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H. Upmann Coronas Major, my first Upmann.
Firm to the touch, but an unusually spongy section in the middle. Ever so slightly oily wrapper with a lovely mild earthy smell that has a slight sweetness.... Perhaps even a very slight hint of vanilla.
Pre light draw was very loose but the flavour was the sweet earthiness but exchange mild coffee for the vanilla in the aroma.
The charring light gave off a smoke with almost a burning sugar smell, the first draw on the fully lit stick gave a very clean unadulterated tobacco flavour with a hint of aromatic leather finish. The smoke coming off this cigar was insane, so thick and almost pearlescent.
The first quarter quickly started to remind me of shortbread or other buttery biscuits that seemed to slip a hint of pepper into every few draws.
Near the end if the first quarter I got a brief but strange,almost chalky taste that I have never had with another stick. Almost like a faint memory of milk of magnesia. The smoke actually got even better at this point, even thicker and even whiter.... Quite literally the best/most satisfying smoke I have seen yet. The ash was also pretty white.
Flavour wise it started to get very creamy and the pepper started to come through more often. The burn was pretty decent and even, the ash also wouldn't quit and stayed on for a long time and would have stayed on for longer but for a clumsy put down.
The ash being knocked off seemed to coincide with a slight and fleeting cedar/floral note, the cigar settled to quite mild flavour shortly after. Sadly the ash started to fall more readily now, and the flavour remained mildly floral through the middle.
The unusual spongy section became almost worryingly soft and the burn took a nose dive at this point just before going out at 48 minutes.
After relighting, the stick burnt through the soft patch quite quickly and sorted itself out starting to burn evenly again. During this period the smoke became very pale and unfortunately the stick went out again at 56 minutes just as the biscuits were starting to come back.
One more relight (I swear cigar you won't get another.) and it's time to take the band off... The damn thing is stuck to the wrapper, but comes off with some gentle persuasion.
We're getting spicy now, plenty of pepper and the cigar is getting strong. I haven't had much to eat today and the nicotine is kicking me, nothing some chocolate doesn't fix.
Last section and flavours are mild now but consistent, floral cedar and slight pepper.
An inch left and it goes out again... It's game over man, game over! @ 1hr 29
Over all I enjoyed this smoke, it's such a shame it was troubled by some obvious production issues. I will certainly try more Upmann's and will give the Major another go... However IMO the Monte #4 was a superior experience in every conceivable way other than the smoke it gave off and for a bit less money.
For what it's worth I paired it with a New Zealand Pinot Noir and a fist full of Cadburys Hero's
I hope I did ok with my first review.
Firm to the touch, but an unusually spongy section in the middle. Ever so slightly oily wrapper with a lovely mild earthy smell that has a slight sweetness.... Perhaps even a very slight hint of vanilla.
Pre light draw was very loose but the flavour was the sweet earthiness but exchange mild coffee for the vanilla in the aroma.
The charring light gave off a smoke with almost a burning sugar smell, the first draw on the fully lit stick gave a very clean unadulterated tobacco flavour with a hint of aromatic leather finish. The smoke coming off this cigar was insane, so thick and almost pearlescent.
The first quarter quickly started to remind me of shortbread or other buttery biscuits that seemed to slip a hint of pepper into every few draws.
Near the end if the first quarter I got a brief but strange,almost chalky taste that I have never had with another stick. Almost like a faint memory of milk of magnesia. The smoke actually got even better at this point, even thicker and even whiter.... Quite literally the best/most satisfying smoke I have seen yet. The ash was also pretty white.
Flavour wise it started to get very creamy and the pepper started to come through more often. The burn was pretty decent and even, the ash also wouldn't quit and stayed on for a long time and would have stayed on for longer but for a clumsy put down.
The ash being knocked off seemed to coincide with a slight and fleeting cedar/floral note, the cigar settled to quite mild flavour shortly after. Sadly the ash started to fall more readily now, and the flavour remained mildly floral through the middle.
The unusual spongy section became almost worryingly soft and the burn took a nose dive at this point just before going out at 48 minutes.
After relighting, the stick burnt through the soft patch quite quickly and sorted itself out starting to burn evenly again. During this period the smoke became very pale and unfortunately the stick went out again at 56 minutes just as the biscuits were starting to come back.
One more relight (I swear cigar you won't get another.) and it's time to take the band off... The damn thing is stuck to the wrapper, but comes off with some gentle persuasion.
We're getting spicy now, plenty of pepper and the cigar is getting strong. I haven't had much to eat today and the nicotine is kicking me, nothing some chocolate doesn't fix.
Last section and flavours are mild now but consistent, floral cedar and slight pepper.
An inch left and it goes out again... It's game over man, game over! @ 1hr 29
Over all I enjoyed this smoke, it's such a shame it was troubled by some obvious production issues. I will certainly try more Upmann's and will give the Major another go... However IMO the Monte #4 was a superior experience in every conceivable way other than the smoke it gave off and for a bit less money.
For what it's worth I paired it with a New Zealand Pinot Noir and a fist full of Cadburys Hero's
I hope I did ok with my first review.
) I rate the Monte no 4 at 78. I use that as the bench mark to judge other sticks by. As someone mentioned the other day Monte No4's are the biggest seller in the world, like Heiniken is the biggest selling beer. Unfortunately this doesn't make it the best beer, it just menas it offends the least number of people & it's wildely available.
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