H. Upmann Connoisseur Number 1 (2017/18) 12DCRC

[mt1]

I'm not a big H. Upmann fan generally, I've only really enjoyed the Noellas while the other have all generally been okay to bad.  They always seem to start off too spicy/peppery to me.

Alas, the Connie 1 was in the sampler so I decided to give it another go and was pleasantly surprised.

The cold draw was earthy and woody, as expected, some cedar wood that has that tinge of spice.  I must say, the cigar that came in my sampler was really nicely rolled and the wrapper was very pretty.  Supple yet thick enough not to crack easily and just the right amount of sheen and color to show that it's not a dead wrapper.

The first draw was immediately cedar wood with white pepper.  It's not my favorite but I have plenty of friends who love H. Upmanns.  I think it's just that the flavor is not my favorite.  An inch of so in, the peppers die down and are replaced by some faint leather notes while the wood flavors become more intense.  I pair it down with a sweet soft drink that heavy wood flavors.

What was once a cedar wood seems to have developed into a stronger, more heavy wood flavor, as opposed to the crispness of cedar.

I didn't expect to get this far in this cigar, but once the peppers had been subdued, I found myself quite enjoying the smooth flavors.  That very heavy wood became a more balanced wood flavor in the last third that I liked a lot.  Unfortunately for me, the white peppers came back near the end which were slightly less enjoyable than without but the rich wood notes made it all bearable and worth it.  I'm not sure I will be going out of my way to smoke more Connie No. 1's but at least I think I wouldn't turn one down the next time its offered.  I've tried this cigar a dozen or so times and this was the first time it was memorable.  My previous experiences ranged from horrible to acceptable in the circumstances, so maybe my palate is changing or maybe Rob hooked it up with a particularly good sample.  Either way, my opinion of this cigar has changed (for the better).