Tobaccos Wilke Pipe Tobacco - Churchill

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2017-02-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Churchill is a masterfully created blend by Carole Burns, IMO. The Virginia, cigar leaf and unflavored black Cavendish provide a nice fullness while the Latakia is restrained by the Orientals. The cigar leaf is not an overpowering presence and will occasionally play hide and seek with the puffer's palate. Full and rich, Churchill was a home run for me. In going back over my impressions from several years ago, I believe that I've been remiss in not stocking up on this one.

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-11-06		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Churchill is a happy near-miss for me. I was hoping for more of a cigar taste, what with the name Churchill and the description of a "liberal amount of vintage cigar leaf." The Latakia pushes hope of that away. Much more cigar leaf would be needed here, and less Latakia, for a genuine cigar taste.

Smokey and fairly smooth, I experienced little tongue bite. This pipe-weed smokes equally well in small to large bowls, meerschaum or briar. Not a fussy blend here.

Definitely qualifies as a full taste, and a rather pleasant one at that. I enjoyed the strength of the blend, experiencing a buzz with a kick. Perhaps I will get with P&W's blender, Carole, and ask for a customized version. Nice to know you can do that.

This tastes nothing like the McClelland Dominican Glory Maduro, another blend that promises cigar notes but also falls a tad short. All things considered, it was fun, but it's really yet another English, and there are better offerings in that realm.

UPDATE: I did take the time to contact Carole at P&W to discuss a custom blending of Churchill. Specifically, I requested the Latakia be held way back to allow the cigar leaf a chance to show its stuff. She suggested adding a bit more VA as well. The resulting customized blend is very close to what I was looking for. She takes notes on the custom blend for when you reorder. There is a minimum 8 oz. purchase and a small surcharge on custom blends. I would readily rate my custom blend at four stars (but must leave my rating of standard Churchill at two). The Honduran cigar leaf now adds its unique spice, the VA (bright, ribbon) keeps things rounded, and the Latakia plays a wonderfully subdued (yet important) role. Easy pack, easy light, and excellent burn.

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3046)	2018-04-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The smoky, woody, lightly floral, vegetative, herbal, earthy, semi-sweet rich Connecticut cigar leaf is the base of the blend, and most obvious component. The smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia is an important secondary player. Competing with it is the nutty, earthy, woody, molasses sweet burley. Sometimes, the two swap positions. The lightly floral, dry, herbal, earthy, woody, slightly buttery sweet and sour Oriental is a condiment. The grassy, citrusy Virginia is essentially in the background. A few dabs of sugary black cavendish smoothes out potential rough edges. The strength is medium, while the taste just passes that mark. Both start out at little lesser levels, and each gain a couple steps as you go along. The nic-hit is closer to medium than it is to mild. Won’t bite, and has no harsh notes. Well blended with a little nuance, it burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a fairly consistent flavor that translates to the lingering after taste. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and needs an average number of relights. Can be an all day smoke depending on your proclivity for cigar blends. Three and a half stars.

-JimInks

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	hockey01 (29)	2013-11-20		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Pleasant

A number of previous reviews criticized this blend for not having enough cigar leaf to be noticeable either in taste or aroma. I have to say that I thought this was a masterful blend, actually, with a lovely, soft room note and full, spicy taste. The cigar leaf was noticeable but not intrusive. Best to smoke this really gently so as not to get t-bite. I just really loved it as is.

I had another experience with a cigar-leaf blend where the cigar leaf was hardly noticeable at all; and what I did was this: someone had given me a pair of what they call herb scissors which are scissors with five sharp blades on each side and they're used to cut up herbs very finely for cooking. I had 4 oz. of the tobacco blend and I figured that a real cigar, a large one, probably weighs 2 oz. So I dumped the tobacco blend into a bowl and used the herb scissors to chop up the cigar. If you first cut the cigar down the middle with a knife, then open up the tobacco leaves and shred them with the herb scissors, you get a nice ribbon-like cut which then goes into the bowl to be mixed with the blend, and presto!, you have a new blend with more cigar leaf in it.

