Punch Super Selection No 1 Review

[El Presidente]

Punch Super Selection No 1

NPD JUL 03

155mm (6 1/8 inch) x 42

Corona Grandes

It was Melbourne Cup Horseracing afternoon and we shut the doors of Czar House at midday and headed off to fello member PJ's house for a small....and lively afternoon of betting, booze, fine food and general shenanigans. To the humidor I went and selected 4 fine examples of the Punch Super Selecion No 1 (two for me and two for Smithy) along with half a box of Cohiba Siglo II to share amongst the other guests.

I have had some stellar Punch SS1 recently but am still haunted by the cab after cab of plugged SS1 I experienced from 199/2000. It took years for me to recover from my depression and to give them another chance.

Having placed our bets, Smithy and I sat back with a bottle of wine and fired up this stylish looking cigar. Smooth Colorado wrapper, no veins, touch of oil on the wrapper, perfect cap, no hard or soft spots and a nicely open foot. It all looked promising.

Clipping the cap and a quich draw reveled the right level of resistance and a smooth tobacco taste. Torching the foot the cigar came to life akin to the lighting of the Olymoic flame. It did not take long for the cigar to settle down into stride.

Toasted tobacco, cedar and sweet cream in a full bodied profile attacked the senses. Wow! The profile was very similar to the La Gloria Cubana Tainos but with double the strength and body. Approaching the one inch mark the cedar intensified joined with short black (espresso) charachteristics while the creaminess lost its sweetness as if mixed with a pinch of salt. I love the complexity of a great cigar.

Charred wood and burn't custard charachters developed at the mid point which were intriguing and in no way offensive....how many tricks does this puppy have! Lulled into a sense of bliss I stopped the conversation, found a quiet spot by myself and allowed this gem the luxury to spin it's charms without interruption. Still full bodied, still smooth and with perfect balance as it reached the last third where it lost the last elements of creaminess and replaced it with straight toasted tobacco, black coffee and hint of stewed fruit sweetness similar to a good Ramon allones Gigantes.

I joined the party again and approached Smithy for his opinion as he was also nearing the end of his SS1 "one of the better cigars I have had this year" he said and I must concur.

The Punch Super Seleccion No 1 when "on" is a thing of class, complexity and power. Welcome back.

[HeavySmoke]

»

» The Punch Super Seleccion No 1 when "on" is a thing of class, complexity

» and power. Welcome back.

Nice review. I think the CAB I purchased from the Czar was the same codes. I concur with the taste and flavor profiles. Curious to see what the remaining 40 will taste like in a few more years. ;-)

[Moglman]

Thanks Rob. Very good review as usual. I am only down a few from a cab SUA MAR 02, and I am once again needing to try one.

[cigardawg]

Thanks for the review, Prez. Another of my favorites. Currently smoking on a cab from 99. Have not yet cracked the cab from 03. IMHO, the "punchiest" punch in the bunch.

[CIGARHead]

Damn...you've enticed me Rob. I have never had the SS1, but now it seems I must. It has been at the top of my "Cigar Buy" list, but I always seem to skip over it. No More.

[anacostiakat]

Great review Rob!

Now when do these go on special? ;-)

[Deano]

» Punch Super Selection No 1

» NPD JUL 03

» 155mm (6 1/8 inch) x 42

» Corona Grandes

»

» It was Melbourne Cup Horseracing afternoon and we shut the doors of Czar

» House at midday and headed off to fello member PJ's house for a

» small....and lively afternoon of betting, booze, fine food and general

» shenanigans. To the humidor I went and selected 4 fine examples of the

» Punch Super Selecion No 1 (two for me and two for Smithy) along with half

» a box of Cohiba Siglo II to share amongst the other guests.

»

» I have had some stellar Punch SS1 recently but am still haunted by the cab

» after cab of plugged SS1 I experienced from 199/2000. It took years for me

» to recover from my depression and to give them another chance.

»

» Having placed our bets, Smithy and I sat back with a bottle of wine and

» fired up this stylish looking cigar. Smooth Colorado wrapper, no veins,

» touch of oil on the wrapper, perfect cap, no hard or soft spots and a

» nicely open foot. It all looked promising.

»

» Clipping the cap and a quich draw reveled the right level of resistance

» and a smooth tobacco taste. Torching the foot the cigar came to life akin

» to the lighting of the Olymoic flame. It did not take long for the cigar

» to settle down into stride.

»

» Toasted tobacco, cedar and sweet cream in a full bodied profile attacked

» the senses. Wow! The profile was very similar to the La Gloria

» Cubana Tainos but with double the strength and body. Approaching the one

» inch mark the cedar intensified joined with short black (espresso)

» charachteristics while the creaminess lost its sweetness as if mixed with

» a pinch of salt. I love the complexity of a great cigar.

»

» Charred wood and burn't custard charachters developed at the mid point

» which were intriguing and in no way offensive....how many tricks does this

» puppy have! Lulled into a sense of bliss I stopped the conversation, found

» a quiet spot by myself and allowed this gem the luxury to spin it's charms

» without interruption. Still full bodied, still smooth and with perfect

» balance as it reached the last third where it lost the last elements of

» creaminess and replaced it with straight toasted tobacco, black coffee and

» hint of stewed fruit sweetness similar to a good Ramon allones Gigantes.

»

» I joined the party again and approached Smithy for his opinion as he was

» also nearing the end of his SS1 "one of the better cigars I have had this

» year" he said and I must concur.

»

» The Punch Super Seleccion No 1 when "on" is a thing of class, complexity

» and power. Welcome back.

Love the SS1! Much less aging time required than it's cousin the SS2.

[Fatshotbud]

Thanks for your review - these became my go to cigar a while back - never a disappointment.

BUD:ok:

[xibbumbero]

Good gar. X:-P

[shrink]

When "ripe", the SS1 is a truly great cigar. Rob, I believe that you wrote a review on one of these not longer after you received stock, earlier this year. If this is the same vitola, I'm surprised that it's come around so quickly. Have to try one of mine... (mouth watering anticipation)...

Edit: Wow! Doesn't taste like the same cigar I put away earlier this year. Smooth, sweet, tangy with all the delicious "punchy" flavors that we all love. Sure, there's room for improvement, but these are plenty good enough now.