H Upmann Magnum 56 Edicion Limitada 2015 Review

As someone who is adequately cognizant of the fact that you can't have the same experience twice, I detect myself tempering my excitement when I hear about a cigar being rereleased. It's something we've seen a number of times, from Davidoff's Vault Series to a number of companies bringing back a previous limited edition or other cigar that had ceased product for ane reason or some other.

In October 2019, Habanos Due south.A. announced that it would be bringing dorsum the H. Upmann Magnum 56, which debuted in 2015 every bit an Edición Limitada release, except this time it would be offered as an exclusive to the travel and duty-free markets. Information technology also wouldn't be an Edición Limitada, meaning that the new batch of cigars wouldn't become the two years of aging before release that the Ediciónes Limitada do.

It measures the aforementioned as the Edición Limitada version—which was a new size for Habanos South.A. when it debuted—a double robusto that checks in at 5 9/10 inches (150mm) long with a 56 band approximate. While that size was originally known simply every bit the Magnum 56, information technology appears to have picked up a new vitola name, Unidades, equally that is the proper noun used on the jars in which the cigars are packaged.

• H. Upmann Magnum 56 Edición Limitada 2015 (5 9/10 ten 56) — 2015
• H. Upmann Magnum 56 (2020) (5 9/10 x 56) — 2020

Nevertheless, between October 2019 and the cigar's eventual release in October 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought air travel to a screeching halt and, as such, much of the travel and duty-free retail segment. To get the cigars to market, some distributors pivoted and brought the H. Upmann Magnum 56 to traditional retailers.

• Cigar Reviewed: H. Upmann Magnum 56 (2020)
• Country of Origin: Cuba
• Factory: Undisclosed
• Wrapper: Cuba
• Folder: Republic of cuba
• Filler: Cuba
• Length: five ix/10 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 56
• Vitola: Double Robusto
• Est. Price: $38 (Jar of twenty, $760)
• Release Date: October 2020
• Number of Cigars Released: Undisclosed
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: three

The H. Upmann Magnum 56 is a fairly beefy cigar, only what is nearly striking is the reddish-brownish color of the wrapper. At some glances information technology looks like the shade of a brick, at other times it is the color of a very clay-heavy soil, which in turn reminds me of the warning tracks of some baseball diamonds. It's a color that works very well with the red in the band and makes for a good overall visual. Beyond that, veins are small and there'southward the occasional spot on the wrapper, making each sample pretty attractive. There's a scrap of requite to 2 of the three samples, though they are not as spongey as some Cuban cigars, while the 3rd is fairly house. The aroma off of the foot is calorie-free, with two samples slightly compact, a bit like jerky being ready to be dehydrated, and another going more towards the kind of cumulative bread olfactory property y'all'd choice up in a sandwich shop. One sample also has the smell of red apple skin. The common cold draws on the first and third sample are a bit firm but don't seem like they will be problematic. The second is the best of the bunch, smooth and easy with nothing concerning. Flavors are mild and have me thinking of a common cold cutting platter, a bit compact but nothing is terribly distinct. There is no pepper to speak of, nor whatever overt sweetness.

The H. Upmann Magnum 56 starts with a scrap of light wood and a slightly flossy base, the kind of profile I more often than not associate with H. Upmann, if peradventure a flake fuller and softer due to the band gauge. Blackness pepper comes in not long after the start, appearing kickoff via the retrohale before moving downward to the tongue. From at that place it moves to a flavour that reminds me of salami: slightly meaty but also slightly oily and fatty. I'm a bit concerned well-nigh the combustion in the early goings of the starting time cigar every bit it seems like the cigar isn't terribly thrilled nigh burning, specially if given a bit of a intermission between puffs. It was plenty of a business organisation in the early goings that it led me to dry box the other ii for a couple of hours in hopes of avoiding a repeat event. Thankfully it did for 1 of the cigars—more on that in the final notes—and the flavors benefitted as well, not being as weighed down past the backlog moisture. In that location are still points where the tobacco tastes young and a chip harsh, which is concerning for what the rest of the cigar holds. Season is medium or medium-plus but can go sharp and harsh, body is medium, and strength is full. Combustion is decent merely struggles at times, smoke product is a bit light, and the describe ranges from very expert to struggling a bit.

