Description

A 2016 release but an already very complex and elegant smoke

• Medium bodied cigar despite its young age, develops lots of creaminess, cedar, sweetness, chocolate and hay among other flavors

• While still being a young cigar, it shows a perfect construction with lots of complexity. Great potential for aging.

A perfect cigar for both occasional and experienced smokers, ideal for the afternoon or before dinner smoke

Dimensions:

Length: 120mm (4.7” inches)

Ring Gauge: 54

Shape: Robusto

Appereance:

The H. Upmann Magnum 54 is covered in a gorgeous reddish-brown wrapper that is parchment-like to the touch. There is almost no oil on the wrapper, but there are plenty of very stark veins visible running up and down the length of the cigar.

Smoking Notes:

Before lighting up

Aroma from the wrapper is a combination of strong barnyard, manure, grass, dark chocolate and cedar, while the cold draw brings flavors of sweet cedar, cinnamon, barnyard, dank earth, cocoa and hay.

Initial Third:

Starting out the first third, the H. Upmann Magnum 54 features a multitude of flavors, including a dominant dark chocolate and hay combination, followed by notes of creamy cedar, cinnamon, anise, leather and a touch of orange citrus. While not overwhelming by any means, there is some noticeable white pepper on the retrohale, and I am tasting some faint sweetness that reminds me of maple syrup on the finish. Even considering the small amount of the cap I took off, the draw is a bit open for my tastes—albeit well within normal limits—but the burn is excellent so far, while the smoke production is massive off of the foot. Strength-wise, the Magnum 54 does not come close to the medium mark by the end of the first third, but it is increasing.

Second third:

The maple syrup sweetness begins to change in the second third of the H. Upmann Magnum 54, morphing into a great floral sweetness fully by the halfway point. The dominant flavors are still the same dark chocolate and hay combination, but I am also tasting some salt on my lips that really bumps up the overall complexity of the profile. Other flavors of leather, almonds, creamy cedar, gritty earth, barnyard and coffee beans flit in and out, while both the white pepper and orange citrus on the retrohale has increased slightly. The draw has tightened up nicely, and the burn continues to impress, while the smoke production remains high. The overall strength easily hits the medium mark by the halfway point, but seems content to stay there for the duration of the second third.

Final Third:

Coming into the final third of the H. Upmann Magnum 54, and while the dark chocolate note remains strong, the hay flavor from the first two thirds has receded, replaced by the creamy cedar note. Other flavors of toast, grass, cinnamon, coffee beans, leather, earth and slight citrus fight for space, and while I notice a very faint soapy note on the finish, it is not strong enough to detract from the profile. The sweetness has morphed again, this time to more of a standard vanilla note and the white pepper on the retrohale has remained steady. Both the burn and the draw are fantastic, while the strength does not come close to the full mark, it does end up being slightly above medium by the time I put the nub down with less than an inch to go.