Davidoff Winston Churchill Toro

Davidoff's Winston Churchill line is the house's editorial nod to the man who defined what a cigar evening looks like. The Toro is the most-ordered vitola in the line at Briarwood — six inches and a 50 ring gauge, a clean Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, and a Dominican binder over a Honduran and Dominican filler.

Cedar and almond across the first third, a soft hay sweetness through the middle, a finish that holds without sharpening. Medium strength, never aggressive — this is the cigar to recommend when somebody asks for something they can smoke before a dinner reservation. Burn is 75–90 minutes if you're paying attention.

Carried in the humidor in five vitolas; the Toro is the standing recommendation for first-time Davidoff smokers. Ask the host for the Aniversario flight — it pairs three Davidoff vitolas against a Macallan 18, the closest thing the lounge runs to a tasting menu.