2005/12/09
H Upmann Petite Corona
Very well constructed.. examined under magnifying glass, the head showing absolutely wonderful layering of wrapper, binder and filler. The foot showing 4/5 rings perfectly smooth seal. Easy to cut a very small part of the foot (less than 0.5 mm) with double cutter. Everything hanging together tight. Slight and expected crushing noise on the light squeeze, no spring effect. Even colour, very minor veins, relief very well and smoothly flattened (slight stitching effect on the vein apparent). Blemish present on the surface about 1 mm in diameter 1 cm from the head. This could be mould, but I examined a full layer of the cigars around and a layer underneath where I picked it up from my humidor and could find not other taints. The blemish was a circular (worrying - could be mold/bacterial) but without any relief to it, so I am not sure. The color was just a slightly lighter colour with maybe a very light tinge of green seemingly to the wrapper itself rather than on its surface.
The aroma prior to lighting what you would like from a cigar of this type.. toasted hints already present prior to lighting it.
On first lighting, a bit grassy, but within a 1 cm burn this cigar settled down and became much sweeter,indeed developing the remembered and expected full cocoa flavour topped with a mild coffee flavour. The grassy taste diminished and balanced the beans flavors extremely well. Within the first cm there also was an earthy flavour that disappointingly disappeared, as it was one of those delightful moist earth type flavour that so well complements the grassy side of things.
This cigar had to be smoked.. Leaving it too long between draws would undoubtedly let it out.
Smoking it is a very enjoyable experience and it seems to go through alternative stages on the taste side (slightly bitter/ slightly sweet and repeat), but the the aroma is consistently sweet for the first half at least. I am writing this as I am smoking it.
The smoke is neither heavy, it doesn't linger around my goatee when pushed out by the tongue, (goes down), neither does it spin upward.. it is an horizontal smoke so I would call it half creamy on the smoke side.
As it is left in the ash tray between tokens, the grassy aroma is really apparent together with the coffee and cocoa, more of the latter than the former, but this grassy smell, which I don't usually find appealing, in this cigar is, as it is far from overpowering or verging on hay.. lol, and I am really enjoying it for a change.
I guess balanced and a dynamic (ie. constantly changing hovering around its median) taste would have to be what I really like about this cigar. It offers a nice variety of flavors/taste/aromas in turn but never deviating far from its balanced essence. It is far from a full-bodied cigar, I would rate it as mild to medium. Another excellent beginner cigar yet very Cuban in its flavours and balance.
The ashes are a middle grey white colour, firm and hold reasonably.
After being smoked more than 2/3 of the way, this cigar gains some body, but again it just keeps on making itself interesting as you smoke it. There are absolutely not tart or overbearing tastes within 2 cm of the foot. Unless you only tolerate very mild to medium cigars this is a knuckle burner, never deviating from its balance.
Light well, easily, even burn and has firm ashes
Appearance & Construction (15) 10 (penalty for the blemish.. should anything be wrong within my humidor, I will correct on this thread)
Flavour (25) 20
Smoking Characteristics (25) 21
Overall Impression (35) 27
Total (100) 78
I am seeking comments/encouragements as a newbie on this forum
PS Complemented with a Clare Valley 2000 Cabernet
H Upmann Petite Corona
Very well constructed.. examined under magnifying glass, the head showing absolutely wonderful layering of wrapper, binder and filler. The foot showing 4/5 rings perfectly smooth seal. Easy to cut a very small part of the foot (less than 0.5 mm) with double cutter. Everything hanging together tight. Slight and expected crushing noise on the light squeeze, no spring effect. Even colour, very minor veins, relief very well and smoothly flattened (slight stitching effect on the vein apparent). Blemish present on the surface about 1 mm in diameter 1 cm from the head. This could be mould, but I examined a full layer of the cigars around and a layer underneath where I picked it up from my humidor and could find not other taints. The blemish was a circular (worrying - could be mold/bacterial) but without any relief to it, so I am not sure. The color was just a slightly lighter colour with maybe a very light tinge of green seemingly to the wrapper itself rather than on its surface.
The aroma prior to lighting what you would like from a cigar of this type.. toasted hints already present prior to lighting it.
On first lighting, a bit grassy, but within a 1 cm burn this cigar settled down and became much sweeter,indeed developing the remembered and expected full cocoa flavour topped with a mild coffee flavour. The grassy taste diminished and balanced the beans flavors extremely well. Within the first cm there also was an earthy flavour that disappointingly disappeared, as it was one of those delightful moist earth type flavour that so well complements the grassy side of things.
This cigar had to be smoked.. Leaving it too long between draws would undoubtedly let it out.
Smoking it is a very enjoyable experience and it seems to go through alternative stages on the taste side (slightly bitter/ slightly sweet and repeat), but the the aroma is consistently sweet for the first half at least. I am writing this as I am smoking it.
The smoke is neither heavy, it doesn't linger around my goatee when pushed out by the tongue, (goes down), neither does it spin upward.. it is an horizontal smoke
so I would call it half creamy on the smoke side.As it is left in the ash tray between tokens, the grassy aroma is really apparent together with the coffee and cocoa, more of the latter than the former, but this grassy smell, which I don't usually find appealing, in this cigar is, as it is far from overpowering or verging on hay.. lol, and I am really enjoying it for a change.
I guess balanced and a dynamic (ie. constantly changing hovering around its median) taste would have to be what I really like about this cigar. It offers a nice variety of flavors/taste/aromas in turn but never deviating far from its balanced essence. It is far from a full-bodied cigar, I would rate it as mild to medium. Another excellent beginner cigar yet very Cuban in its flavours and balance.
The ashes are a middle grey white colour, firm and hold reasonably.
After being smoked more than 2/3 of the way, this cigar gains some body, but again it just keeps on making itself interesting as you smoke it. There are absolutely not tart or overbearing tastes within 2 cm of the foot. Unless you only tolerate very mild to medium cigars this is a knuckle burner, never deviating from its balance.
Light well, easily, even burn and has firm ashes
Appearance & Construction (15) 10 (penalty for the blemish.. should anything be wrong within my humidor, I will correct on this thread)
Flavour (25) 20
Smoking Characteristics (25) 21
Overall Impression (35) 27
Total (100) 78
I am seeking comments/encouragements as a newbie on this forum
PS Complemented with a Clare Valley 2000 Cabernet
. 