Or, you can call Carole, the master blender, and have her add some more cigar leaf for you, which is probably the preferable way to go about it. As Churchill himself put it, "I'm easily satisfied with the very best."

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-07-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

A cigar blend that actually allows the cigar leaf to come through. Back in the 70s I got my hands on a tin of Balkan Sobranie #10 & was enchanted by the rich, creamy taste of the cigar leaf that came through & from time to time try various cigar blends trying for that experience. This blend is not up to that standard, but is a solid offering & will better satisfy those who occasionally (or more than occasionally) dabble in cigar blends than say a McClellands Dominican Maduro. A solid 2 stars.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WoodcraftSmoker (21)	2020-12-23		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is a wonderful smoke. I find the operative word is smooth. From lighting to the bottom of the bowl, this tobacco produces a smooth, consistent, full smoke that has a nice leathery flavor. I taste little of the Latakia, and only an occasional hint of sweetness from the black Cavendish. I don't taste any other tobaccos. A medium flavor with a slightly heavier nic-hit, this is a surprisingly good, and different, smoke for someone who doesn't smoke cigars. I would definitely recommend this for someone looking to break out of traditional English styles. This would not be an all day smoke for me, but very enjoyable.

Pipe Used: Peterson Donegal 999

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: Old Fireside Smokehouse

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-01-09		Medium to Strong	Mild	Full	Pleasant

Just had my 1st bowl tonight & love this blend, I also do enjoy the occasional cigar.

Carole was a pleasure to deal with especially this being my 1st order from a tobacconist.

This is my 1st tobacco review & just started pipe smoking early last year so I'm not nearly as experienced as many of the other reviewers on TR.

Update 20 March 09 - I still love this blend, I did get some Key Largo & do a comparison, KL is good I just prefer Churchill.

Update 29 May 09 - I'm smoking mostly VaPers & Navy Flakes these days so this is no longer in my daily rotation. I do keep some in the cellar for when the craving comes calling.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-09-09		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Unnoticeable

I really enjoy this blend which is a bit similar the Fox Bankers blend. I love cigar blends and this is good one. It is MUCH smoother that GLP Robusto, but it needs to be dried quite a bit. If you like this style it is worth a try.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-09-15		Medium	Very Mild	Full	Unnoticeable

It stands midway Dunhill Durbar and JJ Fox Banker's Mixture (old recipe). The amount of cigar leaf is not so liberal as in the description, however cigar aroma is a gentle, soft constant note well balanced with the classical English latakia taste. However full it may be, I think it's a very good all-day mixture.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-01-04		Strong	Mild	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

When the match first hit the bowl I was in seventh heaven. Since I love latakia, the spice literally bowled me over. Churchill reminds me a lot of Durbar turned up a notch. After smoking a few more bowls, though I still like this, I?m no longer crazy about it and am glad a friend of mine purchased only a small sampler of it. It?s less multi-dimensional than Durbar, and far stronger and hotter. This can be a tongue searer in the wrong sized bowl. Even in a big bowl it packs a wallop. This is quality latakia, oriental and cigar leaf, but I prefer Aperitif and Durbar for its complexity. Churchill is a little closer to Nightcap, but not as tar laden. Different tobacco producers ought to stick with what they do best. In the case of Wilke, aromatics are their forte, while unfortunately, their English blends, Churchill being no exception, fall short for me.

