H. Upmann Mag 48 LE

[micha]

After my deep disappointment with the D 4 I had to have another one and selected a Magnum 48 LE 2009. I only had one of these up to now and wasn't convinced back then. So it was time for me to revisit them.

Wrapper:

Nice, dark colorado with some veins, but overall pretty good looking. Almost has a velvety feel to it, certainly rougher and darker than my other Magnums.

Aroma/cold + draw:

Lovely smell of toasted tobacco and dark chocolate. Not too much flavour in the draw, mainly toasted tobacco also with a light saltiness on the lips. Perfect draw, slightly firm.

Opening:

Lovely opening, rich, creamy smoke and pure chocolate milk, sweetness and still a light saltiness in the aftertaste.

For drinks I changed to a Zacapa 23 because I assume it to be a much better match to the chocolatiness of the cigar.

1st third:

To the rich chocolate notes along comes some toasted bread. The smoke is still rich and creamy and I feel very light pepper through the nose. The saltiness has gone. This predominant chocolate is just beautiful and pairs wonderfully with the drink. The ash appears to be pretty dark.

2nd third:

The spice through the nose is growing stronger and the chocolate just stays strong. The burn is absolutely perfect, completely straight. Not much change in flavour but I feel some spice coming up. The first ash droppes of well into the second half, shortly after taking the picture. Look how it's almost as long as the rest of the cigar.

3rd third:

The chocolate draws slightly back while the toasted bread aspects come more to front. That rich and creamy smoke smoke is still very present, the cigar doesn't develop any harshness whatsoever. At this point I don't notice it to be a young cigar.

The cigar is turning a bit spicier, with some more savory aspects, like a touch of baked beans (don't know if I'm too far off there). The chocolate is getting darker. I also feel a little bitterness coming up, but it is not annoying at all.

Towards the end the chocolate is dying, being displaced by toasted tobacco flavour, aswell as a little nicotine and charcoal coming through - first sings of young age? I am still so enjoying this cigar that I have to smoke it to the nub.

Conclusion:

After my revisit to the Magnum 48 I have to change my initial thoughts about it. It is a fantastic cigar and surely worthy of buying a box of. It is not an overly complex cigar and doesn't take you on that flavour-journey. I also would have hoped and preferred it to be between the 46 and 50 in length (which any common-sensed person would expect it to be), but on its core flavours it just delivers damn good. The burn was perfect and the ash fell off only once during the whole smoke.

I'm not sure about the ageing potential of it and don't think that it will develop much more complexity throughout the years, probably just be a little more balanced and smoother towards the end. The thing about it is, that it is already pretty well balanced right now and for those who love rich chocolate in a cigar it is an absolute stunner that can be smoked right now with good concience.

I'm giving it a solid 91 with potential for a little more.

Cheers

Michael

[Dbone]

You've been busy micha. I have to agree with you on most of your notes on this lovely smoke. It's one of the best produced cigars from 09 Ive had. Top notch blend, even better construction.

Great pictures I'm heading out to grill din din, your review wet my appetites and I'm going to enjoy one of these on the patio.

[El Presidente]

Great review Mika

I enjoy the Mag 48. I know some people have found them bitter and I have also struck such examples however in the main they are as you have described. Wrapper is essential in these. There are boxes with rough dark wrappers and they are the ones I try to avoid.

[dicko]

great review!! i literally have some in the mail. I hope mine are good like yours. i like your ashtray

[micha]

You've been busy micha. I have to agree with you on most of your notes on this lovely smoke. It's one of the best produced cigars from 09 Ive had. Top notch blend, even better construction.

Great pictures I'm heading out to grill din din, your review wet my appetites and I'm going to enjoy one of these on the patio.

Hope you enjoyed it too!

Great review Mika

I enjoy the Mag 48. I know some people have found them bitter and I have also struck such examples however in the main they are as you have described. Wrapper is essential in these. There are boxes with rough dark wrappers and they are the ones I try to avoid.

Thanks Rob, I'm honoured. I'm learning from the best. Rough dark wrapper actually sounds a bit like the one I had, but mine was just perfect.

great review!! i literally have some in the mail. I hope mine are good like yours. i like your ashtray

Really? I can't even remember where that ashtray came from, could even be a cheap thing from IKEA. I've actually been meaning to buy me a proper one. I like the glass but the size is a little inconvenient, especially for larger cigars.

[CanuckSARTech]

Great review, Micha. Yeah, that wrapper definitely looked rough and crinkly. But, it's all in the taste.

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the review.

[micha]

Evening gentlemen, a quick follow up on the initial review:

Just had my second one from a couple of singles I bought from a local dealer and even if only a good week later it was better than the first one. The last third offered some more complexity and it totally lost the the slight bitterness and charcoal towards the end. I got some beautiful christmas cookie/almond biscuit flavours in the final third. I smoked it right down and didn't even wanted to put it away when my fingers almost burned. It just is a nubber! Becoming one of my favourite cigars right now and would be my top choice to hand to anyone who is new to cigars. I'd rate it at a solid 94.

Rob, Smithy if you come across an HQ or PSP box please, please, put me down for it.

Now I have to rinse my fingers with cold water...

[frenchkiwi]

good news - i had one of these a while ago (soon after their release) and it was all very woody, slightly sweet without being particularly impressive. So I put them away. Time to pull one out again then...

thanks for the update micha!

[investandprosper]

Great review Micha. I have a box of these put away for a while, with a couple of singles left from the last one. Love them.

[Guest rob]

great reviews, Micha!

I love this cigar... and have stocked up accordingly. The only EL I

have bought up in the last 2 years.