Punch Double Corona OER JUL 20 SNOWRW

[Kaptain Karl]

This is the ugliest cigar from a pretty stunning box. Instead of the typical colorado punch hue, this box is oily colorado maduro. It's been about 75 days since these arrived, and I hoped they are already smoking as brilliantly as the Partagas Luistania from the christmas sampler did! 

1/3: Lots of complexity, great smoke production, but noticeably dry mouthfeel. Predominately milk chocolate with sweet cedar, twang (at times close to juicy fruit but not quite there), toffee, sour cream and salted roasted peanuts showing themselves at different times.

2/3: Burn issues really begin here. Knots emerge which require attention and relights. Chocolate milk, nuts, cream, coca-cola and twang show themselves. Also an extreme clear mint/menthol flavor pops in a number of times, which is the first time I remember picking this flavor up so clearly. The complexity is high and flavors are easily distinguishable. Mouthfeel is still very dry. The knots continue, but are not severe and do not result in tunneling, so I imagine time will really help the uneven burn. 

3/3. The wrapper got slightly fireproof, so the flavors became hit and miss. The same base flavors remain but unfortunately the burn issues just made things a bit difficult.

This cigar has immense potential. The complexity and flavor intensity is already there. However the dry mouthfeel, extremely potent nicotine punch in the last third and burn issues lead me to believe these should rest for another year before I try another. It is very easily to see this being a 95+ point cigar in 3-5 years. For now, this is a WAIT. 

 

[Chas.Alpha]

Yeah, my box was down 2 years before I tried one. It was about brilliant!

[Kaptain Karl]

7 minutes ago, Chas.Alpha said:

Yeah, my box was down 2 years before I tried one. It was about brilliant!

Ahh I know that these will just be spectacular! Just not ready for prime time yet. I'm going to let them hit that 2 year mark before trying again. 

[Tstew75]

2 thoughts:

• Punch ARE the best Cuban DCs
• I've stopped buying (all) DCs because of all the burn issues/plugging I've had the last 3 years. They seem to have one hell of a time rolling DCs.

[99call]

great review.   

i've been CC smoker since 99, but weirdly I've only recently realised Punch (at it's best) is the floating of my boat.    The Juicy fruit gum, twang, coca cola, allspice woodsy cream ladened magic is really not replicated in any other marca.................Recently the quality of punch is starting to lift across the board. My hope is that HSA is doing what they did with QDO.    Slowly dwindle........then create a 'pre-buzz' of quality on a marginalised brand, when fans are buying heavy thinking the plug is going to be pulled..........then wallop.....new lines great quality..........final destination a few years later.......the re-release of the ninfas

[mbflash80]

wait 5 years and then smoke them for the rest of your days...they will not let you down...the bets of the DCs and they only get better and better and better...my favorite cigar now for a decade+

[Bijan]

46 minutes ago, 99call said:

the re-release of the ninfas

We can certainly dream...

Meanwhile looking at the skinny cigars that are left:

The only sub 38RG release after 2000 was the Romeo y Julieta Julieta in 2010 targeted at women in a 5-tin.

If we expand to 38 and 39RG we get the Monte Open Junior in 2009.

Oddly neither seem to be reviewed on the forum for a while. Maybe FOH members don't like skinnies after all

The only other sub 38 release since 1970 that is still left is the Cohiba Exquisitos in 1989.

With the Cohiba Panetelas (1967) and Montecristo Joyitas (1969) being the only other left now from after the revolution.

I'll just be happy if we see some Medaille d'or No. 4 again... ?

[99call]

1 minute ago, Bijan said:

I'll just be happy if we see some Medaille d'or No. 4 again... ?

to me the only important current skinnies 

A, heightened, distinct and aromatic,  high quality flavours

B, cool, luxurious, opulent smoking experiences.

 Med 4, Montecarlo, COLA, COCE, Monte ESP 1+2  were the only important cigars left in this category,   I know others existed, but they lacked class.

I know cigars will dip, in and out of this category (i.e skinnies)  but they are only really worth mentioning if they are made of quality aromatic tobacco. 

 

 

[Bijan]

3 minutes ago, 99call said:

Med 4, Montecarlo, COLA, COCE, Monte ESP 1+2  were the only important cigars left in this category, 

I agree.

But of those only Med 4 and Montecarlo are sub 38RG and both pre-revolution, (though the Montecarlo is a handmade respin of a machine made cigar so maybe you can consider that new). CoLA, CCE, Monte Esp 1 + 2 are all 38 RG, but all post-revolution in a small window of time when panetelas were particularly hot.

