Trinidad Habana Reserve Review

Trinidad Habana Reserve
Short Churchill
4 1/2 x 54

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Cubano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan

The benefits of a cigar store job is the ample supply of free cigars. It's not like I never have to purchase but the reps and the boss are quick to share samples. I must its easy to enjoy cigars when the boss is providing the smokes. Tough job but like they say someone's got to do it! Tonight's gratis smoke is the Trinidad Habana Reserve Short Churchill.

My initial impression begins with the name, Short Churchill. This is definitely one of those brands that takes liberties with the frontmarks. This is a Robusto, or a Rothschild at 4 1/2 x 54 and by any other name, but in the world of cigars sometimes the traditional name gets a tweak perhaps to get it to stand on a crowded humidor shelf. Regardless of a cigar's name it has to taste good, so on with the review.

The Short Churchill wrapper looks to be a medium brown shade, very few veins if any, and looks to be a high quality wrapper. The next delightful surprise is the pig tail cap. Each cigar in this line is finishes with a small twist of leaf that resembles a micro- sized pig tail. This is actually a traditional Cuban finish to a cigar and in my opinion is a refreshing feature on this cigar. The pig tail causes no change in my traditional guillotine cut, I just look for the shoulder of the cap and have a go at it, the pig tail and a nicely measured piece of the cap fall into my deep bowl ashtray.

My ignition goes nicely with a Xikar Torch lighter. A slight pepper taste meets me at the outset. The ash that develops is salt and pepper in appearance. This cigar has smoothed out nicely as I move from the first to the second inch. It has a woody flavor, perhaps some lingering influence from cedar aging, but it makes it taste unique. The ash sifts easily to my ashtray, light and airy, falling with ease with hardly a tap.

Each draw thru the second half of this cigar delivers a light sweet flavor, almost like caramel. This is an enjoyable taste, leaving no after taste, a very clean tasting cigar. The burn has been perfect all the way to the end. When I consider the unique qualities of this cigar, in both appearance and taste along with a very reasonable price I have to say this is one I'd pay for....