ChefBoyRG54
BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
Recently got this box from a well known trusted vendor. Box showed up looking fantastic. Great aroma from opening and rich looking wrappers that were inviting. I havent waited too long after arrival, but im anxious to try since ive been craving one of these since @Wicket sent my first one that i smoked while messing with Xmas lights back before the holidays. Now a chance to sit down and focus. So here goes my first CC review(a little intimidating)...
Brand: H Upmann(one of my fave marcas)
Size: No 2 Pyramid, love this size
Box Code: LUB FEB 2014
Cut: Xi3
Light: Double torch Xikar Axia
Appearance: Rustic. slightly veiny(which ill try to catch in a different pic), but well constructed look to it
Prelight: aroma of a chocolatey hay is the best i can describe. Thats how the box smells. The pre draw is sweet and grassy. Lets go
First impression: something incredibly unique. Almost like salty fries? It was weird and unexpected. Zero spice on first few puffs with an underlying hay/grass presence. Light to the tongue with no lingering muck on the tongue. i think the salty fries is more of a tempura crunch flavor. seriously, weird and unique. Draw is effortless and i even cut a lil short in case i wanted more later but its working well as is. I love a tapered end. Going to puff for a few while Kentucky runs up the score until i report on the first third.
First third switches up about a half inch in. Where the unique flavor i mention above completely dissapears and a bit of lingering spice jumps in the mix. A slightly sweet and tangy retrohale note comes to join the party and the burn goes pretty well overall. a very enjoyable start that is building in flavor as we go!
Wont be too much side noting as i normally do since i have two fantasy baseball drafts this weekend and im coming off my worst season of fantasy baseball ever(since it cant get much worse). My 5 keeper league has me looking for vengeance. In 4 years i placed 1, 3, 2, 1 and last year was last. I sold every keeper and went liquid in nothing but draft picks. Bought some guys cheap and am now keeping Kluber, Miggy, Greinke, Stanton, and Strasburg. I also have 4 first round picks. Result of selling super keepers like Goldschmidt, prospects like Buxton and Bryant, and a slew of others. Was time to rebuild from scratch and i want my name on our trophy(The Petey, named after Pete Rose) for a third time since i talk a lot of shit and have backed it up until last year. Not to mention in BOTL baseball i got to beat @brandoncpm
second third amps up the spice. more than i expected or remember with this stick, albeit ive only smoked one. Burn line is perfect and draw is excellent. There's a slight vein where my lip touches the stick which is slightly annoying, but oh well. a cocoa note comes in around half way and the spice starts to mellow a bit. sweet cocoa and light spice. Then it amps right back up with rich sweetness and medium spice. Toying with my taste buds which is nice. Closing the second thirdand it has really hit a stride. Some buttery sweetness with a nice spice and a perfect burn. Wow.
Final third steps up the strength immediately. strangely makes me want to puff faster but i digress. Spice a little heavierbut not too much, flavor carrying from second third with the sweet, rich, cocoa flavor. Not much CC twang as they call it which is actually a surprice, but does have the H Upmann rich profile that i absolutely love which is why i have multiple Hup boxes of different sticks they make. If you havent had one they are a must try in any size. Good start is the HUHC or the Mag46 imo.
pic showing how great this is burning and what a sexy ash its producing.
as it closes the strength tapers off and so does the spice. The final flavors are rich and delicious making me want more! Sadly, it will be a bit before i light another based on my style of choosing what to smoke but it will be looked forward to.
Overal: Perfect burn, zero relights or touch ups. Evolving profile that never gets boring. I know ill bomb out a bunch of these because thats what i tend to do, but ill enjoy a bunch from this box over time and will look forward to each. A permanent staple in my humi and should be in anyone who likes Hup imo.
Score: 91-92, and this thing is still young.
Brand: H Upmann(one of my fave marcas)
Size: No 2 Pyramid, love this size
Box Code: LUB FEB 2014
Cut: Xi3
Light: Double torch Xikar Axia
Appearance: Rustic. slightly veiny(which ill try to catch in a different pic), but well constructed look to it
Prelight: aroma of a chocolatey hay is the best i can describe. Thats how the box smells. The pre draw is sweet and grassy. Lets go
First impression: something incredibly unique. Almost like salty fries? It was weird and unexpected. Zero spice on first few puffs with an underlying hay/grass presence. Light to the tongue with no lingering muck on the tongue. i think the salty fries is more of a tempura crunch flavor. seriously, weird and unique. Draw is effortless and i even cut a lil short in case i wanted more later but its working well as is. I love a tapered end. Going to puff for a few while Kentucky runs up the score until i report on the first third.
First third switches up about a half inch in. Where the unique flavor i mention above completely dissapears and a bit of lingering spice jumps in the mix. A slightly sweet and tangy retrohale note comes to join the party and the burn goes pretty well overall. a very enjoyable start that is building in flavor as we go!
Wont be too much side noting as i normally do since i have two fantasy baseball drafts this weekend and im coming off my worst season of fantasy baseball ever(since it cant get much worse). My 5 keeper league has me looking for vengeance. In 4 years i placed 1, 3, 2, 1 and last year was last. I sold every keeper and went liquid in nothing but draft picks. Bought some guys cheap and am now keeping Kluber, Miggy, Greinke, Stanton, and Strasburg. I also have 4 first round picks. Result of selling super keepers like Goldschmidt, prospects like Buxton and Bryant, and a slew of others. Was time to rebuild from scratch and i want my name on our trophy(The Petey, named after Pete Rose) for a third time since i talk a lot of shit and have backed it up until last year. Not to mention in BOTL baseball i got to beat @brandoncpm
second third amps up the spice. more than i expected or remember with this stick, albeit ive only smoked one. Burn line is perfect and draw is excellent. There's a slight vein where my lip touches the stick which is slightly annoying, but oh well. a cocoa note comes in around half way and the spice starts to mellow a bit. sweet cocoa and light spice. Then it amps right back up with rich sweetness and medium spice. Toying with my taste buds which is nice. Closing the second thirdand it has really hit a stride. Some buttery sweetness with a nice spice and a perfect burn. Wow.
Final third steps up the strength immediately. strangely makes me want to puff faster but i digress. Spice a little heavierbut not too much, flavor carrying from second third with the sweet, rich, cocoa flavor. Not much CC twang as they call it which is actually a surprice, but does have the H Upmann rich profile that i absolutely love which is why i have multiple Hup boxes of different sticks they make. If you havent had one they are a must try in any size. Good start is the HUHC or the Mag46 imo.
pic showing how great this is burning and what a sexy ash its producing.
as it closes the strength tapers off and so does the spice. The final flavors are rich and delicious making me want more! Sadly, it will be a bit before i light another based on my style of choosing what to smoke but it will be looked forward to.
Overal: Perfect burn, zero relights or touch ups. Evolving profile that never gets boring. I know ill bomb out a bunch of these because thats what i tend to do, but ill enjoy a bunch from this box over time and will look forward to each. A permanent staple in my humi and should be in anyone who likes Hup imo.
Score: 91-92, and this thing is still young.
