H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Belicoso

At the 2023 Total Product Expo (TPE), Altadis U.S.A. unveiled the newest extension to its H. Upmann line, a barber pole called the H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier.

Barbier is the German word for barber, and for those that know the history of H. Upmann, it will immediately make sense as to why a German word was chosen for the cigar. Hermann Dietrich Upmann was a German banker who, in 1843, came to Havana to do work for an importing and exporting business. He would eventually see opportunities in cigars and, as such, opened his own factory in 1844 that would produce his own cigar line. He would also open a bank that catered to tobacco businesses.

For this new line, the company selected two Ecuadorian leaves to create the barber pole design, one is a Connecticut shade and the other is a Sumatra varietal. Underneath those wrappers is an Indonesian binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, as well as a broadleaf varietal from an undisclosed country of origin.

“The use of these contrasting shades of wrappers makes for an eye-catching, barber-pole-like presentation,” said Pedro Ventura, hand made operation and product development manager of Tabacalera de García, via a press release. “The wrappers work together to add an entirely new flavor profile to the cigar, making one’s smoking session a lot more interesting as well.”

The H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier is offered in five sizes:

• H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Corona (5 x 44) — $7.25 (Box of 25, $181.25)
• H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Robusto (5 x 50) — $8.47 (Box of 25, $211,75)
• H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Belicoso (6 1/8 x 52) — $9.50 (Box of 25, $237.50)
• H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Toro (6 x 54) — $9.62 (Box of 25, $240.50)
• H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Churchill (7 x 50) — $9.75 (Box of 25, $243.75)

The line is produced at Tabacalera de García in La Romana, Dominican Republic.

• Cigar Reviewed: H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Belicoso
• Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
• Factory: Tabacalera de García
• Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut & Sumatra)
• Binder: Indonesia (Java)
• Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua & Undisclosed (Broadleaf)
• Length: 6 1/8 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Vitola: Belicoso
• MSRP: $9.50 (Box of 25, $237.50)
• Release Date: March 20, 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

With a barber pole wrapper design and a pair of gold-trimmed bands, the H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Belicoso certainly has a lot of eye candy. The wrappers have a bit of oiliness but also a fairly matte finish, with just a bit of texture in spots for the fingers. The cigar is rolled firmly, particularly at the head, where it is hard and shows no give. Beyond that, all three of the cigars for this review look good, with flat seams, small veins, and no visual issues. The foot has an aroma that is hard to unpack, as it is slightly sweet, slightly peppery and slightly earthy, all wrapped in a fairly soft aroma that is reminiscent of the inside of a muffin. The cold draw is very good in terms of airflow, while the flavor has a bit of cinnamon roll, cardboard, soft and dusty earth, and a very processed peanut butter on the tail end of the finish. The one thing it doesn’t have is much, if anything, in the way of pepper.

The first puffs of the H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Belicoso start with a combination of mild pepper, some creaminess, matchsticks and a bit of dry earthiness. Two of the cigars start on a very approachable note, while another is a bit gruffer and vibrant on the taste buds. Retrohales are fairly mild as well in the first inch, with a bit of creaminess and light pepper. Nuttiness makes sporadic appearances, most often when the pepper and other flavors recede, as it isn’t strong enough to cut through the other flavors. As the cigar progresses, there’s some building earth and some coffee grounds, which adds both base flavors and texture to the smoke. There’s a bit more black pepper both on the palate and in the nose as the first third comes to a close. Flavor is medium-minus, body is medium and strength is mild. Construction is very good thus far, with an easy draw, good smoke production, an even burn line, and very sturdy ash.

The second third of the H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Belicoso starts off with just a bit more cream and a very soft pepper, which helps ensure the profile stays smooth and enjoyable. There are some puffs, some of my favorite puffs to this point, where the creaminess stands out and sings. Dusty, slightly gritty earth begins to build in this section, and with it comes a bit more funkiness and sourness. The final puffs of this section bring about a sharp change in the profile, turning quite funky and almost sour. There’s more pepper in the retrohales, and the finish is both more intense and longer-lasting. Construction stays very good, with just one of the cigars needing a bit of a touch-up, while all three produce good amounts of smoke, have an easy draw and maintain an even burn line.

The start of the final third rights the ship and brings about a more vibrant white pepper in retrohales, though I think I’m beginning to sense a shift towards a heartier, fuller black pepper. A bit of heat begins to char some of the flavors and necessitates puffs to be spaced out a bit more than earlier. There is also some developing strength in the blend, as I can feel a bit of nicotine starting to hit my system, not enough to have me feeling woozy but enough that I’m wondering if I’ll be heading to the kitchen for some white sugar. The earthiness returns, and there are times I get the flavor of coffee grounds on my palate. Pepper leaves a lingering tingle, and if I’m careful about how often I puff the cigar, I can mitigate the harsher flavors and smoke the cigar down to a nice nub. The changes nudge the flavor up to medium-full, body stays closer to medium and strength is medium. Construction remains very good in all aspects.

Final Notes

• As part of the launch of the line at TPE, Altadis U.S.A. had a barbershop up and running, and it happened to be staffed by Eduardo Gallegos, aka Monster Eddie Jr., an award-winning celebrity barber.
• The space also included a shoe shine stand so you could get your kicks shined up.
• I didn’t get the chance to take advantage of either service, unfortunately.
• Speaking of, I can’t remember the last time I was in a barbershop.
• I don’t think I’d say that barber pole cigars are becoming a trend for Altadis U.S.A., but in 2022 the company launched the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Twisted.
• There’s not a lot of strength in the H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Belicoso, but there were some moments where the cigar seemed like it was hitting me with some nicotine.
• JR Cigar, a sister company to Altadis U.S.A., advertises on halfwheel.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time was two hours and 15 minutes on average.
• Site sponsors Cigars Direct, Famous Smoke Shop and JR Cigar carries the H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Belicoso. Atlantic Cigar Co. does not list the Belicoso but carries other vitolas in the line.