Two of five stars

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	suitou (38)	2020-12-01		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I haven't smoked much Pipe Tobacco, which is a cigar leaf blend, so I'm writing this in comparison to "Billy Budd," which I used to smoke and remember well. Churchill can definitely be classified as a strong blend in Wilke's blends. But the taste itself hasn't quit being medium. Both Billy Budd and Churchill are nicotine-rich, full-bodied, spicy, and slightly sweet. But Billy Budd has an earthy, grassy, fermented, slightly muddy, definitely strong blend. For me, it's a good after-dinner blend, but not one I could smoke every day. In comparison, I think Churchill is a blend that leaves room for repeat smoking if you are an experienced pipe smoker. Rich and deep, the cigar leaf burns and reveals a fragrant cigar hint from the full-bodied ≈ medium taste found in many of Wilke's English blends. If I were to compare it to a cigar, a medium-bodied stick would fit the bill.

Pipe Used: Genod Granite 608

Purchased From: Wilke Pipe Tobacco

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2005-07-26		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Very spicy, fine pipe tobacco. As every Pipeworks & Wilke it packs and burns extremely well, although I find this a little hotter than the other products of the blend. I also thought about Dunhill Durbar when I smoked it, but the English one is fuller and more complex. Very good.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-03-04		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Unnoticeable

"Room Note" is really inapplicable since my S.O. doesn't let me smoke in the house anyway:-). Carole sent me a sample of Churchill when she repaired a mouthpiece, and the sales tool worked. Yes, Churchill is strongish, it has a real cigar flavor to it, but instead of being sickening the way I've found many Syrian and Latakia mixtures (I mean to the point of wanting to throw up), the flavor of the tobacco actually is a bit sweet without being cloying or sugary. It's amazing that way. It's a strong tobacco but also one I can smoke all day. Which maybe explains why I'll order all I can get.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-12-29		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am an ardent fan of Wilke tobaccos.I smoked them for years when I lived in New York. Churchill has always been one of my favorites in the full English category.It has all the great characterstics of a full blend with that special addition of cigar leaf.This blend is agreat change of pace for the English type mixture pipe man.The closest thing in flavor would be Dunhill's DURBAR. The cigar is not overpowering,in fact it adds a nice aroma and zing to the blend.If you are a cigar smoker or someone who appreciates a fine non-aromatic this is the blend for you.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimPM (153)	2022-01-09		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Very Strong

Founded in 1872, Wilke Tobacco stands as one the country’s most distinguished brick and mortar establishments. Encompassing a wealth of unique products offerings, Wilke’s selections present original blends appealing to a broad class of pipe enthusiast from signature aromatics to luxury non-aromatic varieties. Of note in particular, Churchill bids a hearty welcome as a traditional English mixture stoutly augmented by a generous portion of gilded cigar leaf. By some accounts, an impressive bulk blend suitable for the cigar-smoking British stateman himself.

Commencing with an aura of sophistication, Wilke poses an intricate recipe inspired by a rather portly alliance of complex and mixed varietals. Well balanced and duly contrived, Churchill unifies a distinct affluence of mixed Virginia, Burley, Latakia, Turkish/Oriental, Acadian Perique, Black Cavendish, and natural Connecticut cigar leaf. Ultimately the full-flavored blend yields a patent taste achievement in bestowing the admirable fusion of classic woody English with the sweetly spiced potency of a heady cigar.

With Churchill’s formal introduction, a thick knotty weave of long ribbon cut strands form the initial impression. A colorful entwinement of the assorted strains casts a rousing mask of orange-red-warm/dark brown-ebony hues. This mottled construct is given primary shading by dense blackened chucks and granular specks, as hardy fragments of daunting cigar leaf float randomly throughout. By visual inspection, the let-down ratios confer heavier Latakia and Oriental content, followed by an even amount of Virginia to Burley, approximately 20% cigar leaf, with modest complements of aged grainy Cavendish and Louisiana Perique. An obliging level of optimum dryness properly fosters the pouch-ready state for immediate smoking.

