Punch SR \'06 (Edicion Regional Review #1)

[Mike33]

Thanks to BobbyRitz and rob300c, I am going to smoke 6 out of the 7 RE for '06 over the next month or so and give my reviews on them. Here they are lined up next to each other:

The Punch SR is a really gorgeous cigar to behold. Dark, chocolaty wrapper with no imperfections. No hard or soft spots. The cigar has a perfect draw and gives off lots of smoke; perfect combustion.

First impressions are good. Full-bodied with a very long finish. Starts off with notes of fruit and caramel. The fruitiness is somewhat strange, almost like berries. Very pleasant. It is almost candy-like (never had a cigar taste like that before). For the first inch or so, these flavors persist and then changes over into a tartness. It is still very smooth with no hints of youth.

About the half-way point, the cigar becomes a little crazy. There are no real discernible flavors. Sometimes it has a pleasant earthiness to it, other times it is harsh and bitter. I can detect the ammonia in it as well. The burn is pretty straight but does become a little ragged when a small crack develops in the warpper. This is short-lived thankfully; but the cigar still doesn't have a true identity at this point. "What are you?!?!" I want to yell at the cigar! The cigar does come back somewhat in the last third as the caramel and sweetness comes back. There is even a little grassiness that reminds me of a Cohiba. I am glad I smoked it past the halfway point as the ending is very good.

Overall: 89-90 with very good potential in the years ahead. Way too young to be a great cigar now and if the ending didn't turn out as well, it would've been in the low 80's because of the middle third.

[Colt45]

Thanks for the review. Rob and Cohiba's predecessor had a similar opinion, if I recall

correctly. I won't be trying them for a while.

[El Presidente]

GReat review.

We came to the same conclusion. With time this cigar could be an all time great. The Ramon Allones Estupendo is more approachable now .....but for long term ageing....I would back the Punch.

[josie67]

» GReat review.

»

» We came to the same conclusion. With time this cigar could be an all time

» great. The Ramon Allones Estupendo is more approachable now .....but for

» long term ageing....I would back the Punch.

I broke my box open about a week ago, and the one I had was pretty bland and VERY young still. Draw was so-so, and I doubt I will even try another for at least 6 months. These DEFINITELY need some more age.