H. Upmann is one of the old guard names in the cigar world, dating back to 1844 when Hermann Upmann, a German banker in Havana, began blending cigars alongside his financial ventures. The brand has long carried a reputation for refinement rather than brute strength, often associated with creamy texture and balanced character. This modern collaboration with AJ Fernandez represents a different chapter in that story. Produced in Nicaragua under Fernandez’s direction, it marries the historic H. Upmann name with AJ’s reputation for bold, earthy Nicaraguan profiles. The result is not a reinvention but a reinterpretation. It feels like the old crest stamped onto new soil. In the Toro vitola, this cigar settles in with a steady rhythm. The opening third leans into toasted cedar and warm bread, followed by black pepper and roasted nuts. As it develops, the Nicaraguan core asserts itself with earth, leather, and a subtle sweetness that lingers on the retrohale. It is structured without being harsh, flavorful without becoming chaotic. Smoked at a lounge bar, ash holding firm and burn line steady, it carries that balance of heritage and horsepower that makes collaborations worth revisiting.
H. Upmann by AJ Fernandez
H. Upmann is one of the old guard names in the cigar world, dating back to 1844 when Hermann Upmann, a German banker in Havana, began blending cigars alongside his financial ventures. The brand has long carried a reputation for refinement rather than brute strength, often associated with creamy texture and balanced character. This modern collaboration with AJ Fernandez represents a different chapter in that story. Produced in Nicaragua under Fernandez’s direction, it marries the historic H. Upmann name with AJ’s reputation for bold, earthy Nicaraguan profiles. The result is not a reinvention but a reinterpretation. It feels like the old crest stamped onto new soil. In the Toro vitola, this cigar settles in with a steady rhythm. The opening third leans into toasted cedar and warm bread, followed by black pepper and roasted nuts. As it develops, the Nicaraguan core asserts itself with earth, leather, and a subtle sweetness that lingers on the retrohale. It is structured without being harsh, flavorful without becoming chaotic. Smoked at a lounge bar, ash holding firm and burn line steady, it carries that balance of heritage and horsepower that makes collaborations worth revisiting.