Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is varying shades of brown as it is darker toward the head and then lightens with each wrap down to the foot. There are a couple of raised veins present and the seams are smooth but easily visible due to the color variation. The head is finished off with three caps which also have color variations. There are two bands, the primary being the standard H. Upmann band and the secondary being a strip band denoting Magnum 54. The aroma from the wrapper is a faint, slightly sweet hay while the foot gives a refreshing sweet, slightly green hay note. The pre-light draw brings a salty component which makes my mouth begin watering quite a bit along with a nice floral note.

Pre-light Experience

The cigar has a faint Colorado colored wrapper and there are some Natural touches to it as well. There are few veins present throughout and the ones present are small in size. The triple cap is applied fairly well, not great but better than some other triple caps I have seen. It is a little soft in areas but I wouldn’t say it is really under-filled or poorly constructed. The aroma on the foot is that of wood, dry earth and aged tobacco with the wrapper delivering some serious fresh barnyard notes. There is a nice cold draw to the cigar and it has the perfect amount of snugness to it. The cold draw is delivering cedar and hay flavors and it has some faint earthy aspects with that.

Pre-light Experience

The H. Upmann Magnum 54 is a stout 54 ring gauged cigar. Veins are well pressed and seams tight. For how thick the ring gauge is, the cigar feels a tad light in my hand. Bunch and roll feels well done as there are no hard spots present. The head is finished off with a well applied triple cap. Nosing the wrapper tells barnyard and faint cedar. Nosing the foot gives faint white pepper and mixed nuts. Cold draw reveals namely an airy dry wood.

First Third

As the cigar begins, I get more of that salty note which has my saliva glands working pretty well along with some smooth cedar. At a quarter inch in, the saltiness isn’t as noticeable, but the saliva is still being produced. Some black pepper now joins in with the cedar note as well. The retrohale brings a fuller cedar note. At an inch in, the flavor profile becomes a bit fuller and the saltiness continues to fade away. The strength in this third was mild-medium.

First Third

The first third opens up with a nice bit of spice and it is showing this soft black pepper flavor. It has some coffee qualities as well and there is that H. Upmann barnyard flavor profile as well that is showing some cedar, earth and aged tobacco notes. It really has this classic H. Upmann/old school flavor profile to it and it is very enjoyable. I would say the cigar is smoking at a medium level in terms of body and strength and the flavors are there as well. The construction is top notch and it is producing a burn line that is slightly off, but even and delivering a firm charcoal colored ash on the end.

First Third

Upon initial draw, the first thing I notice is the youth of the cigar. There is definitely an edge, letting me know this cigar can’t be any younger than a year or two. Mouth draw flavors ranging from classic Cuban twang earthiness to subtle dry wood and creamed nuttiness. Retrohaling the cigar gives more focused flavors of sharp cedar, sharp earth, baking spices and dry nuts. The finish is fairly clean with a lingering dry wood and wood bitterness. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the profile is now a nice creamy cedar with a slight saltiness to it. At a half inch in, the creaminess lessens a bit while the cedar is up front and there is still some saltiness in the background. As the third comes to a close, the cream ramps up again to become even with the cedar and the saltiness is still present in the background. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.

Second Third

I am in the second third of the cigar now and finding the spice level to be on the rise. The black pepper notes are really popping now and they are paired with this nice coffee profile. The wood, earth and tobacco notes are still present but they are in the background adding complexity to the upfront pepper flavors. There has been some transitioning from the first third and I think it has come with the flavors and strength. I would say the strength is at a medium to medium-full level and the body and flavors are just below that. The construction remains top notch and I am getting an even burn line with that firm charcoal color on the end. The draw is cool and producing a nice bit of smoke.

Second Third

Second third creates a fuller flavor profile giving deeper notes of dry wood and creamed nuttiness with baking spices appearing on the mouth draws as well. Through retrohaling, increased black pepper spice, baking spices and earthiness. The finish continues to be clean with a lingering dry wood and wood bitterness. Strength and body continues to be medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, there is a lot of cedar and cream while the salt note has gone away. At a quarter inch in, the cigar begins to heat up which creates a young green wood note and some mintiness with some cream in the background. Halfway through the third, the heat calms down a bit and lets the cedar come back some. As the cigar comes to a close, some char joins the cedar while there is some cream remaining in the background. The strength in this third finished up right at medium.

Final Third

I am in the final third of the cigar and finding that the spice notes are fading some from the second third. There are still some black pepper notes present but they aren’t what they were in the second third. The coffee notes have faded some as well and it has a finish of cedar, hay and soft tobacco notes. I would say the cigar is around a medium level in all areas and it is similar to the second third. The construction remains top notch in the final third and it is burning even with a smooth draw. It warms up a little bit at the end, but overall it smoked well and had a smooth finish.

Final Third

The last third lets me know the cigar needs a few more years of aging. The wood bitterness increases so much that it’s overshadowing the other flavors. Retrohaling maintains the same tasty notes of increased black pepper, baking spices and earthiness thankfully. The finish also picks up the elevated wood bitterness in addition to dry wood. Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn was pretty wavy the entire way and required two touch-ups. The ash did hold on solidly for each third.

Burn

In terms of construction, the cigar smoked great. It produced an even burn line from start to finish and with that a solid ash that held on firmly. The ash had this dark charcoal coloring and it really popped against the cigar. People say Habanos don’t smoke well, but this cigar was solid.

Burn

Burn performance was overall very good. Just one touch up was needed within the second third. Other than that, fairly good and even burn line, tight, dirty gray ashes and a cool burn.

Draw

The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

Overall, the cigar was good. The saltiness from the get go was a nice addition and the cedar and cream kept up for most of the way. Strength was medium and below the whole way, so it wouldn’t overwhelm most smokers. This isn’t a Cuban I would seek out, but it’s a good smoke and I would gladly smoke another if handed to me. I think it’s a fair representation of the marca and would have no problem handing this to someone who wants to smoke a Cuban for the first time or is a typical milder smoker.

Draw

The draw was a little bit looser than I like on my cigars, Habanos in particular but it was not a problem in the giant scheme of things. I do believe the draw was due to the cigar being slightly soft throughout.

Overall

I have had some Magnum 54’s that have been fantastic but the ones for this review have been slightly disappointing. The ones I smoked were fairly young and I think they have entered a sick period. I do recommend these cigars though, I think the size is great and with age they will really smoke well. With that being said, the cigars for this review did not perform at the level that others have and what I expected.

Draw

Draw was perfect. The ideal amount of resistance.

Overall

For right around a year old from the box date, the Magnum 54 is progressing quite nicely. There’s no doubt there’s youth and edge, but not so much that you cannot ID the true flavors behind the cigar. I’ll give this cigar another 2 to 3 years to let it settle into what it is supposed to be.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.53

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.33

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.87

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: H. Upmann Magnum 54