Short Churchill

HAVANA (AP) -- Joseph Fiennes, who co-starred with Gwyneth Paltrow in the 1998 film "Shakespeare in Love," has helped launch a new Cuban cigar, tossing off a few lines from "Romeo and Juliet" in honor of the cigar's maker.

Fiennes was the featured visitor as Cuba began its annual cigar festival Monday night, presenting a cigar size called the "Short Churchill" by Cuba's state-owned Romeo and Juliet brand at Havana's Gran Teatro.

"I've really gained a newfound respect for the kind of level of attention, detail, complexity and energy that goes into making a cigar," the 35-year-old British actor told reporters.

According to legend, World War II British Prime Minister Winston Churchill smoked more than 200,000 Cuban cigars during trips to the island, Fiennes said.

[stanthetaxman]

Morning, Patrick. Thanks for the update.

Morning Stan, They had this little piece in the Stars and Strips Military paper on Friday. Thought I would share.

[stanthetaxman]

The military paper reporting a story from Cuba? Why, I, .............

[KevinG]

"Short Churchill"? Wouldn't that be a Robusto?

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He told the audience at the opening session that he “found the same harmony, strength and passion present in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet” that he found in Cuba’s cigars. He performed a short segment of the famed play, a perfect metaphor for the new Romeo size, the Short Churchill.

This robusto, measuring 4 7/8 inches long by 50 ring, is one of the most popular sizes in the Havana range and was made in the Romeo y Julieta blend only in 2001 (as part of the Edicion Limitada series) and in 2003 (as part of the special Seleccion Robustos case).