One hundred and eighty years—that’s how long it’s been since Hermann Dietrich Upmann purchased his own cigar factory in Havana, forming what is now considered the third oldest continuously operating cigar brand in existence (following Punch [1840] and Por Larrañaga [1834]). Celebrating the impressive milestone, Rafael Nodal (vice president of product capability for Tabacalera USA) and A.J. Fernández collaborated—as they have done numerous times over the past decade—to showcase a special smoking experience worthy of such legacy. Sporting a commanding 7″ × 50 size (as well as a more limited toro format) and a medio tiempo-wrapped Nicaraguan puro blend, the H. Upmann 180th Anniversary closely mirrors a former Cigar Dojo awardee—H. Upmann 175th Anniversary—which was named our No. 5 Limited Edition Cigar of the Year for 2019. However, despite the same dimensions and blend (at least on paper), the two cigars are said to be unique. Nonetheless, in our experiences, the H. Upmann 180th Anniversary smokes quite similar to our old friend, recalling the same punchy character and in-your-face combination of rich flavor and lingering complexity. In the larger Churchill format, the cigar smokes for roughly two hours, overwhelming the senses with a full-frontal assault in terms of flavor, body, and texture. This includes hearty characteristics of toasted oak and leather at the start, later adding thick chocolate, espresso, black licorice, and rich Demerara syrup into the equation.
H. Upmann 180th Anniversary Breakdown
- Wrapper: Nicaraguan Hybrid-Seed Medio Tiempo
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Factory: Tabacalera A.J. Fernández Cigars de Nicaragua (Nicaragua)
- Production: Limited Edition (59,000 Cigars)
- Vitolas: 2
- Price: $22.50–$30.00 (MSRP)
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