second Third

When I get into the second third, I find the cigar shows some improvement in the flavor profile delivered and its overall complimenting profile. I am still picking up those toasted nut qualities and it is paired with some cedar and pepper flavors. The earthy aspects are less dry now and they add a slight bit of richness on the finish to balance the dry profiles up front. Like before, the cigar is medium in strength, body and flavors.

Second Third

Moving into the second third, there is hay on the retrohale, mild chocolate and a dry cedar and hay that makes up the post draw. Once the cigar has settled in, the dry hay and cedar defines the remainder of the second third as the chocolate falls away.

Second Third

The second third shows some inconsistencies. At times the profile carries over some tannins and harshness. At other times it’s still a good mix of soft and spice notes. Strength and body remains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the dry earth has a slight lead over the musty cedar. At three quarters of an inch in, some char joins the musty cedar. The retrohale maintains the even combination of musty cedar and dry earth. At an inch in, the profile is becoming a bit dryer overall. The cigar wraps up with the dry earth slightly ahead of the musty cedar. Strength remained at medium.

Final Third

The final third delivers a combination of bitterness and creaminess that is unique. It has some lovely qualities that are quickly destroyed by bitter flavors. With the creaminess, I am getting some almond notes and there is some pepper present as well. Touches of sweet earth and wood, but again the bitter flavors destroy that.

Final Third

The last third begins with hay, a strong dry cedar and tannins that finish with a lingering dry cedar in the post draw. As the cigar settles in, it becomes a very traditional Connecticut flavor profile of grass, hay and tannic cedar that provides a flavor accent.

Final Third

The inconsistencies found within the first third carries forth to the final third. The same switch ups between tannins and harshness to mixture of soft and spice flavors. Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn line was straight the entire way. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.

Burn

Burn was very nice throughout. No problems. Well made.

Burn

The cigar had as close to a perfect burn as I would expect. Ash held on well even through a sudden snow storm that caught me halfway through the review.

Burn

Picture perfect burn performance. Even burn, tight ashes and cool burning temperature.

Draw

The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The cigar began with a mix of cedar and mustiness. The cedar gained some sweetness and some black pepper joined in. The second third saw the sweetness leave the cedar and it became a bit drying. The pepper left and some dry earth joined in. The musty cedar and dry earth jockeyed for position the rest of the way. Construction was perfect and strength was medium most of the way. The Lords of England Connecticut No. 3 Churchill started with a nice profile but once the sweetness left and dry earth joined in, it knocked the profile down to average the rest of the way. With a profile this linear, I would prefer it in a shorter vitola rather than such a lengthy smoking experience. This vitola isn’t something I’d likely return to, but I would be interested in revisiting this in the Robusto to see what the overall profile would be like. Might be interesting paired with some coffee.

Draw

The draw was solid from start to finish. Well-constructed cigar.

Overall

The Lords of England Connecticut No. 3 Churchill is a decent cigar that is available at a nice price, but overall, it is not something I would gravitate towards smoking again. There are better Connecticut offerings out of Perdomo that I would rather smoke and on top of that, I would cough up a couple more dollars and smoke another Connecticut from a different company that is superior. The bitter notes throughout did not help the blend and killed complexity throughout. There was not a lot of transitioning either which is beneficial in blends like this. The band is nice on the cigar, and while I do not want to say it’s the highlight, it probably is the highlight for me with the cigar. In looking at cigars released from Pure Aroma, what happened?

Draw

The draw was very good with roughly 1 to 1-1/2 notches of resistance to each puff.

Overall

The Lords of England Connecticut No. 3 Churchill started out in the first third with a dessert type profile. Accents of chocolate, white pepper, citrus, hay and cedar defined the flavors. As the cigar moved into the second and certainly the last third, the profile fell in line with a more classical Connecticut profile. Overall, I found the first third to be the most enjoyable, and while the second and last third was fine, it didn’t do enough to elevate it above what the average Connecticut shade profile is on the market. Construction was excellent, and draw was very good. This cigar would appeal to traditional Connecticut shade smokers who are looking for a longer cigar experience. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 31 minutes.

Draw

Flawless draw performance as well, giving the best equilibrium of air flow and resistance.

Overall

One thing I can typically count on from Pure Aroma is the ability to provide a smooth yet full flavored experience. For the Lords of England Connecticut No. 3 Churchill, this is the first time I can’t fully say that. Within a couple cigars smoked for review, the profile showed inconsistencies. On one side of the coin, the flavors were pretty well balanced, and on the other side of the coin, tannins mixed with harshness ensued. What is a definite plus are the burn and draw issues now completely resolved as a result of the factory switch. But I value the flavor experience over perfection in burn and draw.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$1.31

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.50

Cost/Point

$1.45

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.95

Cost/Point

$1.34

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$1.31

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Lords of England Connecticut No. 3 Churchill