Punch Super Robusto Review & Ramon Allones Estupendo Review.

[Vavinco]

» Recieved mine this week can't wait to try them after a little rest. :-)

Okay, I bought the RA's but now need to purchase the Punch. Damn if you aren't effective marketers!

[Miami101]

Thanks for the review. I'm going to go over it again and reread right now.

[SGS714]

I received my cab of the Punchs last week and am in the last 3rd of my first cigar out of it as I am typing....my buds are not as sophisticated as yours, this is an incredibly good stick and I had zero burn issues and it held the ash quite well.

[DrAlejandro]

great review prez... still cant get over that we're up here freezing our butts off and your sitting on the deck enjoying a good old fashioned summer thunderstorm :-D :-D

[Guest boss hogg]

Rob, with the mention of the *** bathhouse I had to laugh my arse off at this one.....

We both nubbed it and enjoyed it immensely

Awesome reviews. I just wish PCC/Habanos had priced these a bit more competitively :-P

[kmax]

Its been a year rob how about a new review on the Punch Super Robo to see how these are coming along!!!!:-)

[El Presidente]

Smithy and I taste tested the two new regional releases on back to back days. Smithy has one of the finer palates that I have come across and certainly superior to mine. He has won more blind wine tastings than any man I know (Ken get's knocked out within the first few rounds ;-) )

Smithy psyching up for the challenge

The first cigar was the Punch Super Robusto.

Punch Super Robusto

50 x 150mm

Smithy selected two of these impressive looking cigars from an SLB 25. I selected a nice cheeky bottle of Mysterio Temperanillo and two glasses. Both acts were completed while Lisa stepped out to do the banking and we retired to the Czar Deck.

At the time we did not realise that a wicked storm was brewing (not that it affected our tasting one iota) and being a lover of summer storms I took a few shots.

It lasted no more than 20 minutes but it was nature at its finest. We waved it goodbye as it headed off to Kens place on the Gold Coast

So back to the Punch Super Robusto

Construction was perfect. No hard or soft spots. Good oil on the wrapper. Smell at cold was an unsettling amonia but these cigars are young having been rolled in August. Cuban cut the end and the draw was immaculate requiring and ever so slight pull.

Torched the foot to be met with an acrid amonia taste and aroma....I let it burn off a few millimeters to allow it to settle down. Medium full bodied, bitter and sharp....yet tremendous hints of caramel and cream? This cigar fought with itself to establish an identity...one minitue cream...one minute cardboard...one minute cream...one minute grass...it was all over the bloody place to an extent that it was intriguing. The burn was crooked, it couldn't hold an ash but these things are to be expected in such a young cigar.

As much as I respect Smithy's palate....how can you take someone who smokes a cigar like this seriously?

Into the second third it lost it's strength and entered into a malaise almost as if it had tired of fighting with itself and called a truce. Any bitterness had left by this stage. There was a small side battle between Cohiba Grassiness and Punch Creaminess but it stayed in the outer realm. The cigar meandered along and both Smithy and I were concerned we had seen its best punches (excuse the pun), but then it entered its last third and final stage. The flavour returned in spades. Body reached full, perfect balance and structure, btterness and amonia disappeared. Great length on palate with toasted tobacco, leather and cream.

The finish to this cigar was astounding. It reminded me so much of the Tang Upmann Monarch released in 2002. Both I and Smithy nubbed it.

It would be completely unfair to rate this cigar now. It needs a good three years put away but it has the balls to age for 10-15 years. Both Smithy and I agreed that it has a 95 ranking cigar written all over it. It will become a great because it has the raw complexity and mongrel to see it through. This is a 2 year old thoroughbread with immense potential.

Ramon Allones Estupendo

47 x 178mm

Back to a favourite bottle of wine in the Albert Shiraz. Glorious afternoon sky. We were anticipating a similar experience to the Punch the previous day in an acrid start. The wrapper on the Ramon Allones was thinner and more brittle, not quite as much oil. It had a bumpy wrapper but was firm. Construction immaculate with no hard or soft spots. Clipped the end and the draw was perfect. Smell at cold was cocoa....no discernable amonia.

Torched the foot and from the get go it opened up with soft velvety smoke with delicate notes of cream and caramel.A touch of chlorine on the lips (due to youth) but the overiding flavour was a cocoa/cream sweetness. Medium bodied, balanced (surprisingly). This was no cut down Ramon allones Gigantes. Different profile entirely.

I honestly wonder about Smithy who could soon be the poster boy of the "Wet" *** bathouse across the road.

Much like the Punch the previous day, the Ramon Allones Estupendo lost it's direction and balance in the second third. It became nondescript which is not unusual in a young cigar and yet again we were almost ready to give up on it before it commenced to build body, strength and flavour in the final third.

Smithy made the point that through the resurgent unsweetened cream there was a back palate of Camembert cheese mould. I scoffed initially but he was definately right. It is surely a flavour I had not previously encountered/identified. Very enjoyable finish, no harshness, just smooth, sweet cheesinesswith notes of milk coffee.

Smithy was in love with this cigar from the beginning

We both nubbed it and enjoyed it immensely. The potential is certainly there and again it would be unfair to rate it now but I suspect that it will be a 91 - 93 ranking cigar in 3-5 years. Neither Smithy nor I believe it has the legs that the Punch does. The Punch is less approachable now but has such sheer potential that if it were collegiate athelete we would be signing him to a management contract now.

All in all a great effort by Habanos and PCC. Two very distinctive cigars which will become classics.

[Bartolomeo]

RA Estupendo RE POS AGO 08

Solid Brown wrapper, slick in texture, minimal veins

Started off very Citrus like PL Magnifico

Initial puff was sweet citris, tannins and clay(earthiness)

Flavors included were Citris, vanilla, cheese, non-sweet cream, cocoa

Great draw and regular burn rate.....other reviews have these having the potential of being plugged but I never noticed that

Overall a great experience and will buy a box

9.2/10

Bart

Smoke time was 97 mins

[pretzelboy]

Rob, gotta say you write a review like nobody's business.

and i love the awkward facial hair Smithy's sporting. glorious mustache'n lol