Ninfas are/were 33RG so that former category with the Med 4 and Montecarlo. So a re-release would be quite against the grain of current trends. Even outside regular production there have been no ELs and REs sub 38RG.

[99call]

3 minutes ago, Bijan said:

I agree.

But of those only Med 4 and Montecarlo are sub 38RG and both pre-revolution, (though the Montecarlo is a handmade respin of a machine made cigar so maybe you can consider that new). CoLA, CCE, Monte Esp 1 + 2 are all 38 RG, but all post-revolution in a small window of time when panetelas were particularly hot.

Ninfas are/were 33RG so that former category with the Med 4 and Montecarlo. So a re-release would be quite against the grain of current trends. Even outside regular production there have been no ELs and REs sub 38RG.

Restricting yourself to tight terminology or categorisation with regards to 'Skinnies' is a boat that sailed a long long time ago......I'm not saying I approve,  but when you have Americans referring to Londales and Churchills as "Skinnies" or "Lanceros"   I would say be grateful for what you can get!!!

To me, anything from a 40 down is a skinny, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

[Bijan]

1 hour ago, 99call said:

Restricting yourself to tight terminology or categorisation with regards to 'Skinnies' is a boat that sailed a long long time ago......I'm not saying I approve,  but when you have Americans referring to Londales and Churchills as "Skinnies" or "Lanceros"   I would say be grateful for what you can get!!!

To me, anything from a 40 down is a skinny, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

Couldn't agree more.

I just went on a particularly long tangent based on the idea of the ninfas coming back. In a world where a Churchill or a Lonsdale is a skinny, there's no chance of a ninfas coming back

And expanding to 40RG we get the Secretos, Reyes and RG Perlas, since 2000 in addition to what I mentioned (to me no change, as those are not skinnies as we conceive of).

And Siglo I and Fundadores from 1970 to 1999.

Hard to think of any of those tiny new cigars as skinnies, except for the Fundadores which are pretty close to a Lancero.

 

@99call the further I go down this rabbit hole the sadder I get... Even expanding to 49RG and under there are so few releases compared to 50RG+ ones.

At this point seeing a re-release of a Churchill or a Double Corona seems as likely as a ninfas... Might as well dream.

[99call]

1 hour ago, Bijan said:

And expanding to 40RG we get the Secretos, Reyes and RG Perlas, since 2000 in addition to what I mentioned (to me no change, as those are not skinnies as we conceive of).

My point was,   the sands are shifting,   and as much as both you and I don't necessarily approve. 

I do not have rigid categories in my head, as to what a cigar should be considered,  I do however think 40rg is a reasonable modern/international border line.  between skinny and the rest

 

1 hour ago, Bijan said:

@99call the further I go down this rabbit hole the sadder I get... Even expanding to 49RG and under there are so few releases compared to 50RG+ ones.

At this point seeing a re-release of a Churchill or a Double Corona seems as likely as a ninfas... Might as well dream.

reasons to be cheerful.   I saw a website the other day for a box of RGPE for €49!!     not all is lost!!!

[Bijan]

10 minutes ago, 99call said:

I do however think 40rg is a reasonable modern/international border line.  between skinny and the rest

Quite reasonable I think given that historically the border was 39RG.

It's in the medium and large RG that the sands have shifted more.

40-45 was medium

46-50 was thick

51+ only existed as figurados...

 

[99call]

1 minute ago, Bijan said:

Quite reasonable I think given that historically the border was 39RG.

It's in the medium and large RG that the sands have shifted more.

40-45 was medium

46-50 was thick

51+ only existed as figurados...

 

I am an old school smoker........but within that, I'm also not willing to cut my nose off to spite my face.  I willing to give credit where credit is due    The QDO 54 and the Connie A are both very good cigars.     That said........I've not has a QDO 54 that was anywhere near as good as a Coronas Claro, Imperiales, or Gran Coronas.     The same of the Connie A,   it's a fabulous cigar,       but I've had many better Mag 50s  46, Connie 1 and SW.

I have no problem with worthwhile expansion of the HSA catalogue.   but if it's just doing 10000's of different variations of a montesco......they can pack their bags...... I can smell the BS from here

[Bijan]

5 minutes ago, 99call said:

I have no problem with worthwhile expansion of the HSA catalogue.   but if it's just doing 10000's of different variations of a montesco......they can pack their bags...... I can smell the BS from here

Speaking of moneygrubbing montescos, I enjoyed the Montecristo Supremos from the Christmas sampler

8 minutes ago, 99call said:

I'm also not willing to cut my nose off to spite my face

I love that expression.

