Punch Regios de Punch 2017 Limitada - Weekend Review Competition

[Wailbait]

It was a fantastic afternoon, and I decided to end the day with a cigar.  This was a day that extolled friendship.   I spent the day with friends.  Opened a bottle of Weller bourbon that was given to me by a friend.  And was going to a friend’s house to smoke this evening.  Oh - and the cigar was given to me by a friend!

The Punch Regios is a cigar that sounded great from its description and I have been tempted to purchase a box.  Since they are somewhat spendy, I figured I’d try one before committing to a box.

First off, it’s REALLY pretty.  Not in “silky smooth Cohiba” way but the wrapper has great depth of color, weight was superb and well packed.

PRELIGHT

Floral.  Very floral.  I love this prelight aroma.  If can be somewhat cloying if that aroma is the only thing present during the burn but it’s a great treat at the onset.  

FIRST THIRD, SECOND THIRD, THIRD THIRD....

I really wish I had a better story to tell.  Construction was impeccable the entire way through so that’s a plus.  Cigar was obviously made extremely well.  However, the floral top notes present at the onset, left somewhat quickly: left in their wale was a pervasive cardboardiness that persevered for the entire duration.  This is something that would normally be fine as the cigar is extremely young and I usually don’t smoke much that’s under one year old.  The problem was that since the cigar was already extremely mild, that flavor overshadowed anything else present.    The flavor got more complex in the final third but the “wood paste” too note pervaded.   

Suffice it to say, this wasn’t my favorite cigar.  (Trying an MDO 4 afterwards - and it was an absolutely perfect smoke). However it did lead to a great discussion that I’d love to hear others chime in on (if you actually made it this far into this Punch exegesis...)

Many of us enjoy watching flavors change over time.  There are many cigars that feel a bit rough-and-tumble in their youth but evolve into something special later.  That’s sort of a “lateral” flavor move.  A flavor was there but changed over time.  Has anyone had a cigar hat tasted like nothing in its youth only to blossom later into something special?

[Lant63]

I love punch, but did not like this cigar.  The previous Punch LE was good, and in fact the best LE I have ever smoked. Maybe they will age well but at this price almost twice of the PPP it doesn't make much sense.  

[Lotusguy]

I didn’t like this cigar at all. Just packed one last one into my travel humidor for my China trip.

[joshhooper7]

Anxiously waiting for this deployment to end so I can get home and smoke mine, but it looks like I'll let them sit in the aging chest for 5 years before I roll the dice! Sorry your experience was less than sublime my friend

[Wailbait]

8 minutes ago, joshhooper7 said:

Anxiously waiting for this deployment to end so I can get home and smoke mine, but it looks like I'll let them sit in the aging chest for 5 years before I roll the dice! Sorry your experience was less than sublime my friend

To be fair - this was an absolutely isolated incident as I have never had another one before.  It’s possible he just got a bum box.  I’m sure other boxes are fantastic.  Hecho y Mano.