Reviews
.jpg "H. Upmann Connoisseur No. 1 Cigar - 1 Single")
Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016
Reviewed by Van Vandermeer (October 2003)
Around Christmas time last year, I bought a sampler of fifty different single Cuban cigars from CGarsLtd along with a great bookshelf humidor.
The other night I pulled from the few remaining cigars of the sampler one that had the H. Upmann red band. At first look, I thought it was a Petit Corona. I took it out to the garage with a glass of Sam Adams Lager, turned on the DVD player ("Punch-Drunk Love" starring Adam Sandler -- give it a miss!) and sat down in my antique rocking chair.
I examined the cigar. It had excellent construction with almost no veins and no hard or soft spots. The triple cap was perfect. The wrapper was just a half shade lighter than they typical Cuban cigar. The cigar had that unmistakeable "barnyard aroma" pre-light.
I clipped the cigar cleanly with my Zino double-bladed cutter. The pre-light draw was ideal -- just firm enough and tasting of great things to come.
I torched the foot of the cigar with my Colibri Edge lighter (perfect for a pocket carry). It lit evenly. My first impression was that this was a
Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016
Reviewed by Robert C May (June 2000)
As you know I received three examples of the HDM Epi #2, two of these were nearly identical in appearance with a reddish wrapper (rosado?) while the other had more of an "EMS" color. All three cigars featured excellent, even superb, construction. There was a big difference in how they smoked however.
Cigar #1: One of the reddish ones. I smoked this cigar on a sunny morning while drinking a root beer and running some errands. The errands took a while as I could not put the cigar down to get out of the car. This cigar had excellent construction with a very nice rosado shaded wrapper, a truly beautiful cigar. Upon lighting the draw was perfect, producing ample volumes of smoke. The burn was also perfect for the first two thirds of the cigar, the burn became a little uneven the last third. The flavor and aroma could best be described as mild, the body light. This is not to say the cigar was not rich in its flavor and aroma. Indeed, the character of this cigar displays the same delicate strength as that of a Jean Patou perfume. Overall a superb c
Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016
Reviewed Jason Maceyko (January 2001)
I received my three cigars in perfect condition, just after the New Year. I immediately noticed that they had a beautiful "natural" wrapper and looked quite oily (for a natural). As I picked up the first one, I noticed that it was solid and smooth in structure. I would say perfect in design. The cap was also constructed beautifully. I felt the cigar for bumps and soft spots and found none. Out of curiosity, I checked the other two and didn't find any flaws in those either. By this time, I was excited and already had my punch out to make a perfect circular cut into the nicely flattened cap. I lit my cedar match and "went to work" on this beauty. The initial draw was so easy and effortless that I actually had to look to see if it were lit. Just as I looked, I could taste the smooth, leathery smoke and there was plenty of it. The smoke became even more smooth and leathery, with a nice hint of earthiness, after the next couple of puffs. It was obvious that this was a exceptionally crafted cigar, made with choice tobacco leaf and filler, for a medi
Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016
Reviewed by Drew Rayman (February 2004)
My box of Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 was certainly well traveled. Born in Cuba, raised in London.
3 days later: I opened the humidor and remove my first Epicure #2. Looks fine if a bit flat, not the shiny maduro coat of the Hoya Pyramids, rather a dryish natural brown. First thing I usually check is the firmness, especially after a short stay in the box, these were rather solid, about 70% as tight as the the Partagas LE Robusto (which is like a brick). I have a rather unique "cutter"... a friend of mine honed and sharpened a brass 44 caliber bullet (shell) and it punches the most perfect, beautiful hole I've ever seen.
Time to light up! Right off the bat, this cigar delivers. Not a hint of bitterness, it was lovely. First third was just a hint of spice, a touch of mocha. The construction was perfect, the draw was full with and easy burn. you will find the second third simply intensifies all the great flavors from the first. Way more earthy and a bit more floral.
Right off the bat, this cigar delivers. Not a hint of bitterness,
Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016
Reviewed by Ian Hodgkiss (March 2004)
I received one of these as part of a Seleccion Robusto sampler for Christmas. Having been dragged around the New Year sales (which seem to start earlier each year!!) by my wife, I decided that I needed some serious "quiet time" and settled down to watch the horse racing, after a light lunch, with my Epicure No.2 and a glass of Port. Enough preamble, and down to business.
The first thing to hit you about this cigar is the flawless construction - a dark, chocolaty brown, oily wrapper with wonderful veining, a lovely sheen and a perfectly uniform thickness the whole length of its body. It feels very firm, but has enough "spring" in its feel to negate any worries about problems with the draw. This is a cigar that screams "Smoke me! You won't be disappointed". I clipped the cap with "V" shaped cutter, and there was absolutely no flaking or shredding of the cap. The pre-light draw confirmed that this was a wonderfully constructed example of this vitola, and already I could pick up an enchanting hint of cedar with a sweet edge to it.
Having war
Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016
Reviewed by Austin Dyer
I have smoked a good few of these lovely cigars so I thought I should review one. I spent a nice relaxing afternoon off after my morning run in the noodle bar of a very good Teriyaki restaurant in Liverpool city centre. After a delicious lunch of duck noodles and sake I ordered a coffee and a cigar ash tray then took out my Epicure #1 and clipped the cap. It is one of those cigars I really look forward to, especially as it was a 2002 production from a very good box.
The pre-light aroma was classic, first class Hoyo de Monterrey; sweet floral and vanilla tobacco scents. The cigar was very well rolled as usual, looks good enough to eat, soft to the touch and dressed in a nice dark chocolate wrapper. Once I put flame to leaf and got a nice even burn going the flavours oozed out and made my mouth water, started off fairly mellow and mild, a nice amount of spice to it, tickling my nose then it eased its way to a firm medium flavour and body and losing some of the spice to become creamier. Floral, cocoa, vanilla, brown sugar, very complex and delicious.
The