[99call]

13 minutes ago, Bijan said:

Speaking of moneygrubbing montescos, I enjoyed the Montecristo Supremos from the Christmas sampler

it's a very interesting development.    I think initially the CC community was massively sceptical of the fat seco driven cigars,   but some of them have really proved their worth.......no! they are not more flavourful,   but they do possess the ability to add a very lush, generous degree of smoke.  A very easy relaxing experience, and lets face it, whilst I do prefer a classic snug cuban draw.......occasionally it's nice to have a less restrictive draw. 

If any cigar stakes a claim to greatness irrespective of its size or brand,  it must be considered on it's merits and nothing else...........hell sometimes I even enjoy a Cohiba every now and then!    shhhhhhh! don't tell anyone

[NSXCIGAR]

On 1/21/2021 at 3:24 PM, Tstew75 said:

2 thoughts:

• Punch ARE the best Cuban DCs
• I've stopped buying (all) DCs because of all the burn issues/plugging I've had the last 3 years. They seem to have one hell of a time rolling DCs.

You might be right about the Punch DC. I think if inadequately aged the Lusi beats it but I don't know if the Lusi has the same raw potential the Punch DC does. 

As far as the construction problems I'll be paying attention. The handful of Lusis and RAG I've had in the last 2 years have been fine.

On 1/21/2021 at 5:43 PM, 99call said:

I have no problem with worthwhile expansion of the HSA catalogue.   but if it's just doing 10000's of different variations of a montesco......they can pack their bags...... I can smell the BS from here

I also am not interested in any more 52+ RG cigars. In fact, I can't think of one that has really impressed me anyway in the sense that I feel that "they could only do this with a large RG". They really just don't seem to have mastered the art of blending large RG. When you can stuff as much flavor as they do in a 39-42 RG clearly the large RG is more of a size preference than it is a larger canvas to paint on. Cuba did just fine for 150 years with only Piramides and Salomones being over 50 RG. Many consider the 46 RG 1492 to be the best cigar ever made, so that's clearly plenty of room to blend. 

As far as sub-52 models, bring them on. The more the better.

[dobbs]

On 1/21/2021 at 4:37 PM, 99call said:

Med 4, Montecarlo, COLA, COCE, Monte ESP 1+2  were the only important cigars left in this category,   I know others existed, but they lacked class.

this is interesting to me, while i mostly agree with the above, cohiba panatelas and exquisitos are rarely (never) mentioned when discussing "skinnies."

i haven't smoked either myself, but would be interested to understand why these are fairly overlooked.

sorry for the thread-jack, feel free to ignore, i'll start a seperate thread if necessary, but the discussion is here, so...

anyway, great review, i don't generally care for punch, but this is making me want to grab a box of pdc.

-dobbs

[Bijan]

4 minutes ago, dobbs said:

his is interesting to me, while i mostly agree with the above, cohiba panatelas and exquisitos are rarely (never) mentioned when discussing "skinnies."

i haven't smoked either myself, but would be interested to understand why these are fairly overlooked.

I think most people think of longer cigars when they think of skinnies.

Otherwise there are a couple of other short 38RG or thinner cigars as the two you mention.

I've had a couple each of the panetelas and exquisitos. Standard Cohiba flavors in a smaller form factor. Good change of pace, but as most extremely small cigars generally a bad price per weight/smoke time ratio.

[EasternPromises]

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but @Kaptain Karl, did you end up revisiting this box and how did these Punch DCs age?

[NSXCIGAR]

23 hours ago, EasternPromises said:

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread

On the contrary I wish it were done more around here. 

[Kaptain Karl]

On 5/11/2024 at 12:29 PM, EasternPromises said:

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but @Kaptain Karl, did you end up revisiting this box and how did these Punch DCs age?

I sold the box. The wrappers were too dark for my taste and just didn't burn all that great. I've found that I really, really don't like dark wrapper cigars for whatever reason! Too often they're thick and burn like crap. 

[Doctorossi]

On 1/21/2021 at 6:29 PM, 99call said:

The Juicy fruit gum, twang, coca cola, allspice woodsy cream ladened magic is really not replicated in any other marca...

Ba-ba-ba-bingo!