As an early fall cookout was winding down, I ushered some of my partaking guests up to my deck where I premiered a newly acquired box of 25 H Upmann 1844 Vintage Cameroon Robusto cigars. These were given by a generous local source that requested anonymity, but to which much thanks was given and with the promise of a full report.
Authenticity Seal
H Upmann 1844 Vintage Cameroon Robusto
These cigars are produced in the Dominican Republic using Dominican, Nicaraguan, & Peruvian Filler Tobaccos, a Nicaraguan Binder, and a rarely seen 1st Grade African Cameroon Wrapper, which heralds back to the heyday of H Upmann, before the cigar boon of the early nineties, after which recipes seemed cheaper, and quality harder to determine. The Robustos measure a five inch length and a Ring Gauge of 52. Cigar Insiders gave these Upmann’s an average score of 91.
In Hand
They come wonderfully boxed with thin cedar dividers, one on top and one between the two hearty layers of individually plastic-wrapped cigars. Each one has three paper label wrappers and a cedar sleeve, which when used to light these beauties, gave the first couple of puffs that great cedar flavor.
There is a noticeably fine draw from the very first light and it gave off a fog-like gray smoke that wasn’t shy. The Cameroon stayed lit a long time, and had a slow, almost deliberate and even burn, with an ash that would put Andy Capp’s to shame.
About mid way through, the strong taste and aroma of fine hardwood and nuts was evident. The taste went well beyond the “medium-bodied” characterization given by other reviewers. You are smoking a Cigar Smoker’s cigar here. This is not an entry level rope, and should not to be confused with H Upmann’s more popular, lighter, smoother offerings. Overall, it was an enjoyable, fragrant, and tasty smoking experience, however I did find myself letting it rest in the ashtray a little longer than some of my favorites. The tail-end of the burn, somewhat mercifully relented to a softer faint mocha finish.
We paired the H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon Robustos with a rare yet equally tasty liqueur from Hungary called ZWACK. This herb based beverage has been made in Budapest for nearly 220 years. It is dark brown in color not unlike Germany’s Jagermeister, but it is less pungent and “mediciney” on the tongue. It tastes more along the line of an original Riccola throat lozenge. Zwack is sweet and has a pleasant burnt caramel flavor, that nicely offset the bold presence of the Cameroon.
Zwack
My guests were mixed as to their opinions on the cigar choice. I found that two; Joe and his Dad, whom both dabble more frequently in the tobacco realm, tended to like the Upmann’s more than did the other two guys, who did not smoke nearly as often. One of the latter I must admit, looked a bit green halfway through. The voting was unanimous though about the drink choice. Everyone loved the Zwack, having never tried it before, save yours truly. And all did agree that the pairing of the two was very apropos.
Cameroon Crew
Stay tuned for more cigar/beverage pairings and reviews from Jak Jericho, right here at StogieNight.com, where it’s always the right time for a fine cigar, and every night is Stogie Night. For more photos from this Smoke Sample check out our flickr page.
Jak Jericho