Ken Gargett Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 while on the 'ayala havana adventure', i was keen to pick up a few 'smaller' cigars as i normally find myself sticking to a few from the seriously-sized end of the spectrum and occassionally find myself looking for something a bit easier. rob and i came across a few cabinets of these from July 2002. unfortunately, they have been discontinued since around then but rob assures me he is getting some of those hanging around havana sent out. don't miss them. to be honest, initially i was sceptical as i have never been a fan of punch. as a corona gorda, they are not that small but they are a real joy to smoke. they look terrific: the colour of old teak and with a consistent slightly oily sheen. the immediate and continuing impression is of cream and sweet chocolate. there is a backing of dried herbs and touches of vanilla and they have started to exhibit some hints of complexity. but it is this beautiful creamy character that pervades the cigar that is its overriding highlight. there is power here but the cigar is so nicely balanced that it seems almost imperceptible. the burn is slow, consistent and with a great cone. it smoked well to the end. 90. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd123456789 Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 Yet another cigar Ken fleeced of me ;-) Have to agree. December 02 Punch SS2 was the pick of the cigars in Havana Habanos stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Gargett Posted March 20, 2005 Author Share Posted March 20, 2005 just cracked thae cabinet that his royal cigarness seems to think i fleeced from him, which is as accurate a statement as the reports he filed from havana - make of that what you will - and the good news that i think they are even better than the ones we smoked there. all of the same positives yet even more subtle and smooth. what a shame these were discontinued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curmudgeon Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 » but rob assures me he is getting some of those hanging around havana » sent out. don't miss them. What's this, now? Are you getting some of these to sell to us poor northerners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Nothing to see here ...move along. I hope to hear shortly on the last of the PUSS2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prince Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 » Nothing to see here ...move along. » » I hope to hear shortly on the last of the PUSS2 My favorite Punch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ_CEONAD_CC Posted March 26, 2005 Share Posted March 26, 2005 » » Nothing to see here ...move along. » » » » I hope to hear shortly on the last of the PUSS2 » » My favorite Punch. Mine also!!! Did I ever mention that I'm 1/3 Aussie?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Gargett Posted April 17, 2005 Author Share Posted April 17, 2005 have tried a few of these lately and they have all been wonderfully consistent, full of flavour and with a near-perfect slow burn. just a really lovely cigar. had one on the same day (don't do it often but there were two footy games on the telly) as a m/c 2 and this blew it away. i'm usually a big wrap for the m/c 2 but it wasn't in the race. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvm4 Posted April 17, 2005 Share Posted April 17, 2005 mmmm...SS#@ :-D I can't wait till they show up :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cf2112 Posted April 18, 2005 Share Posted April 18, 2005 » Nothing to see here ...move along. » » I hope to hear shortly on the last of the PUSS2 Don't tease me El Presidente:hungry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironman Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 I agree, I love the SS2's, nice bold taste, never disappoints:-P Ironman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sailor Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 Get them while you can fellas, they are on the "List" to be droped from production. I guess Habanos needed the tobacco stock to make some more of the high $$$$ LE's. I wonder what marketing genius came up with that plan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvm4 Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 » Get them while you can fellas, they are on the "List" to be droped from » production. I guess Habanos needed the tobacco stock to make some more of » the high $$$$ LE's. I wonder what marketing genius came up with that » plan? Actually I think they're already cut :-( . The newest box-code I've seen is '02 and I haven't seen any '03-'05 box codes either. Needless to say, these have been cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kab55 Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 Sliting a cab from 01 of these with another, can't wait to try them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 Definitely cut. Last box code November 02. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Gargett Posted May 2, 2005 Author Share Posted May 2, 2005 remember that was why we grabbed what we could in havana - they were 02s. and sadly i am racing through mine (can't believe that i let rob convince me to give up half the cab - i must have built up huge brownie points for that when something rare comes in - slr dc's will do). just love these pps2's. and they are wonderfully consistent. looked at my notes that recently and every single one rated either 90 or 91. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rspdiver Posted May 13, 2005 Share Posted May 13, 2005 Well, sadly I'm smoking the last of the 3 cigar sampler I purchased from Rob recently. Man, I wish like hell I had bought more. These have been some of the finest cigars I have smoked, and unique unto themselves. They have almost a mentholating quality to them that opens up my sinuses. I thought it was a fluke with the first one a few weeks ago, but this one tonight is the same. With that, they have a marvelous herbal woody flavor that is hard to put my finger on, but is completely satisfying. *sigh* I suppose these are the last we'll see... Unless Rob can flex his vendor muscles and get them put back into production, at least for a special run... :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2advnture Posted May 26, 2005 Share Posted May 26, 2005 » Have to agree. December 02 Punch SS2 was the pick of the cigars in Havana Habanos stores. » Definitely cut. Last box code November 02. So which is it? :-P Howdy all! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Gargett Posted June 30, 2005 Author Share Posted June 30, 2005 sometimes, you are better staying in bed. some members may have seen the posts in which i was able to announce the liberation of a bunch of pps2's from the dark den of ayala during his matrimonial enforced-holiday (and may i say that is the lamest excuse ever). thought i better check the condition so pulled one out, settled back in front of the aust v end recent one dayer last week and fired up. never had anything but stars from these. i have now. this was a dog. possibly the tightest draw on a cigar in history. took me 3 1/2 hours puffing as hard as i could non stop to finish it (yes, i get a bit stubborn and was not going to let it win - and i kept thinking it had to get better). flavour was dull. if the rest are like this they will be unliberated and returned to rob. i have spent the last week trying to work out why my throat is so stuffed and then i remembered this. i am always prepared to give them a second chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrink Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 Ken Gargett wrote: "3 1/2 hours puffing as hard as i could non stop to finish it" You have got to be kidding... If it ain't happening, I chuck it, and light another. A plugged cigar always tastes hot and sour to me. The PSS2's I got from Rob have been very good, both in flavor and construction. As I write this, the photo in the upper right corner of FOH shows Rob holding a beer with a babe on his arm. Like you said, "everyday is a holiday for Rob". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Gargett Posted June 30, 2005 Author Share Posted June 30, 2005 you think i'd have had enough brains to dump it and fire up something else. but all of these have been so good that i kept thinking it was about to change and being so bloody stubborn, i refused to give in. never really hit a plug - it was just a long hard slog and lots of relighting. when the throat recovers, i'll front another one. also, i may on occasions exxagerate a tiny bit. when i said 3 1/2 hours, it may have only been 3 hours and 20 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Gargett Posted September 27, 2005 Author Share Posted September 27, 2005 Sept 05. At Bilbao. Construction appears quite good and tight but it did take to burning a little to one side, burn also fractionally ragged. Both these problems soon corrected themselves and didn’t impact on the enjoyment of the cigar in any way. Smoked it with a really lovely chocolatey half bottle of Quinta do Crasto LBV from 1995, which must be one of the finest things ever put on this planet to enjoy with a good rich cigar. Flavours (of the cigar) moved through cream and caramel and milk coffee and hints of chocolate, dried herbs and vanilla. Dense smoke and got richer and richer while retaining balance. A lovely full-flavoured smoke that got more powerful over the last third. 92. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harwellplant Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 i recently split an '02 cab with a friend. i don't know if it was the travel time or what, but this was one cigar that i really didn't care for. the taste was odd to me. it wasn't unpleasant so to speak, but it's profile certainly wasn't one that appeals to me on a day in, day out basis. a good change of pace, i guess, but not one that will be in my regular rotation. on the whole, punch is my least favorite of the major marcas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 Getting very tuff to find. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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