Full description
One of the oldest of the Cuban cigar brands; Punch was created by Manuel Lopez in 1840 with its gaze set on the booming British cigar market of the day and named for an immensely popular magazine in publication at the time to help ingratiate the brand with the British public.
The Punch Punch is a fairly dark and oily cigar with flavours of cocoa, hay, leather and soft wood. A true underdog in the cigar world.
Comes in a handy tube to keep the stogie in good condition for travelling etc.
For a full list of Punch Cigars visit our Punch page.
Our Review
First Third:
The Punch Punch opens with quite a toasty-ness to it: soft wood, hay, and hints of cedar with what I can only describe as a dusting of cocoa powder. As we move through the first third light hints of vanilla and butterscotch develop, bolstered by a cadre of supporting background flavours: cedar and soft wood from the opening, earthiness, a touch of pepper and baking spice, carried on the wings of a medium to full bodied plume of deeply satisfying smoke.
Second Third:
Into the second third, a most welcome degree of restraint; the intensity of the flavour plateaus for a time and the flavours themselves expand, becoming fleetingly floral and aromatic. Soft wood notes take the centre stage here with light hints of white pepper speckled here and there throughout with the sweeter notes of vanilla and butterscotch slowly building up to a more caramelly form.
Final Third:
Onwards unto the end: the final third, where the earthiness ramps up perfectly, there’s plenty of pepper, spice and woody-ness still abound, but if you dig deep, you’ll notice there’s a distinct hint of minerality to it, and the sweet notes which we’ve been encountering throughout the smoke have achieved a subtle, burnt sugariness about them; their pièce de résistance!
Overall Impressions:
The best way I could describe the Punch Punch would be to equate it to something in the beverage world. It’s akin to a rustic farmhouse Saison, something like Saison Dupont; it’s got a peppery-ness about it, oozes hay and barnyard aromas but will surprise you with its creamy sweetness.
I’d highly recommend the Punch Punch to anybody who is unaware of this hidden gem of a Coronas Gordas and would like to try a smoking experience that’ll keep them on their toes from start to finish!
Would Pair Well With:
A mellow Bourbon, Stouts, Lowland whiskies (Bladnoch in particular)
Smoking Time: 30-45 minutes
