H. Upmann 1844 Reserve Churchill

We can think of several reasons why H. Upmann has been around for almost 160 years. But to net it out for you, they make some of the best cigars in the world today. Herman Upmann, a German banker, founded H. Upmann Cigars back in 1844. He distributed these cigars to his best customers as a promotion, but eventually they became one of the most popular Cuban brands smoked in the world. This brand is still currently manufactured in Cuba and the Dominican Republic as well. Unfortunately we can't send you the Cuban brand, but we think that the Dominican brand is just as good, if not better. The 1844 Reserve starts with an oily, leathery, and dark, reddish-brown Ecuadorian Habano leaf, wrapped around a Nicaraguan binder and an all-Dominican long-filler blend. A smooth and creamy blend, our panel couldn’t stop talking about it. Cigar Aficionado agreed with a 93-point rating as well as being one of the Top 25 Cigars of the year! So sit back, relax, and enjoy it with a merlot.

Though tobacco is indigenous to Hispaniola, the tobacco industry in the Dominican Republic existed in the shadow of Cuba’s dominance through the 1960s. When the exodus of Cuban cigar makers began in the wake of the revolution, many decided the Dominican Republic would be ideal for the resumption of their livelihoods. Unrest in Nicaragua in the 1980s fueled the Dominican cigar industry further. The country now makes more than half of the premium cigars imported into the U.S.

The Cibao Valley and the nearby city of Santiago are the center of cigar production in the Dominican Republic. Three main varieties are grown here: the mild and native Olor Dominicano; the intense Piloto Cubano, brought from the Vuelta Abajo of Cuba; and San Vicente, a milder and more acidic Piloto hybrid. Dominican puros were once unheard of as it was widely thought impossible to grow quality wrapper leaf on the island, but new growing techniques are now allowing some exceptional puros to be produced.