H Upmann Magnum 48 LE 2009 MOA OCT 09 (VVL)

[Notsocleaver]

The Mag 48 was one of those LE releases that ended up being a bit polarizing. I think I can remember seeing them still around at the original price 5 years after release. At some point I remember seeing that they were going for around the same price as Mag 46s of the same vintage, at that point I stocked up. While the RE program has since put out every variation on the petit robusto format imaginable, this remains my favorite 'petit robusto' size: 110mmx48rg. After I smoked through those boxes I looked into buying some more in the secondary market. I saw what they just went for on the FOH auctions. too rich for my blood. But a fellow who didn't like them much offered to trade me his for some cigars I wasn't going to smoke myself, so after that happy trade I now have myself another small stash. On to the review

Wrapper on this particular is rough and veiny. Take off the bands and you would think its a $5 Nicaraguan seconds. Rustic to say the least.

These do tend to have thick 'fire proof' wrappers, but I dry boxed this one with a 55rh bovida pack for a week so I'm hoping that won't be an issue today.

Draw is perfect and construction seems fine aside from it being ugly.

As I get started I notice that this particular Mag 48 draws a lot more from the fruity side of the Upmann profile than previous ones I have smoked. With a lot of cigars, I struggle to figure out how to put words to the flavor profile. In this case I know exactly how to put it instantly:

Or even more specifically:

For those of you who have never been to Hawaii: that is a guava shortbread cookie dipped in chocolate. Fruit and shortbread from the Upmann blend with the chocolate-ish profile added by LE wrapper I guess.

Burn is a little wavey on account of the veiny wrapper but the ash hold tight. As it gets close to the band I have to ash it to get the band off. Surprisingly for cigar this size, the flavor do transition, the fruit dies back and a flavor more like light roast coffee takes over.

As we approach the finish line, our burn gets uneven. Real shame, since even a small correction on a cigar this size burns off a lot. Smoking these cigar is a bit of a balancing act. You can't go too fast or else it will get harsh, but go too slow and the thick wrapper won't burn right. I'm smoking this on hour 18 of a 20 hour fast, so the nicotine hit is a bit harder than normal. I suspect most would consider this a pretty light weight cigar.

I take this one down to the nub for a total burn time just under an hour. Overall, this was a very good example of a Mag 48. I have to dock it a little for the burn issue, and for being too short. but I also give it bonus points for hitting my preferred flavor profile almost perfectly. I'll give it a 90, but this stretched into a perfectly rolled Hermoso No.1 might be what my 100 point cigar would look like.

[SMQQKIN]

Great review & I'm a fan as well. Wish I would have bought a couple more boxes back in the day at the going price.

[TheMonk]

Very nice review! From what I recall, these Mag48 pretty much always had ugly looking wrappers, but they are quite good smokes!

[THEMISCHMAN]

Nice review.

[Erm310mce]

Nice review!!

[Vortigan]

Great review, thanks! I get what you mean with the guava shortbread cookie simile, back in 2015 I reviewed it as "...heavy on the woods in the first third and then giving up some fruity and dark, bitter chocolate notes later on". I'm not 100% sure but I think that might even have been the last time I reached for one. I've got half a box or so lying somewhere in the recesses and I forget that they're there most of the time.

Flavour wise they've been ok for the most part but as you very accurately say, it's that damn wrapper! Much more akin to a sun grown Nicaraguan leaf than anything else, I think, and extremely fire retardant! I was finding that the pleasurable aspects of the smoke were equalled, if not outweighed, by the fight I was having to engage in to maintain it.  Now that it's at the forefront of my consciousness again, it might be time for a revisit.

[anjimj]

I have always had tight draws and burn issues with my box. I may try to dry box for a week to see if that helps. The flavors have always been sweet for me just wished the construction was a bit better.

[Notsocleaver]

I did have one box with lighter, smoother, thinner wrappers. As I recall, that box did burn easier, but the flavor profile that I loved from other boxes just wasn't there.

[Chucko8]

Fantastic review and pictures as well. Really enjoyed the profile comparison to the guava shortbread, need to get hold of some of these for myself to try. I can totally assimilate to the nicotine hit that you mentioned it harder than normal on which you would believe to be a milder smoke to others. This has happened to myself on quite a few occasions also.