Brand: Pinar Del Rio (Value Line Reserve)
Shape: Churchill (7x50)
Tobacco Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Connecticut
Body: Mild

PDR Churchill Connecticut

Description: I like PDR's a lot. If you look back at other PDR cigars I've smoked and reviewed, you'll see me speaking quite highly of their efficient use of flavor, smooth smoking and a class act on their appearances, right down to the labels they put on their cigars. So naturally when I picked this cigar out of my humidor, I was rather excited to light it up. I was only a little nervous about smoking a cigar that said Value Line Reserve on the label. Emphasis on value. If they are saying that the cigar is cheap, that's not a good sign.

True to my fears, the cigar did not perform up to snuff. While I love PDR, this is a dud. The flavor was one sided, and boring. The look of the cigar was fine, but the wrapper was thin and flaky. And I smoked it with a couple friends of mine who had similar experiences, including some difficult draw issues. Don't get me wrong, It's perfectly smokable if you just want to go through the motions of smoking a cigar. But for me, smoking cigars is all about the pleasure, and the flavor. If I can't enjoy it, I put it out. I stopped smoking this one halfway through. Oh well. Should have gone with the Oscuro that I smoked a while back. Now that was a keeper.

Edit: I also smoked the PDR Value Line Reserve Maduro, which was far superior by most estimations. I recommend you give that a look before discounting these cigars altogether.


Ratings:
Appearance and Construction: 9/15
Flavor: 15/25
Smoking Characteristics: 20/25
Overall: 12/20
Value: 13/15
Total: 69/100
Smoking Time: 45 min. (Unfinished)
Price: $31.95 for a bundle of 25 cigars (~$1.28 per cigar) from Thompson Cigar.