H Upmann 1844 Reserve

Flavor and Character

Somewhere in the middle the cigar quietly takes control of the pace and the rest of the noise from the day sits a few steps farther away. Down in the last stretch the flavors pull in tighter and feel more concentrated It leaves a low, steady warmth sitting in the chest for a while after it’s out.

Near the end the smoke grows thicker and presses a little harder on the palate It leaves a low, steady warmth sitting in the chest for a while after it’s out. Without you really noticing when it happened the whole thing settles into the kind of rhythm you don’t want to rush and the rest of the noise from the day sits a few steps farther away. Once it finds its rhythm you begin to pick up more than just the basic tobacco taste showing a line of warm spice over a simple, grounded tobacco core. It’s not flashy, but it feels honest.

The Experience

As the room starts to pick up a little haze the smoke feels less like a test and more like company and the longer you sit with it, the easier it is to forget the clock. Moving into the early third the blend opens up and feels more sure of itself mixing gentle pepper with calm, roasted undertones. It comes across relaxed, more about staying steady than chasing surprises. A little further along the smoke thickens and carries more weight on the palate with touches of coffee, dry cocoa, and a bit of wood weaving together. Nothing really jumps out of line; everything just settles into place.

• Taste: Hints of cocoa, roasted nut, and dry fruit over a bed of straightforward, honest tobacco.
• Strength: Medium
• Rating: 94
• Reddit Notes: Brought up often as a dependable reach-for stick when you don’t feel like overanalyzing anything.