H. Upmann No. 2 Cigar of the Year Review!

Reviewing the 2022 cigar of the year, from the exact same May 2022 box date!
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[@BrutusMaximusAurelius]

Nice to see you back! The first cigar I ever smoked was an Upmann so it always has a special place in my heart. Have smoked this one but it’s been a while back. They were already hard to get and probably impossible now. Good review!

[@StogieLads]

Thank you so much man! Yeah these will probably end up being quite overproduced. I'll take a Magnum 46 any day of the week!

[@Cryptolawz]

Mine to in late 1990's h.upmann always will have a special place in my heart ❤🎉❤

[@RyanGazling]

Balanced review, especially without leaning too much on palette preference. I had a H.U 2 this year that was above average for a youngish Cuban and can relate every bit to this review - especially having to grit/bin the last 3rd 😅

[@StogieLads]

Appreciate it man! Yeah age will definitely do these more justice.

[@greggathy3810]

Just bought one of these from EGM and it’s enroute. How long do you think I should let it age before smoking it? Thanks 🙏

[@heradio1000]

great review. I feel we get your honest opinion and not a paid one. Great work.

[@StogieLads]

Thanks man, that means a lot to hear!

[@mrdeeds2498]

I literally have just smoked this cigar, I'm in Australia and it cost me $84 aud for the single. I have the exact same experience as you. I came on here to see if i could find some reviews and came across your channel 👍

[@yesyes3240]

we get so ripped off here

[@drunkgirls111]

I can supply for cheaper pm me

[@henryhenry5897]

It’s like 50 cad for those but do taste good. I found same the draw sucks half into it would the draw tool fix it ? Or how long aging would it need to fix the issue ?

[@ludovicofusco1404]

I also had the pleasure to smoke a H.Upmann no.2 from this year, and I didn't have any of the issues you are describing, however I found the last third being pretty flat, and overall definitely not a 98 point worth cigar. I am wondering if the factory that you smoked the cigar from, it's the same as the CA cigars came from...that could make a lot of difference

[@StogieLads]

Yeah the factory will definitely have a difference too. Unfortunately CA only publishes the date of the box, so we'll never know!

[@grower1783]

Great that you were able to get and smoke one, disappointed in the way it smoked. I often wonder if there’s more to the CA top 25 than we know. Enjoy watching your reviews.

[@StogieLads]

Yeah the CA top 25 will forever be a controversial topic I think! Really glad you enjoy the reviews man. Thank you!

[@SippersSocialClub]

Love the review, just sub'd to your channel, cheers! Cigar Aficionado top 25 is a joke and shouldn't have the consideration it does. This year was especially underwhelming as you see so many of the same cigars on it. How many cigars make the list that were release in the calendar year, or even in the last couple years? They give the top 25 to a lot of producers that advertise in their magazine.

[@StogieLads]

Thank you for the sub and the kind words! Yeah the list is definitely not the most inspiring nowadays. I would have liked to see the Olmec on it this year for example!

[@SippersSocialClub]

@@StogieLads Not many (if any) boutique brands get represented on the list which is a shame.

[@SippersSocialClub]

This or Monte No2?

[@StogieLads]

Tough question! I think they can both be incredible cigars when at their peak. Upmann has a lighter profile though and the Monte 2 is a little more challenging and complex, so it would depend on your mood I'd say!

[@mariosantos4706]

Congratulations. You did a great review. Keep it up. keep smoking my Friend . keep smoking

[@StogieLads]

Thank you so much man!

[@christianoliver3572]

I've been smoking these for years and they used to be an amazing value. Now they've not just doubled the price but nobody has any in stock anyway.

[@ethanharris8000]

Only had one box of these upman 2s. A couple years ago. They were pretty good but I prefer the flavor of the monte 2s. With the recent price hike I will be smoking less and less cubans as they are all well over us$20 per stick for a 50 ring cigar on line now unfortunately.

[@keithetchells3932]

Thanks lad

[@frederickmooney2581]

I wish I could get one for $17, they’re more like $40-50 in Canada 😅

[@StogieLads]

Yeah man I feel for you guys over there! Brutal taxes!

[@JohnWick-mb5tb]

$85 in Australia

[@scheme9929]

@@JohnWick-mb5tb £45 in the UK

[@koc63695]

How much in usa

[@frederickmooney2581]

@@koc63695 it’s Cuban, so you’re not buying it in the US unless it’s a private sale.

[@SudarshanNaidu]

Follow up review after a year would be cool.

[@StogieLads]

Agreed! I need to keep that in mind!

[@soapy05]

Partial smokes might be the reason, or smoking extremely slowly by doing multiple cigars at once. Or $$$

[@RyanGazling]

$$$

[@StogieLads]

Yeah I can't see anyone smoking this to the nub and loving it all the way!

