Connoisseur’s Corner: H. Upmann Coronas Major Tubo (circa 1958)
Imagine going to one of the fanciest stores in New York City and not only finding cigars for sale, but cigars with the name of the establishment on the band. This pre-Castro H. Upmann comes from the long-gone humidor of Saks Fifth Avenue. It’s small, a little more than five inches long, with a 42 ring gauge, and the draw is effortless. The flavor is quite dusty at first, and it takes inches to get going. About halfway in it gets stronger, revealing wood and buttercream notes, some pencil lead and slate and a light earthy quality. Far from its peak, but a reminder of a lost day and age. —David Savona
This is an extraordinary aged cigar, and a perfect example of the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona. A beautiful, light colorado wrapper and perfect construction lead to a flawless draw and burn. At the outset, there’s a solid core of coffee bean flavors, and then, as the cigar warms up, a sweet nutmeg note appears on the palate. A truly beautiful, medium-bodied cigar with lots of years left. —Gordon Mott
The yellowed cellophane on this petit corona gives away its considerable age, but the dark, reddish wrapper seems to still have as much oil as it did the day the cigar was rolled. Its power was untempered by the years and remains remarkably strong, with chili pepper, licorice and leather layered over tons of hard wood and dark chocolate. A flavor bomb that’s showing no signs of slowing down. —David Savona
This is one of Cuba’s thicker formats at 5 1/8 inches long by a hefty 55 ring gauge. Strong from the first puff, this six-year-old is a fine performer, with an excellent draw and a dead-even burn. Hard wood and licorice are complemented by notes of hazelnut and chocolate for a rich Nutella effect. The finish is long. We scored this 92 on release and it has improved with time. —David Savona
