H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon
Monday, May 10th, 2010I picked up this cigar from a local shop not too long ago. What attracted me to it was the lack of H. Upmann reviews on this site. As always, I paired this cigar with water and jotted down my thoughts.
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan, Peruvian
Size: Churchill 50 x 7
Price: Around $6.00
Pre-smoke & Construction:
The wrapper looked a little rough with a few medium sized veins and bumps here and there. The foot and wrapper had almost no odor at all, maybe a slight sweet cedar. The pre-light draw was a little stiff, and had a sweet woody taste. When I squeezed the cigar from head to foot, I found the head of the cigar was densely packed and rock solid. This probably accounts for the stiff draw.
The burn required no corrections, and the ash held for just about one inch. In the last third, I had some wrapper splitting. A touch of vegetable glue remedied it quickly. Perhaps high humidity conditions caused filler/binder expansion.
Flavor:
The first third began with a very mild smoothness that had virtually no flavor. Mild woody notes with a barely noticeable spice kicked in.
The second third kept this prominent woody flavor. The slight spice remained, and I picked up a slight sweetness that I couldn’t identify. Earthy notes were way in the background.
The woody flavors increased and became more cedary. Those slight earthy flavors would come and go, although a natural tobacco taste remained throughout. The finish (aftertaste) was a little toasty, and had a slight sweetness.
Conclusion:
This was an OK light bodied cigar. There were no bad or harsh flavors, just a decent smoke. I have to admit, overall I got very bored smoke this in a Churchill size. A smaller size with a cup of coffee would have probably been more fitting for such a mild, simple cigar. If you are into mild cigars, maybe this one is for you.
