Cigar Review: The Banker by H. Upmann

• Vitola: Annuity
• 6” x 54 ring gauge 
• MSRP ~$8.00
• Sample provided by local Altadis rep

Background

I have to admit to letting my preconceptions prevent me from even trying this cigar for a very long time. When I first heard about The Banker from H. Upmann, I figured, “Meh, another generic Altadis brand that will be ‘okay, but not great.’” So I pretty much ignored it when it hit the shelves a few years back and then forgot about it. Until Burns’ Altadis rep came in and did a little Friday night event a couple months ago, that is. He handed each of us working a 3-pack of H. Upmann cigars…a variety of their different blends. I honestly have to say I didn’t care for the 1844 Reserve or Vintage Cameroon, but The Banker took me completely by surprise. Enough so, that I saved another sample that he gave me for review time.

Here’s “the story” from the Altadis website:

In 1844, German bankers Carl and Herman Upmann traveled to Cuba where they created an exceptionally unique cigar. They securely locked it away in their vaults to be gifted to their most important clients.

Now, 170 years later, that award-winning blend has been recreated in The Banker by H. Upmann. Enjoy the rich, full-flavored and spicy profile with a robust body and aroma.

First, I have to say…”that award-winning blend has been recreated” is kind of a load of marketing BS. Undoubtedly, the version of the H. Upmann created in Cuba in 1844 was mostly (if not all) Cuban tobacco…and there is none in this version. Also, the differences in growing, cultivation, fermentation and aging practices in the last 170 years would mean that even if this were all Cuban leaf, it likely wouldn’t be much the same as what was done then.

To be exact, The Banker uses Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers, a Nicaraguan binder, and an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. It is made in 3 vitolas in Altadis’ Dominican factory. This review is based on the second time I’ve smoked the blend; both samples were provided by my local Altadis rep.

Prelight

The primary band of The Banker certainly exudes an “old world” look with the embossed gold decorations on a green background. The foot band really doesn’t add any information or vital decoration to the proceedings…it just kind of holds the white sheath in place and frames it at the bottom. The white sheath in question is a mostly opaque piece of paper with booze printing and embossing. The whole package as a whole is attractive, although I can see how the design could have been pushed a little more to be more appealing than it is. And it’s a bit wasteful, too…the bands are attached to the sheath in a way that makes one take the whole thing off as a unit (although I ended up taking off the foot band first), but then there’s another regular band underneath that stays on. If the paper sheath and foot band imparted more information or a significant amount of attractiveness to the whole, I would understand…but they really don’t.

The wrapper leaf is a dark chocolate brown in color with a good amount of oiliness and a strong aroma of leather, earth and anise. The foot had more anise, along with cedar and coffee notes. The cold draw was good. I got cold flavors of cedar and earth, with a touch of modeling glue (hey, call ‘em as I see ‘em).

Flavor

So, despite that “modeling glue” note in pre-light, when I actually fired up the cigar, the flavors were quite good. I got an immediate earth and leather note, followed by cedar and some black pepper on the palate. The retrohale featured red pepper and a roasted nut note. The body was medium-to-full right from the start and the overall experience was generally pleasant without overwhelming the senses. As I got toward the end of the first third, some anise worked its way into the mix along with a subtle citrus sweetness, all while the pepper diminished a bit.

The second third featured stronger notes of anise, mixed with earth and leather. The cedar flavor had receded into the background with the pepper. The citrus notes continued along in the middle, providing a nice amount of balance.

The last third was full-bodied and earthy, with notes of coffee and a resurgence of pepper on the palate. Leather and cedar notes were toward the finish and the sweetness just hung on a bit.

Construction

Both samples of The Banker that I smoked had a very good draw, solid ash and even-enough burn line.

Value

The price tag on these is very wallet-friendly for such a good, solid smoking experience.

Conclusions

If you haven’t heard it before: I love being surprised. The Banker by H. Upmann surprised me by being much more flavorful and full-bodied than anything I would have expected from the brand. It had a complexity that was very enjoyable and a price tag that my wallet likes very much. If you like full-bodied Nicaraguan blends and haven’t tried The Banker, you really should.

By-The-Numbers

Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10