H Upmann 180th Anniversary Review — H. Upmann 180th Anniversary Churchill

Today, we review the H. Upmann 180th Anniversary in the Churchill release. In 2024, the H. Upmann brand celebrated its 180th anniversary. To mark the occasion, Altadis U.S.A. would release a special cigar line in honor of that milestone. Five years ago, Altadis released the H. Upmann 175th Anniversary cigar, which was produced in collaboration with AJ Fernandez and Rafael Nodal of Altadis. The cigar was highlighted by a specially fermented Medio Tiempo (high priming) wrapper. Five years later, Fernandez and Nodal once again collaborate – this time for the 180th. This is a cigar that still uses the specially fermented Medio Tiempo wrapper, but features an entirely different blend. The 180th Anniversary made its debut at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show.

The H. Upmann has its origins back in Cuba, where founder Hermann Upmann opened his first cigar factory in 1844. He was a German banker who, in 1844, went to Havana, Cuba, and invested in a cigar factory, which later became the H. Upmann brand. The company went bankrupt in 1922, and the name (and production) was eventually acquired by Menendez y Garcia Co., the company that made Montecristo. The Cuban Revolution led to the nationalization of Cuban cigar companies, including H. Upmann. As a result, Menendez and Garcia would relocate the brand to the Canary Islands, then to the Dominican Republic. The brand would eventually come under the ownership of Altadis. This is why there is a Cuban H. Upmann and a non-Cuban H. Upmann brand.

Without further ado, let’s break down the H. Upmann 180th Anniversary and see what this cigar brings to the table.

H. Upmann 180th Anniversary Churchill – Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

Including the Medio Tiempo wrapper, the tobaccos used in the H. Upmann 180th Anniversary are all Nicaraguan in origin. Production comes from AJ Fernandez’s main factory located in Estelí, Nicaragua.

Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory:Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A.

Vitolas Offered

The original H. Upmann 175th Anniversary was offered in a 50 x 7 Churchill size. For the 180th, the 50 x 7 Churchill returns. In addition, there is also a Toro size. The Churchill comes in ten-count boxes. As for the Toro, it is available in a special, limited-edition humidor containing 50 cigars. A total of 5,000 Churchill boxes and 180 limited-edition humidors were produced.

H. Upmann 180th Anniversary Churchill Box (Left), Box of the H Upmann 180th Anniversary Toro Humidor (Right)

Appearance

The Medio Tiempo Nicaraguan wrapper of the 180th Anniversary Churchill had a rich, milk chocolate color. There wasn’t much in the way of oils on the surface of this wrapper. Despite the darker color, some subtle mottling on the surface of the wrapper remains visible. There was also a slight amount of toothiness on the wrapper’s surface. The wrapper exhibited some visible veins. For the most part, the dark wrapper color minimized the amount of visible seams.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw

A straight cut was used to commence the cigar experience of the 180th Anniversary Churchill. Following that, the paper cap around the footer was removed, and it was time for the pre-light draw. The cold draw delivered notes of cocoa and earth along with a slight baker’s spice. Overall, this was an excellent pre-light draw experience. At this point, it was time to toast up the footer of the 180th Anniversary Churchill and commence with the smoking phase.

Tasting Notes

The 180th Anniversary continued with notes of cocoa, earth, and baker’s spice found on the pre-light draw. In addition, a sarsaparilla sweetness emerged. The sarsaparilla sweetness and cocoa notes took center stage early on. The earth and baker’s spice settled in the background. As the cigar progressed through the first third, some natural tobacco notes emerged in the forefront, complemented by sarsaparilla and cocoa. Meanwhile, some mixed pepper emerged in the background with the earth and baker’s spice. The retro-hale delivers extra layers of pepper and baker’s pie.

As the 180th Anniversary entered the second third, the natural tobacco and sarsaparilla remained the primary notes. The cocoa notes receded into the background, accompanied by earth, baker’s spice, and pepper. By the midway point, the natural tobacco took over as the primary note, and the sarsaparilla joined the other secondary notes in the background. Meanwhile, the pepper took control of the retrohale.

The final third saw a marked increase in pepper on the tongue. While it didn’t overpower the flavor profile, it moved pretty close to the forefront. Meanwhile, the notes of cocoa, earth, sarsaparilla, and baker’s spice rounded out the flavor profile. This is the way the 180th Anniversary came to a close. The resulting nub was slightly soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn

There was some excellent construction on the 180th Anniversary Churchill, and this reflected nicely on the burn score. The cigar maintained a straight burn path and straight burn line with minimal touch-ups. The resulting ash was on the firm side. This was an ash with a salt-and-pepper complexion. Meanwhile, the burn rate and burn temperature were ideal.

Draw

The draw also reflected the excellent construction. This was a draw with a slight amount of resistance, which was ideal in my book. At the same time, this was a low-maintenance cigar to derive flavor from.

Strength and Body

The 180th Anniversary Churchill started with medium strength and medium-bodied flavors. Initially, the body had an edge in terms of strength. As the cigar progressed, both attributes intensified. By the second half, the strength and body moved into medium to full territory. It was also at this point that the strength took the edge over the body. As the 180th Anniversary Churchill entered the final third, both attributes moved into full territory, with the strength holding a slight edge.

BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES

Everything about the presentation of the H. Upmann 180th Anniversary shines. In particular, I like the gold and white band with the blue accents around it. The box offers a historical perspective on the H. Upmann brand, which is something else that I appreciate.

Box of the H Upmann 180th Anniversary Churchill — Box of the H. Upmann 180th Anniversary Churchill

One thing I like is the paper footer cap. This is something I’ve seen Altadis do before, and it was featured on the H. Upmann 175th Anniversary. I prefer this to a footer ribbon.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed the original 175th Anniversary cigar, so when I heard about the 180th Anniversary release, I was excited but a bit skeptical. After all, sequel cigars have a big task ahead – they need to outdo the original. In the case of the H. Upmann 180th Anniversary Churchill, it successfully fulfills this challenge. AJ Fernandez and Rafael Nodal have done an outstanding job with this release, delivering an incredible blend with unique, complex, and well-balanced flavors. I would recommend this cigar to more seasoned cigar enthusiasts, as it does have a stronger profile. Personally, this is a cigar I would not only buy or smoke again, but I also consider it special enough to be worthy of purchasing a full box.

Summary

Key Flavors: Cocoa, Natural Tobacco, Sarsaparilla, Baker’s Spice, Earth, Pepper
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium Plus
Strength: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (Early 2nd Half), Full (Remainder)
Body: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (Early 2nd Half), Full (Remainder)
Finish: Very Good