Deep Dive: H. Upmann Connoisseur Number 1

[El Presidente]

 

A fan to many....a mystery for some. H. Upmann Connoisseur Number 1 

Rate them on the basis of how you prefer to smoke them.

Let's talk the Connie 1 

• Do you like  H. Upmann Connoisseur Number 1 ?
• Where does it stand in the ranks of the other existing Robusto/Hermoso 4?
• Have you noticed a blend/flavour/body change over the years? If so, approximately when?
• How long does it take you to smoke a  H. Upmann Connoisseur Number 1?
• Do the poll!

Salute the Connie 1  

[NSXCIGAR]

Love them.

Best Hermosos No. 4 (although a good Famosos can give it a run)

No blend change for at least 10 years

75-90 minute smoke for me.

Yes, I'm biased!

[targa88]

Best bang for the buck in the Upmann line up.

One of my favourites

[KCCubano]

Always been a favorite for many years. Still have some 2011 but have yet to sample 19, 20 or 21 boxes. 

[ElReyDel757]

Love them, need to top up my humidor actually.

[coug28]

If I could figure out how to make more room, without acquiring more storage to do so, this cigar would be at the tip top of the acquisition list. 

[JohnS]

Agreed, a great, dependable cigar. I need a top up of my humidor too!

[Çnote]

I haven't had the pleasure of one of these, how does it compare to an HUHC?

[99call]

A great cigar.     love the sweet almond creaminess. Quite an important cigar to get the wrapper right in my opinion.  Too dark and the blend becomes a bit muddled,  too light, then sweet almond becomes a bit more papery and tannic. 

[RDB]

I’ve only had one box, and from a code which some have found problematic: BRE OCT 17. After an awkward youth, they have come round really well in the last year. I am not the biggest Upmann fan, but I find them the ‘straightest’ tobacco flavour and quite hard to determine a lot of obviously distinct and ‘unusual’ flavours (compared to Monte chocolate, Romeo red fruit etc). But I’m on the lookout for another nice looking box, as per @99call’s good advice above.

[Chibearsv]

I've never had one that I recall.  Is it much different than a Mag 46?  I generally like the Upmann line but they sure have a lot of just slightly different cigars.  I'm not sure I need their entire portfolio in my humidor.  I stock the A, the 46, the #2, and Sir Winston (when available)  I won't vote officially on this one, but until I try one, I don't get it.

[jakebarnes]

3 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

I've never had one that I recall.  Is it much different than a Mag 46?  I generally like the Upmann line but they sure have a lot of just slightly different cigars.  I'm not sure I need their entire portfolio in my humidor.  I stock the A, the 46, the #2, and Sir Winston (when available)  I won't vote officially on this one, but until I try one, I don't get it.

I know you generally have the A. What draws you to that one? I really don't stock them consistently at all outside of Mag 46. 

[wine_junkie]

I agree with RDB as they do have a strong toasted tobacco tendency as their backbone with that sweet almond and nuttiness for the 1 and the rich custard on the 2 but then the B is to me what Trinidad promises in their tasting notes but I always end up getting mongrel and tea but the B is all cookie dough

 

Connie B is my favorite in that lineup…Mag 54 is nice as well but nothing puts lead in my pencil like the B and the Winston

[SCgarman]

Great cigar. Likely the best substitute for the axed Upmann PC, at least for me. What I don't get is the Conn#2 and Conn A. All similar sizes to the original Conn#1, but much more ridiculous pricing. Although the days of $200/box Conn#1 seem light years in the past. I will still buy the Conn#1 over any other Upmann hands down.

[Chibearsv]

1 hour ago, jakebarnes said:

I know you generally hvae the A. What draws you to that one? I really don't stock them consistently at all outside of Mag 46. 

It's a very well balanced cigar with a lot of flavor.  Has the straw/hay barnyard that I really like.  A good #2 has it too, but not as flavorful or complex.

[HDGSN]

PLM MAY 11 still haunts me. Magic.

[NSXCIGAR]

14 hours ago, SCgarman said:

What I don't get is the Conn#2 and Conn A.

I had quite a few Connie 2 when they first hit early last year. I wasn't impressed, although I loved the Bohemios vitola. I hadn't had another until a few weeks ago in Cuba when I grabbed a single from late 21 just for the hell of it. It was glorious. Smoked like a richer, smoother Connie 1. Second best cigar I had there next to a Siglo VI single. Yes, it was only one stick but I think the late 21s are worth a revisit. And at the Cuba price of $220 vs. $190 for the 1 I might be grabbing more 2s than 1s. 

Connie A to me has never regained the quality it had early on. After 2016 they just haven't had the richness the 13-15s had. They also seem to be heavier in that sourdough flavor which had been more balanced early on. 

 

[SCgarman]

11 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

I had quite a few Connie 2 when they first hit early last year. I wasn't impressed, although I loved the Bohemios vitola. I hadn't had another until a few weeks ago in Cuba when I grabbed a single from late 21 just for the hell of it. It was glorious. Smoked like a richer, smoother Connie 1. Second best cigar I had there next to a Siglo VI single. Yes, it was only one stick but I think the late 21s are worth a revisit. And at the Cuba price of $220 vs. $190 for the 1 I might be grabbing more 2s than 1s. 

Connie A to me has never regained the quality it had early on. After 2016 they just haven't had the richness the 13-15s had. They also seem to be heavier in that sourdough flavor which had been more balanced early on. 

 

Wow, sub $200/box for Conn#1 seems like ages ago. They are fetching much more than that now.

[NSXCIGAR]

On 4/30/2022 at 11:23 AM, SCgarman said:

Wow, sub $200/box for Conn#1 seems like ages ago. They are fetching much more than that now.

I know, the last time I was there in 2017 Connie 1 was $165/box but Rob was selling them for $170! Consequently I didn't buy any there. 

All the Hermosos No. 4 were sub-$200 just 4 years ago. 

[SCgarman]

11 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

I know, the last time I was there in 2017 Connie 1 was $165/box but Rob was selling them for $170! Consequently I didn't buy any there. 

All the Hermosos No. 4 were sub-$200 just 4 years ago. 

Last box of Conn#1 I bought were in July 2020. Paid $206/box. Should have bought 5 at that price. 

[Kaptain Karl]

1 hour ago, SCgarman said:

Last box of Conn#1 I bought were in July 2020. Paid $206/box. Should have bought 5 at that price. 

It was a bummer they disappeared for a year. I don’t think there was any (or very few) with a 20 box code. 

[Hammer Smokin']

The Conny 1 is my favourite robustos. (well, aside from the CoRo)

It's the perfect cigar.

[SCgarman]

2 hours ago, Kaptain Karl said:

It was a bummer they disappeared for a year. I don’t think there was any (or very few) with a 20 box code. 

These are BRE 19

[Kaptain Karl]

42 minutes ago, SCgarman said:

These are BRE 19

Yup I think that was the last of them for a year until they came back out in 2021 codes. Maybe there were a few but I never saw em on 24:24. 
Im smoking a ‘21 now and it’s fantastic!

[LLC]

I’m about half way through my first box and really enjoying them. I will be looking for more.