ROMEO Y JULIETA SHORT CHURCHILLS

Back in 1865, Havana gave birth to a lector, a reader in cigar factories who would read out stories, plays, news, magazines to the torcedores or cigar rollers. This was done to keep the minds of the torcedores active while they performed their daily tasks of manually rolling the cigars, therefore avoiding rolling errors.

Some of the most popular plays that were read out were The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas and Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare which led to the names of two of the most popular, global brands of Habanos, Montecristo and Romeo Y Julieta.

It was in the year 1875 (Although some argue it was 1872) that the brand Romeo Y Julieta was created by Inocensio Alvaraz and Manin Garcia using the Shakespearean play Romeo & Juliet as inspiration and in 1903 Jose Rodriguez bought the brand and made it popular. Rumor has it that Rodriguez was obsessed with the play; even offering to purchase the Palazzo Capuleti, the ancient home of Juliet’s family to turn it into a cigar lounge.

Now, a fan of the brand Romeo Y Julieta was Winston Churchill and bestowed upon him was the grand vitola of that time that measured 7 inches and 47 ring gauge – The Churchill and thus began the Linea Churchills which has the Short Churchills within that line.

The Romeo Y Julieta Short Churchill is visually striking. It’s double banded with a gorgeous contrast between the red of the primary band and the gold of the secondary band. The colour of the wrapper is chocolate brown or Colorado for the cigar aficionados and is often rolled perfectly, with very little or no veins showing.

The cold (pre light) aroma reminds you of a cool winter afternoon in the fields with the aroma of hay and chocolates lightly dancing around your senses, just enough to wake your taste buds from a deep slumber. The cold draw is complementary of the unlit aroma and tastes of wood, possibly due to the wonderful cedar lined humidor the cigar is stored in.

An even light, this Robusto starts off with notes of chocolate and caramel whetting ones appetite for the glory to come. With consistently creamy and thick smoke, the notes of chocolate mixed with slight pepper only get stronger and the oil from the wrapper coats the mouth so wonderfully preparing you for the long finish this cigar has to offer. The final third of the cigar brings out some woody flavour while the chocolate taste remains strong and toasty. The short Churchill leaves you wanting more

This one hour plus smoke pairs beautifully with a cup of coffee or a buttery creamy single malt like Glenmorangie 18 YO or alternatively a contrasting sharp taste of a smoky Single malt like a Laphroig that highlights the creaminess of the Short Churchills.

For more cigar stories, subscribe to our blog. Also visit our online store and choose from the best Cuban cigars, available online.