H Upmann Magnum 54 – Review

Posted On January 22, 2022

The H Upmann Magnum 54 is a delightful smoke that offers complexity from the first draw. Little to no acrid burn when it’s first lit, moving gently after across flavour and aroma profiles. The first draw takes you back to a schoolroom with pencil shavings and bits of rubber from an eraser on the desk in front of you. Mushroom soup with a pinch of turmeric and nutmeg make room for a dessert of dark chocolate soufle with the crusty burnt bits at the edges. The initial bitter almond smoothens away to toasted nuts, the spice to a fresher feel, and the wood to a deep cedar. Pot pourri and drying moss finally give way to a dive into a camphor chest full of fresh linen. And the final finish is back to the sweetness of chocolate, somewhere between a milk and a dark slab with a hint of raspberry ligering on your lips.

Consistent draw and rich flavours from start to end. Uninterrupted, despite its length, it lasted a good 75 minutes. Perfect for two drams by your side while you smoke this.I smoked it the first time late morning, with no liquid refreshment to take away from the flavours, and then in the evening, pairing it with a variety of whiskies, ranging from a Speyside single malt to an Islay. The peat and iodine of an Islay mask the flavours, so I wouldn’t do that again, but it pairs well with the light floral and honeyed tones of a Speyside or Highland malt. The final pairing was with an Armagnac and that was a joy in itself.

Length: 4 ¾”

Ring Gauge: 54

Origin: Cuba

Appearance

Wrapper Colour: Claro to Colorado Claro from the same box

Rolling: Perfect

Cut employed: guillotine, shallow cut

Tasting/Flavour

Aroma (Unlit): Pencil shavings; Mushrooms

Cold Draw Aroma (After lighting): Topnote – Turmeric; Secondary notes – Cocoa

Cold Draw Flavour: Bitter almond

At 1/3: Green peppercorn, almonds, cedar