A fleck of cedar dances into the profile as the second tertiary gets underway, though the clay doesn't seem to keen on relinquishing the lead position in the profile. The dryness and tingling effect of that cedar season seems to correspond to the relative dryness of the cigars: the first cigar offered a much more muted, restrained expression, while the two that were drier allowed it to shine brighter. While it might occasionally exist a bit likewise vibrant—as was the case with the second and driest sample—I tin can live with that here knowing that were I non reviewing this, I would likely have a drink with which to temper it. The 2nd third is where the experiences in the iii samples start to diverge, starting with combustion and seemingly directly connected to the flavor. Combustion is still a struggle in the first sample, and while I'thou not sure information technology'due south attributable to the relight, the flavor has gotten a scrap rough, taking a pepper note into something that grates the back of the pharynx. Things are much amend in the second sample, as the cigar burns with almost no issues, and while that cedar flavor stays dry out, information technology's not horribly off-putting. The third sample is in the middle, called-for decently but not perfectly and with a flavor that is a scrap crude and grating only not equally harsh as the first sample. At that place are moments where I think I'm getting aromas of a slightly sweetness, slightly cinnamon-coated cereal from the cigar as it rests, a high indicate of the feel and something that gives me hope as to what this cigar might eventually develop into, though it could only be later on months if not years of residuum. Flavor is a vibrant medium-total, torso is medium-plus, and forcefulness is medium. Depict and combustion are a bit all over the place.

As noted in a higher place, the second halves of the iii cigars show some real differences, which I'm inclined to attribute to the amount of moisture left in the cigar. The final third starts with a bit of harshness, mainly an evolution of the dry out cedar that tastes young more anything. In the showtime sample, it's a rough cedar note that has gotten quite harsh on the palate, so much so that I'm questioning how much longer I want to smoke this. The second cigar isn't as harsh, merely the cedar moves abroad from its better offerings, and it's now eliciting a much more lingering irritation in my throat. The final inches of the showtime sample were pretty much unable to exist smoked due to persistent combustion issues, something that the 2nd cigar didn't struggle with seemingly cheers to a few hours of dry boxing, while the third limped to a barely respectable terminate.

Final Notes

• The box code for these cigars is GEM MAY xx.
• Given the combustion struggles of the offset sample, I gave the other two a bit of dry boxing, which I generally don't similar to practice, but it seemed a better course of activity than struggling through them.
• Even though dry boxing stock-still the combustion issue, it didn't fix the flavor problems, which seems will only be addressed with time.
• The is the only cigar in the Habanos S.A. portfolio to use this particular vitola, which is conveniently named Magnum 56.
• Brooks Whittington reviewed the H. Upmann Magnum 54 in March 2016.
• I accept to think I have smoked at to the lowest degree one of the H. Upmann Magnum 56 Edición Limitada from 2015, though I tin't say I recall it well enough to compare it to this cigar. If nothing less, it wouldn't be fair to compare two cigars with five years of age between them, let lonely the aging divergence with the Edición Limitada's tobacco.
• Ane of the samples I was sent was the one wrapped in wax paper, which is washed to assistance in removal of the first cigar from the jar. That was one of the two cigars that I dry boxed, but information technology didn't seem to burn down also as the other, leading me to wonder if I should have removed the wrapping as well.
• It seems fitting that these came in a jar, as the H. Upmann brand is credited with being the pioneer of releasing cigars in jars, known as Amatistas.
• I used a unmarried torch lighter for all three cigars, and in that location was a point not long into the beginning sample that I wish I had been using a triple torch for some help getting the cigar lit and relit.
• None of the cigars left me feeling much of a nicotine effect, but the palate gets a pretty thorough workout.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel. Nosotros paid $38 per cigar on the secondary market place.
• Final smoking time was 2 hours and xxx minutes on boilerplate, though two cigars were put down well earlier they should have been due to combustion issues.

67 Overall Score

Information technology's tough to like a cigar when two of the three samples struggle to burn and all of them have some pretty noticeable flavour flaws. Fifty-fifty with some dry out boxing, the one sample that stood out clearly had some youth to it and was in dire need of at least a twelvemonth'south worth of crumbling before I'd even brainstorm to exist hopeful that the flavors would offset smoothing out enough to be enjoyable. Even so, I'd still doubtable a couple more years would be needed to go close to its potential. If yous accept the access to choice these upwardly and the patience to look them out, you may very well exist rewarded for both, but judging past how the three samples I smoked performed now, this is a cigar that should be passed on in favor of something that is not only more enjoyable, but is smokable at a less frustrating level than what these offered.

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and oftentimes represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it'southward most so much more than the cigar – it'due south about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my piece of work with halfwheel, I'm the public address journalist for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring grooming, also every bit for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'yard a voice over creative person. I previously covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob mag.

terryolower.blogspot.com

Source: https://halfwheel.com/h-upmann-magnum-56-2020/390205/

Share this post