It’s no mistake that before he agreed to sign an embargo against Cuba, John F. Kennedy wanted to make sure he’d stockpiled a thousand of these beauties. H. Uppman cigars are that good. Once you draw on your first stick of an H. Uppman The Banker Annuity Habano, you’ll see why JFK was willing to wait. The H. Uppman 6-inch, 52-gauge Toro is a classic old-world cigar, a loving recreation of the luxurious original Cuban blend. Ringed by a triple band including a full-length sleeve of money green and gold deliberately reminiscent of a thousand-dollar bill, The Banker’s tight-seamed wrapper of dark Ecuadorian Habano has the feel of Moroccan leather under your fingers, oily and smooth, with hardly any veins.

Even before you light it, you’ll love that draw of creamy chocolate. From the first moment you light those long-filler Cuban-seed leaves from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, you’ll be struck by the richness and complexity of this medium-bodied stick. Earthy and complex, the flavors of the H. Uppman The Banker pour over your palate at first draw, smooth as oak-aged whiskey with a whisper of spice.

Through the first half, The Banker’s roots are firmly planted in that bouquet of lush soil and nutty chocolate coffee, still with that mild wisp of spice like a murmur in the background. By the halfway point the flavor profile deepens, becomes spicier, and stays consistent until the end. Surprisingly soft, the stick itself stays cool and produces a beautiful white to dark gray ash and a solid, consistent burn with no tunneling.

With its currency-green band and history, a handsome presentation box of fifteen, H. Uppman The Banker Annuity Habano cigars would make a perfect gift for an investment banker, your stockbroker, or any true aficionado -- if you can bear to give these sticks away, of course.

Consider The Banker an investment: At around a hundred dollars for a box, these sticks are worth every penny. Originally, the blend of this cigar was originally so valuable it was kept -- appropriately for The Banker -- in a secured vault. For JFK, acquiring a presidential stockpile of H. Uppmans was worth putting a major international power-move on hold. Shouldn’t you see why for yourself?

Pros

• Smooth and consistent
• Classic of its kind
• Distinctive and thoughtfully packaged
• Easy draw
• Great burn time

Cons

• Band
• Pricey

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