[@tedskup6923]

I subscribe to Cigar Aficionado and trust your judgment more then theirs Carl!👏👏👍👍

[@StogieLads]

Thank you Ted for the very kind words!

[@turtle2260]

It’s been a year on this,maybe try another to see

[@male272]

Just finished a session with my Cigar Brother, production same as the CA Rated cigar. It was nice, no doubt...but I've smoked a Por Laranaga Galanes and a Ramone Specially Selected that out performed it by every measure within the same production/boxing and assumed harvest (Nov). I think they were off on this to be honest...I got more enjoyment from the Southern Draw Kudzu Lancero of same spec, not to mention a few others of note. A part of me thinks they went with this as a snooty snub to everyone who just can''t access the Cubans after the 'Cuban Torpedo Crisis of 2022'.

[@m.k.k.4931]

Reminds me of a Herrera Estali Habano pyramid

[@Antwill_2]

One of my favorite cigars. I order a few from egm cigars

[@StogieLads]

Happy to hear that man! Hope they're fantastic when they get to you!

[@Antwill_2]

@The Stogie Lads they where brother. I'm hoping egm gets some in soon. Love the channel BTW

[@StogieLads]

@@Antwill_2 Thank you so much man!!

[@cristina-bx8vb]

I really felt bad for you seeing you try your hardest to smoke that last third but I am glad that you pushed through despite the circumstances! Your honesty stand out amongst other "reviwers" who bullshit, say they love a cigar when they smoke it banded and hate it when they smoke the unbanded 😂 Keep up the high standard!

[@StogieLads]

Haha thank you my friend! Appreciate it!

[@minson1690]

The panels from CA only smoke 2/3 of a cigar to give a rate

[@JR-ii5de]

Wow. I guess the obvious notwithstanding, I never realized that the coty must be of the current year. That puts Cubans at a serious disadvantage - he says stating the obvious again in rapid succession. Hope you picked up more than one so you can experience it properly with some age.

[@StogieLads]

Yeah they always seem to smoke very fresh cubans on the top 25. They've always published the box dates on their reviews interestingly enough. Like you say, Cubans are definitely at a disadvantage, but it's also sort of their own fault for rushing out cigars that are too fresh haha! I've got a few more of these thankfully that will rest for a long time!

[@MRSALTYSHORTS]

I really don't think it's the tobacco. Cuba doesn't have the quality of rollers like Dominica, and Nicaragua. The rollers make all the difference. And you can tell. Americans consume the most cigars, and you can tell by the product. The product is superb. cigar aficionado must get their cigars from a certain section where they use the best rollers. I totally agree. if they had to just pick a random off the shelf it wouldn't even be a top 10 stick. I think they need to sell the Cuban tobacco to the Dominican and Nicaraguan rollers then you would have some amazing cigars. Like before the embargos.

[@StogieLads]

I think it's definitely a mix of both. The rolling is awful in Cuba like you mention, but the lack of aged tobacco is what produces ammonia and enormous harshness. Cuban cigars are sold completely fresh so there's a lot of issues that go away with time. The poor construction is a massive issue too though like you say.

[@aandk2594]

Not true. They gave a 99 a couple times before

[@ismailaygun308]

Ohh young Cubans 😔

[@StogieLads]

So sad!

[@sinanchediek5633]

Legend

[@StogieLads]

Haha you're the legend bro!

[@willbaum7140]

While I get why you smoked this.....I'd really urge your audience to NOT smoke Habanos this young. 98/100 times you will be disappointed if you do. I have a June 21 box of these and it won't be touched until the calendar says 2024 minimum. Habanos are made much different than New World cigars. They need time.

[@StogieLads]

Agree 100%! As a rule of thumb I never smoke any cuban under a year, and usually wait a few more after that too.

[@cristina-bx8vb]

I couldn't agree more. If I were to guess mostly buy young cubans and smoke them mainly for content and secondly because the lack of patience and experience to age them properly. Concidering the price for cubans this day of age you would have to put alot of equity in a product that requires years to age before you can truly enjoy its full potential and that's just not something most people would want or can do.

[@mariosantos4706]

Why don't you make an Asmr video? You have a perfect microphone for an ASMR, and your voice sounds like a radio announcer.

[@StogieLads]

Haha I appreciate that man! I've never considered that actually!

[@mariosantos4706]

@@StogieLads you should think. his voice is beautiful and he has the right microphone to make this type of video. even if it was just a single video

[@andredias95]

On the point of not smoking all the way, you still have to smoke at least 1-2cm into the final third (80-85%). Judging by what you have there you are maybe 50-60% into the cigar, far to early to say definitely. Also giving it a 89 is far to generous if you are complaining that the cigar is "virtually unsmokable" at any point and "too young".

