Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan
Size: 6 x 54 “Magnum”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $4.75 by the box. $7 by the single.

This cigar was introduced at IPCPR in 2010.

Robb Report named the H. Upmann Sun Grown cigar to its highly prestigious “Best of the Best” list in 2011.
“If we gave an award for the cigar we would most like to smoke on the golf course, this would be it,” said Robb Report. The publication goes on to describe the cigar as complex with a flavor that “strikes a wonderful balanced middle ground.”

(Oh no. They lumped this cigar in with Macanudo.)

H. Upmann Sun Grown is handcrafted at the acclaimed La Flor de Copan factory in Honduras and features a sweet and flavorful sun-grown wrapper from Ecuador. The cigar was created by José Seijas, described by Robb Report as “a master blender with the finesse of a five-star chef.”
A spokesperson from Altadis U.S.A. added, “H. Upmann Sun Grown exemplifies this esteemed brand’s 167 year tradition of excellence.”

Construction is good except for the extremely large veins running the length of the cigar. See photos.

The stick is fairly solid with the proper amount of give. It appears to have a single or double cap. The cap is done impeccably and it is hard to tell.

The wrapper has a nice coffee bean color. Some oiliness. And a nice amount of tooth.

I clip the cap and find aromas of spice, sweet baking spices, honeysuckle, cocoa, and cedar.
Time to light up.

The first puffs are full of chocolate. And sweetness. There is a fruitiness which will make its self definitively known later. Red pepper begins to show up. The draw is very good and the char line is slightly wavy.

Clearly the cigar is not as solidly packed as thought. In only 10 minutes, I have burned down close to an inch and a half of cigar.
The ash is those rare entities in cigar smoking. Snow white.

Flavors are as follows: Sweetness, cocoa, red pepper, honey, cedar, and leather.

At this point, they are not very expressive. But here I go again lamenting the size of the cigar and what it brings to the table. In this case, I consider a 6 x 54 a big cigar. I betcha’ a dollar that the robusto is an immediate flavor bomb with more character up front. But as always, this stick was a gift. I make it clear that I don’t like big cigars any longer and people send me big sticks. I swear it is some sort of conspiratorial inside joke.

I know you look cooler with a big honker coming out of your mouth…..(what did I say?).

But if you are willing to trade looking cool for flavor, God speed.

The large cigars tease you with the potential of its blender’s intent. While the smaller cigar delivers on that promise. So based on that theory, I am only getting a slight wedge of insight on this cigar’s potential.

I’ve had a 5 pack of these sitting in my humidor for months. So it should be rarin’ to go.

I begin the second third and there seems to be hope on the horizon. The flavors brighten. They are bolder. The lineup of flavors and their order have not changed though. Nothing interesting has been added to the profile.

It’s a little spicier which makes me happy.

The char line has been perfect. A nice surprise. The best I’ve seen in dozens of reviews.

That fruit taste I couldn’t identify earlier is blackberry..or maybe even boysenberry. I got my fill of boysenberry jam as a kid because of Knott’s Berry Farm being so close in Buena Park, CA. Walter Knott invented the berry. They are a cross of the blackberry, the raspberry and the loganberry. Actually, Walter took over the propagating of that species of berry after original designer Rudolph Boysen gave up. The Knott’s started out with a road side stand and it grew in to the massive amusement park. Famous for their fried chicken dinners.

I later went on to work there part time as the steamboat captain in high school and part of college. Man, did that job get me laid. No shit.
Where was I? That’s right, the cigar.

I am at the halfway point and the cigar has gone from being medium body during the first third to medium/full at this point.

I know this cigar got a lot of “awards,” but it’s a good thing I wasn’t on any judging panel. I should be patient. Maybe the last third will sway me.
The flavors are exactly the same. Bolder, yes. But nothing really impressive. But let’s face it, the H. Upmann brand isn’t what most of us consider our go-to cigar.

Creaminess shows up. Something about that component that signals the rise of character in a cigar.

The cocoa and creaminess are strong enough to warrant a Diet Coke to accompany the smoke. The berry flavor gets stronger. This is a very nice combination. Nothing like a Nicaraguan cigar. It is a nice change up.

Most certainly, it is the last half of the cigar that everything ratchets up. Flavors are bordering on exciting. The nuance and finesse of the flavor profile kick into gear. I have found the sweet spot.

The last third begins and I have been hacking away at this cigar for over an hour and 15 minutes. It started off burning quickly and then slowed down at the half.

This portion of the cigar is a real pleasure. Which tells me that a smaller version will get to its sweet spot in the first third, not the last.
The cigar comes in 5 sizes: Churchill (7×54), Corona (5.5×44), Lancero (7.5×40), Short Churchill (Robusto) (4.5×54). I might be looking to find the robusto on Cbid. At the moment, only this size is being auctioned off in singles and the bidding is already at $6 with a day and a half to go. Dumb bidders ruin Cbid for everyone.

The flavor profile can be best described as luscious. The honey and sweetness are really flying high forcing the creaminess, berry, cocoa, and cedar to step up.

The cigar band is quite ornate. And huge. It comes off beautifully. I hate ripping off bands because there was too much glue applied.

The last few inches are dramatically different than the first half. It is at uber flavor bomb status. My only criticism is that I had to dredge through one half of the cigar before the flavor and character became impressive.
I recommend this cigar, but not in this size. If you are intrigued, get the robusto.

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS