H. Upmann Mag.46

The H. Upmann Mag.46 is one of my favorite Cuban cigars out there. Ive smoked through a box of them, but the one im smoking today is from my buddy Butch. This cigar has Upmanns new band on it, and i really like it over the previously used cheaper paper bands. This is a Corona Gorda sized cigar, one of my favorites.

The draw on this cigar is perfect, a cuban style draw with just the right amount of resistance. The constuction and wrapper on this cigar is flawless, with a beautifully applied triple cap adorning the head.
I havent smoked a ton of recent production cigars from Cuba lately, but im guessing this one has under a year or so on it by the taste. Yes, it has signs of youth, a little unbalanced but showing a ton of potential. With some Cubans, i feel like i am wasting them if i smoke them while too young, but i dont feel that way about this particular cigar. This one is still very good young, just not at its full potential. H. Upmann's cigars have always had this classic Cuban flavor profile to me, with tons of crisp toasted tobacco notes and lots of creamy coffee notes as well on the palate. The Mag 46 isnt what i would call an elegant cigar in the realm of Cubans, its much more wild than that with flavors that start strong and never let up. This is not an overwhelming cigar by any means, but definitely one that wakes up your palate. When you light this cigar, you know your smoking a Cuban. Cuban tobacco has a very distinctive "twang" that i have never seen replicated with any other country's tobacco.

This leads into the age old discussion of whether Cuban cigars are "better" than other cigars. In my opinion, its not that they are better, just different. Every country has a signature flavor to their blends, it just depends on what you like and what your in the mood for. If i want a big bold and spicey cigar, i usually go with something Nicaraguan. If i want something complex and creamy, i go Cuban. Its all about what you like for flavor for a cigar. There is a certain mystique to a Cuban cigars for a lot of people, the whole forbidden fruit aspect of it. It was like that originally for me, but now it just depends what mood im in and what flavors im looking for. The one thing i will give to the non cuban cigar companies though is their quality control. This is one of the areas i think that Cuban cigars can let you down a bit. I have had many more plugged (unsmokeable) Cubans than any other cigar out there, which is always disappointing, but sadly, is sort of expected when you buy a box of Cubans.

The H. Upmann Magnum 46 will always have a place in my humidor and is a must try for any brother of the leaf.