Cigars.ie

‘98 H.Upmann Magnum 46 Cabinet

The Magnum 46 is on of the most popular vitolas of the H. Upmann brand. A Corona Gorda, measuring 5.6″ by 46 ring gauge, the Magnum 46 has been around for quite a while. We have seen them in tubes, 3 packs, cabinets of 25, cabinets of 50 and most recently in jaw-droppingly beautiful jars of 30!

I haven’t smoked many of these and I have to say I wasn’t overly impressed by them. But the other day, I came accross a 1998 cabinet of 50 in Dublin’s James Fox. Smooth and shiny, the cigars grabbed my attention, so I had to give them a try.

Appearance & Construction 13 / 15

The wrapper is light brown, without any blemishes. There is some veins present, but overall the wrapper is smooth, shiny and oily. The bunch is normal, with a couple of harder spots, but the cigar feels light. The cap is rounded and well applied. Strong aromas of cedar and chestnuts is present on the wrapper and the foot of the cigar. The prelight draw is good.

Flavour & Body 24 /25

On the first draw the cigar delivers plenty of character. The initial impretion is that of nuts, wood and sweet spices. The smoke has a rich and creamy texture. The first third is salty, with flavours of wood and earth. The body is medium and the flavours are well balanced. In the second third the cigar gets stronger and spicier, with the wood still standing strong and tobacco flavours following. In the last third, the cigar turns to full bodied, with an explosion of flavours; earth, wood, liquorice, hay and barnyard, all in great balance and with good depth. Even though there is a lot going on, the Magnum 46 is not overwhelming, but delicious. The progression of this cigar from the start to the end, is a great example of why Cuban cigars are different!

Draw & Burn 22 / 25

The cigar burns very well from the beginning, but somehow really fast… It could be just me, as I am really enjoying it. Any small blemish in the burn is corrected quickly - but a few of them show up throughout. The draw is good, with the cigar delivering ample and thick smoke, rich in texture. The ash is flaky, falling off every so often.

Overall 33 / 35

My experience with the Magnum 46 has not been something that would make me remember. But this one was great! A beautiful cigar that burned and drew effortlessly and tickled my palate with elegant and complex flavours. Why was it so different to any Magnum 46 from 2005 onwards though? Has the blend or the tobacco variety changed? Or has the aging improved it so dramatically? Either way, I will be definately be trying more of these from different crops and see if I can come to any conclusion on the above. In the meanwhile, if you find any of this, you should definately try them!

Total 93 / 100