H Upmann Magnum 56

Description

I was leaning against the teak railing of my buddy Elias’s 42-foot sailboat, the Mariposa, watching the sun dip into the Gulf of Mexico. The water was that deep, bruised purple you only see when the horizon is about to swallow the light. We’d spent the day chasing snapper and mostly just catching a buzz from the salt air and the gentle pitch of the hull. Elias is a guy who doesn’t say much, but when he does, it usually involves a piece of wisdom or a gesture that sticks with you. He reached into his leather travel case and handed me a stick that looked like a small club. “For the captain of the grill tonight,” he said with a grin. I felt a surge of genuine gratitude. It wasn’t just about the cigar; it was the quietude of the moment, the friendship, and the fact that the world felt small and manageable for once. I looked down at the band, and my heart skipped a beat. It was the H. Upmann Magnum 56.

I’ve smoked my fair share of Upmanns over the years, from the petite Half Coronas to the legendary Sir Winstons, but this one felt different in the hand. It had a weight to it, a presence that demanded you sit down and pay attention. You ever have one of those moments where you know, before you even clip the cap, that the next hour and a half is going to be a core memory? That was me on the deck of the Mariposa, feeling the rough texture of the wrapper against my thumb and the cool breeze on my face. I grabbed my torch, shielded it from the sea spray, and got to work.

That smoke? The H. Upmann Magnum 56. This isn’t just another cigar; it’s a heavy-hitter that Habanos S.A. brought back specifically for the travel and duty-free crowd, and I gotta say, I’m glad they did.

The Specs

Construction: A Beefy Beauty

The first thing you notice about the Magnum 56 is the sheer girth. A 56 ring gauge is no joke. It’s the thickest cigar H. Upmann has ever put out in their limited or special editions, and in the hand, it feels like a piece of finely carved mahogany. The vitola is officially called “Unidades,” and it’s a Double Robusto that looks intimidating but feels surprisingly balanced. The wrapper on the one Elias gave me was a beautiful Colorado shade—a reddish-brown that looked like burnished copper under the setting sun. It wasn’t oily to the touch; it had more of a matte, toothy feel, which I personally prefer. It tells me the leaf has some character.

I gave it a gentle squeeze, and it was firm all the way down. No soft spots, no lumps. The construction coming out of that undisclosed H. Upmann factory in Havana (I suspect it’s the main one, given the quality) is clearly top-tier. I used a straight cut, and the pre-light draw was just right—a slight resistance, like drinking a thick milkshake through a straw. I picked up notes of cold cedar and a faint, sweet hay smell. It was clean, promising, and had that distinct Cuban “funk” that I’ve come to associate with high-end Vuelta Abajo tobacco. I gotta tell ya, I was itching to get this thing glowing.

Flavor Profile: The Three Acts

The First Third: The Creamy Introduction

Lighting up a 56 ring gauge takes a bit of patience. You can’t just blast it. I toasted the foot slowly, making sure the entire surface was glowing before I took my first puff. Right out of the gate, the Magnum 56 is unmistakably H. Upmann. It starts with a wash of creamy sweetness and a very light cedar. It’s not aggressive. It’s like the cigar is introducing itself politely before it gets down to business. About ten minutes in, I started noticing a bit of light nuttiness—think raw almonds—and a touch of earth. The smoke output was massive. Thick, white clouds that hung in the humid air of the boat. The strength was a solid medium at this point, very approachable and smooth. If you’re looking for a pepper bomb, this isn’t it yet. It’s all about the texture of the smoke, which felt velvety on my palate.

The Second Third: The Body Builds

As I moved into the second third, the flavors started to deepen and darken. The creaminess stayed in the background, but the cedar turned into a more robust aged wood flavor. I started getting hits of roasted coffee beans and a savory, musky note that I usually only find in well-aged Cuban leaf. This is where the 2020 reissue differs from the 2015 Edición Limitada. While the EL had that extra two years of aging on the leaves before rolling, this 2020 version feels a bit more “alive” and vibrant. It’s got a medium-plus body now. I took a retrohale—bold move with a 56 gauge—and there it was: a sharp, clean black pepper. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it gave the experience a necessary kick. The balance between the sweet cream and the spicy retrohale was, quite frankly, spot on.

The Final Third: The Strength Reveals Itself

By the time I reached the final third, the sun was gone, and we were sitting under a canopy of stars. The Magnum 56 had transitioned into a full-strength beast. The flavors shifted toward cocoa and leather, with the baking spices—cinnamon and maybe a bit of nutmeg—making a late appearance. The earthiness became more pronounced, almost like damp soil after a rainstorm. It stayed cool until the very end, which is a testament to that massive ring gauge. It never got bitter or “hot,” even when I was down to the last inch. I found myself slowing down, not wanting it to end. The complexity was there, but it wasn’t shouting at me. It was a slow, deliberate evolution that kept me engaged for nearly ninety minutes.

Pairing: What to Sip on Deck

On the boat, I was drinking a simple, dark Cuban rum on the rocks. The sweetness of the rum played perfectly with the creamy start of the cigar and provided a nice contrast to the leathery finish. However, if I were back home in my study, I’d reach for a heavy, cream-laden espresso. The Magnum 56 has these coffee and nut notes that would just sing alongside a good caffeine kick. I’d avoid anything too peaty or smoky, like an Islay Scotch; you don’t want to drown out the subtle cedar and musk of this blend. You want something that complements the “smooth to medium” profile without stepping on its toes.

The Verdict

I’ve smoked a lot of cigars in a lot of places, but this H. Upmann Magnum 56 left a mark on me. Maybe it was the setting, or maybe it was the fact that it was a gift from a good friend, but the cigar itself is a workhorse of flavor. It’s not a “quick smoke” by any means—you need to carve out time for this one. It’s for the guy who wants a big, bold experience without the harshness that sometimes comes with high-strength sticks.

Is it worth hunting down in a duty-free shop or a travel humidor? Absolutely. It’s a specialized vitola that offers a unique ratio of wrapper to filler, and that 56 ring gauge provides a cool, voluminous smoke that’s hard to find elsewhere in the Habanos portfolio. It feels premium, it tastes sophisticated, and it burns like a dream. I felt grateful to have it in my hand that night, and I reckon you’ll feel the same way when you finally clip one for yourself. Solid. Just plain solid.

Final Thought: If you see the ceramic jar version in an airport, don’t walk past it. Grab it. Your future self will thank you when you’re sitting on a porch—or a boat—looking for that perfect moment of peace.