H. Upmann 1844 Anejo Toro

Purchased: 10-pack Toro (6 X 54)
Price: $50.00
Store: AtlanticCigars.com
Buy Again: Yes
Box Worthy: Yes – Though I purchased a 10-pack this time around, I’ve had a couple of boxes of these.
Experience Rating: 95

H. Upmann doesn’t get much love online, at least not as much as the new boutique cigars. Unlike Gurkha that garners abject hatred, H. Upmann just seems to be ignored. It’s not surprising considering it’s a sub-brand under the Altadis umbrella. People see Altadis, STG, or General and they automatically assume the cigars are generic catalogue sticks that aren’t very interesting, especially if the brands use names from venerable Cuban labels. In some cases, that’s true, but there are some great sticks being produced by the big conglomerate brands. One of those is the H. Upmann 1844 Añejo.

The backstory behind this stick is that it uses tobacco aged at least five years before rolling. When I first had one a few years ago soon after it was released, that raised my eyebrows because aged tobacco is usually reserved for reserva sticks. But apparently, the wrapper, binder, and filler tobacco are all aged. The effect of this is that it smooths out the smoke and masks the strength of the cigar, which is deceptively strong.

I’ve smoked several of these since they were released and I alway forget what an ass-kicker it can be by the final third. It starts out medium to medium+, but by the final third, the strength and body are both full. Luckily nicotine is not much of an issue. It’s certainly there, but never overpowering (or I could just be used to high levels of the stuff). But let’s talk particulars.

One thing that I have always appreciated about this cigar is how pretty it is. Though the wrapper has visible veins, the seams are practically invisible. The wrapper has a reddish tint, much like a Colorado-style wrapper and shines from a light coat of oil.

Construction is excellent! No soft spots and the stick is a solid baton that has some heft to it. And this great construction translates to the burn line. It can get wavy at times, but there’s n’er a canoe. It self-corrects quite well throughout the smoke. With the dozens I’ve smoked, I don’t ever recall having to make anything other than minor adjustments, and usually I do those when smoking outside.

As for the flavor profile, this is a stick that sits right in my wheelhouse. For me, it epitomizes just how good a well-aged Habano wrapper can be. There’s spice of course, but it’s tempered by the age of tobacco and doesn’t ever dominate like some Habano-wrapped cigars can get. While I’ll discuss the flavors I detect, The smoking experience is awesome. It spends the first half, building up the flavor notes. The transition from the first to second thirds merely pile up the flavors. Then in the second half, the flavors start to dance around. The final third ramps up the intensity.

Here are flavors that I detect (the notes I took were written at the same time I was smoking so they’re in the present tense):

The prelight draw is delicious if sparce, with vanilla, caramel, floral notes, and an indistinct woody note. By the way, the draw is perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I like.

Once I light it up, I’m hit with cedar, floral-like sweetness, baking spices, and a little cacao bean. Getting in the first third there’s a build-up of flavors adding to the original flavors ranging from yeasty dough, malt, cream, leather, molasses, cacao, and a cinnamon and red pepper spice. The first third takes about 30 minutes.

When I get into the second third, the red pepper spice exerts itself, but not overly so. The sweetness transitions from a sugary sweetness to a meaty sweetness akin to having bit of a well-seared cut of red meat. That yeast dough, becomes more sourdough like in flavor, and leather moves to the back on the finish.

As I mentioned above, the halfway point is the sweet spot in this cigar. The flavors start doing a happy dance. The cigar goes from a sweet to savory profile and the transitions come quick. Though each puff doesn’t contain all the flavors I mentioned above, I never know what I’m going to get from puff to puff. I love how this cigar keeps me guessing!

Into the final third, the transitions keep on coming, but the flavors intensify. I forgot to mention how creamy the smoke becomes in the second third, but by the final third, it’s absolutely luxurious!

And the burn? I haven’t had to make a single correction! I did have to relight it once because I got caught up in writing, but since then, it has stayed lit and burning evenly throughout. I’m swooning in the copious, velvety-smooth smoke as I write this!

The wonderful thing I noticed this time around is the aroma of the smoking coming off the stick in the final third. I could have sworn I got a whiff of incense. It’s like being in freakin’ church!

I just looked at the head of the cigar. I used an 8mm punch to pierce the cap. With some cigars, that small hole can create lots of tar. But there’s no tar on the tip. It’s as clean as a whistle. And no, I didn’t wipe it off before snapping that picture.

I finally made one correction at the inch-and-a-half mark. But it was very minor and since then, it has burned evenly down to the nub!

Out of the entire 1844 line, this one has always been my favorite as it provides a great balance between strength and smoothness. And yes, it’s now kicking my ass, but not from nicotine; it’s due to the intensity of the smoke. This is not something I’d give to a newbie. But hey! More for me! 🙂