Surprisingly the proximate bouquet offers a somewhat docile temperament given the forceful nature of the blend’s constituents. However, with continued passes, the nose gradually becomes amplified and virtuous showing evidence of sharply tart vinegar, floral pungency, and sweet earthen spice, thus underscoring that the Latakia, Turkish/Oriental and cigar will set the course for the experience. Underneath this foremost aroma, less discerning airs register a native woodiness and isolated hay/grass moving with a conquered disposition. Finally, there is a perceivable note of soft vanilla and feasible prune lifting as the trailing feature of Churchill’s distinguishing aroma.

Hefty waddings of supple tobaccos accommodate themselves gracefully upon filling the pipe’s bowl chamber. As follow-up to repeated smoking practice, I discovered that the captivating influence of the mixture is best captured with exaggerated and sustained drawls using a deep pocketed briar. The savor of its full depth leaves no disappointment, as Churchill plays out an entrancing melody.

As projected, the elements of the cigar leaf and Latakia take the dominant lead. Their confluence presents a level and robust parceling of the two individual streams. Although billed as the milder Connecticut varietal, as the cigar leaf melds with the salty-smoky-woody incensed Latakia, the registered flavor is more indicative of choice Sumatran wrapper, capturing a full head of sweet floral spiciness, a chase of raw cinnamon, and some brooding earthen goodness.

Riding about mid-stream, the Turkish/Oriental and Burley seems to continuously compete for positioning. As with typical Oriental strains, an exotically spiced melee folds together nuances of bright tartness, vegetal spice, and an uncommon nuttiness like pecans. Pillowing this effect, the Burley projects an embellished molasse sourly wood enhancing the general strength of the overall taste profile.

Like most classic English mixtures, the Virginia resides within the bottom edge providing the essential baseline, affording some very light burnt grass influence. Of considerable interest, a tinge of fleeting vanilla seems to hug in close quarters to this Virginian element perhaps describing a casing that may have been applied or mildly absorbed during fermentation.

Additionally, even by exercising careful focus, the Acadian’s actual flavor proved to be a tad elusive only lightly marked by a gentle peppery-musty prune note, more so on the retro-hale if anything. Even so, I could feel the usual tingling sensation on the back of my palate, Finally, while the Cavendish makes no apparent presentation it does serve to facilitate the smooth symphony of variable flavors as described.

Churchill is healthy in maintaining its strong forward flavor for the duration of the smoke. It tempers cool and slowly, thereby extending the pleasure of a lasting encounter. Essentially this is one of those blends that renders a peaceful mellow undertaking despite its full intensity. Enjoying a pipeful of Churchill is an effortless venture given its smooth quality and an overall taste that is categorically velvety in texture. Furthermore, the observed force of its nicotine contribution falls within the medium classification which is not that unsettling.

The room note that permeates from the burnt thick plume of blue-white smoke signals the inherent power of Churchill’s constitution; “Habana-esque “ in short. With unconstrained magnitude, a richly deep perfume of a weighted spicy sweet cigar, smoky leather, and charred wood virtually annihilate the air, invading and escaping the extended capacity of the immediate room. Namely this mixture’s sovereignty can be authenticated at considerable distance, making Churchill not particularly appeasing to those of weak knees. Personally, I relished in the efficacious impact of its full-bodied aroma, but then again, I am an English disciple who also enjoys the muscled fortitude of fine cigars.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Brunello (166)	2023-03-24		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

I enjoy a blend with cigar leaf every now and then, and two of my favorites from John Patton have featured fairly regularly in my rotation (Oriental Dusk and Storm Front). In Churchill I feel that the percentage of cigar leaf could be reduced slightly, but more importantly, the type of cigar leaf used doesn’t entirely win me over. In my own blending I tend to use richer and darker leaf (Regius Maduro, for example) but this one brings back long ago memories of White Owl. Others may enjoy that flavor profile more than I do.

It helped when I took the fingernail size bits of torn cigar leaf and cut them with scissors into smaller pieces to better integrate with the other ingredients, and I also pulled out a few in the process so that the blend had better balance to my palate. This just wasn’t a favorite for me, but I you enjoy cigar leaf it may be worth a try.

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