Cigar Tipsters
Podcast and Blog
H. Upmann Banker
www.hupmann.com
Cigar Tipsters Rating:
I am normally an evening smoker but today I decided an afternoon smoke sounded to good to pass up. The sun is out, it is 75 degrees with a breeze, and I really want to smoke... So here we are. I have with me the H. Upmann - The Banker, a very attractive cigar with money green cigar bands.
I chopped the top with my trusty Xikar cutter and toasted the foot with matches from my local cigar shop. After the first few puffs a bit of spice starts to make my lips tingle. Nice. The draw is perfect and I'm enjoying a subtle tobacco taste with an earthy finish. Neither the strength nor the body is overpowering, but they are both present, and I'm truly enjoying the first third.
As I smoke towards the center of the cigar I have picked up a few nutty notes, but earth and tobacco are still dominant. The spice feeling on my lips has faded but there is still some spice present on the exhale. A bitter note has crept in on the finish that reminds me of dark coffee.
In the back third the cigar grew a little bolder but the flavors remained the same. I would describe the cigar as medium body and medium-full in strength. If you are looking for a well-made cigar with an prominently earthy/tobacco flavor profile, give The Banker a shot.
7.9/10
Kirk Chalmers
Ian Chalmers
H. Upmann’s The BANKER Annuity is exactly what you’d expect from a 150 year old premium cigar manufacturer. The craftsmanship is perfect with a light oil shine and pristine construction, the Annuity is a 6x52 recreation of an H. Upmann original Cuban blend. The packaging and multi-layered bands provide a great presentation and the money green bands with gold filigree lettering fit the name well.
The Banker in Annuity has a smooth, open draw and my initial tastings were leather and earth with a moderate spice. The post-light draws were a tad harsh, but after 3 or 4 puffs the stick turned earthy and smooth.
The flavor profiles of the Annuity were pretty consistent with the first and final thirds providing a moderate spice with a strong, pleasant, but tangy earth. At the start of the 2nd third mark there was a smoothing out in the earth and leather flavors and a hint of sweetness, perhaps a chocolate, became apparent. This held on consistently until the final 3rd when we moved back to spice and earth.
The stick provided a great consistent ash which is what one would expect from an H. Upmann cigar. Overall, the stick met my expectations and would not hesitate a moment to light one up. For a reasonably priced smoke the BANKER Annuity will become one of my regular smokes.