Appearance
A dark chocolate colored wrapper with a couple of prominent veins. The seams are tightly wrapped. It has a nice oily sheen. The filler bunch is well packed with no apparent soft spots.
Aroma
Earth, dried fruit, cedar and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Earth, chocolate, lush red fruit, cedar and spice at the foot.
Prelight Draw
Earth, lush red fruit, cedar, licorice and spice.
1st
The initial draws bring notes of cedar with earthy notes in the background and a tiny bit of spice as well. The draw is effortless. Burn is near perfect. The ash is medium gray and stacked. The burn just started getting all wavy. Subtle red and black cherry notes join the profile. There is a chocolatey note under the cherry notes. Strength is medium. Smoke production is at the medium range. Burn has almost fully self corrected. The ash held firm and straight until removal.
2nd
The flavorful profile moves into the 2nd/3rd. No changes in the 2nd/3rd. The finish is long with notes of cedar, earth, red fruit with emphasis on cherry notes, chocolate and a cinnamon spice. Well balanced profile. Strength moves to med/full.
Final/3rd
Other than some salty notes there are no changes well into the final/3rd. The burn gets a bit wonky in the 2nd half of the final/3rd. The profile remains consistent right to the nub.
Overall
The H Upmann 175th Anniversary Churchill provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A well balanced and flavorful profile with an effortless draw and mildly erratic burn.
What started out as a complex smoke in the 1st/3rd became a consistent albeit lackluster smoke from the 2nd/3rd thru to the final draws. A bit disappointed as I was expecting more as I got into the 1st/3rd.
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