[@StogieLads]

To be fair I should have subtracted more from the score than I did for that last third. I was grading it more on what I had actually smoked so far. My scores on these videos are entirely arbitrary (something I mention time and time again) so it's not worth reading into too much haha. The ones we do on the blind tests on Stogies Unbanded are much more methodical. A cigar that can't be smoked in the final third is definitely not an 89, you're right, but I guess the part that I actually did smoke was.

[@andredias95]

@@StogieLads Going in to this you state that it's a review, if you by any point have to put it down and leave it because you are not going to smoke it till the end, you can't give it a score. It's an uncompleted review, what we do for the magazines is we have to smoke it to the very end (at least 1-2cm in the final third) just so that we can asses all parts, even if we don't like it. If the cigar explodes or totally unravels you write that down and state that you can't finish due to that, but you under no circumstances give it a score. Let's just hope that you keep this in mind for other reviews you do, because this isn't a good look for you honestly, if you want to be taken seriously.

[@StogieLads]

@@andredias95 Appreciate the feedback man. I think that's where we differ though. Being "taken seriously" is not my priority with these KZbin videos. I do them strictly because I think they're fun and I enjoy it!

[@QualeQualeson]

Welcome back and happy new year! Dude... _Dude! That's the No.2 I asked you about!_ That's the exact same cigar, probably the same box date as well since we share the same distribution network, but you were so oblivious you tried to correct me and thought I was talking about Connossieur No.2. Remember? (Probably not) Then I wrote back and said nope, just the No.2, same vitola as Monte blah blah, but you never responded. At that moment in time I tried to turn your attention to CA's future cigar of the year, and you mentally just fucked off to Lalaland. That'll teach you to ignore uncle Quale (Probably not). On a more serious note, I don't really care about CA's CotY, except for the fact that I wish it wasn't a Habano. In fact I find CA so irrelevant to me I had no idea this even happened. I smoked that cigar and I thought it was good, but my mind didn't go to places of legend. It did spark my curiosity though, hence the above question. I think a lot of my Habanos are excellent these days, especially now with the whole wrapper situation in Cuba. I had a Punch on New Years eve with an aged Chablis, and it was out of this world. Both the cigar and the pairing. For Upmann, I had a Connossieur A that was completely bonkers in the best way possible. Super complex, very good depending a little on where I was on the stick, and a through the roof aging potential if you ask me, which is probably the same with the No.2. But we're talking many years here. Cheers,

[@mecklenburgcubancigars]

Yes, I remember the Uncle Quale conversation, it was from the Lads "Por Larranaga Galanes Review". I chimed in on the No. 2 saber rattling but am guilty of not buying extra at the time when I had the chance. I knew this review was coming when I saw May 22 on your inventory spread sheet but was caught off guard when you said you paid $17 per-stick, good for you. Prost!

[@StogieLads]

Thank you man and happy new year for you too! Sorry for the slow reply. I've been knocked out by a flu over here. I do remember you talking about this cigar! It's been impossible to find haha so that's why I hadn't ever tried it before. You definitely called it first though! I agree that I also wish this wasn't a Habano. They don't need any extra demand... That new years combo you had sounds incredible though. I can't remember if I've ever paired with a white wine that wasn't sparkling or a dessert wine. Got to try it!

[@StogieLads]

@@mecklenburgcubancigars Yeah haha the vendor I bought these from was completely oblivious to the CA top 25 ratings which was good for me!

[@QualeQualeson]

@@StogieLads Glad to see you're still around. I was afraid the first part of that comment was too rowdy/familiar. I think it probably was. I apologize. Side effect of having grown up in a very different time in the poorest part of town I'm afraid. As for the (dry) white wine, no one was more surprised than me. I had no idea how good it was going to be. I have 2 more bottles and plenty of Punch, and I'm already salivating for the next session hehe. Get well soon.

[@jhxhometheater]

Hi. Happy new year. These cubans are 50/50 toss up if gonna draw or taste good. No surprise. They r Government issued cigars. Please call Jenny Craig. Try Jenny Craig lancero. Yeah I said it. Keeping it 💯

[@StogieLads]

Happy new year! I'm intrigued by the recommendation. I tried to google "Jenny Craig cigars" and "Jenny Craig lancero" but I couldn't find anything. Is there anywhere you can point me to perhaps?

[@nadernazar901]

Its very intelligent of habanos to send fresh Cuban Cigar , it goes very well with there bad taste , no 2 is very good only in the first 3rd and the rest is baaaaaad , never enjoyed this line although the HU is my favorite brand , to make it worse the HU Reserva is a joke