Punch Super Seleccion No 1 OEB DIC


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Great review. Your fingers are HUGE! :-D

I have had two from my 50 cab of ABR06 I bought from you and have been somewhat underwhelmed. Medium plus at best, not near the depth of flavor you describe. Perhaps I should revisit, hopefully they are opening up and that is not "it." I was hoping for some strong, long term aging potential as I LOVE the SS2s I have remaining.

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GOOOAAL!!! for the Punch SS#1 and another big win for the class of 2006.

It is a tribute to the improvements we have seen in Habanos over the past year, that this particular cigar is showing so well so young. Your description is simply mouthwatering, and bodes very well for its future development. I have never smoked an SS#1 that was worthy of the flame at less than four years of age.

Thanks for the review, Boss!

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» » » On the list it goes.

» »

» » See the list as it grows and grows,

» » Where it ends, nobody knows...

»

» Growing so long like Pinocchio's nose,

» It shall remain secret, lest I have many woes....

Have we been less than honest with our wife about the extent of our cigar purchases, Colt?

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» Would love you to try an ABR 06 and review as a comparison :-)

A little late but better than never, right?

Punch SS#1 ABR06

Well rolled, finely toothed cigar. Draw was good, slightly on the loose side for my tastes. Smell at cold of peanut butter. Prelight draw smacked of chocolate, and a profile I could only connect with the SS#2. Burned fairly well the whole hour plus it smoked.

Started well but somber, with dark flavors of earth and chocolate. Good amount of smoke. Slowly became creamier, remaining full of toasted strong tobacco. Chinese allspice hints, a fruited nuttiness crept around, and toasted coffee bean started to show up 1/3 of the way in.

That earthy truffle flavor surprised me by showing up halfway, my favorite flavor in any cigar. The cigar became richer, almost like a Punch syrup. Really had that Super Selection tune going, with elements of anise at the top end of the powerful profile. Stewed green apple that suggested its youth.

The cigar ended more smoothly than I anticipated. Heavy, lingering coatings of flavor, Cohiba-esque in profile, though the coffee beans were pleasantly overroasted. The very last puff tasted of cherries.

This was a significant improvement over the last couple from this box. Either I got a good one or they’re getting better. My real concern is how these will age long term. I am surprised how well they smoke now, given how tannic the Super Selection is young. Will they have legs for the future.

I guess perhaps I should not care, if it tastes this good. I guess.

I’ll give this a 91 and sample them more frequently than I had planned.

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» The cigar ended more smoothly than I anticipated. Heavy, lingering

» coatings of flavor, Cohiba-esque in profile, though the coffee beans were

» pleasantly overroasted. The very last puff tasted of cherries.

»

» This was a significant improvement over the last couple from this box.

» Either I got a good one or they’re getting better. My real concern is how

» these will age long term. I am surprised how well they smoke now, given

» how tannic the Super Selection is young. Will they have legs for the

» future.

»

» I guess perhaps I should not care, if it tastes this good. I guess.

»

» I’ll give this a 91 and sample them more frequently than I had planned.

Excellent review :ok:

Just when you think that you have this cigar caper nailed .....the world of Habanos sends you a loop ball. I would never have thought a 2006 SS1 would be smokeable let alone immensely enjoyable.

How they will fare long term? They still have the power/legs so I am confident or at least.....hopefull :-)

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  • 1 year later...

Punch Super Seleccion No 1 OEB DIC 06

One of my favourite Punch cigars sitting alongside the Punch Super Seleccion No 2 (disgracefully discontinued) and the Punch Royal Seleccion No 11. The Punch Royal Seleccion No 12 (PC) has a special place as well as does the Punch PC and the 1998 Punch Churchills (perhaps the last great Punch Churchill).

The Punch SS1 has had some great years (1996/1997/1998/2003). You can find some exceptional examples from 1999/2000/2001/2002 but they were plagued with tight draws. Caveat Emptor.

For some reason I have not smoked a lot of 2004/2005 and would love member feedback on those years. I had cabs and cabs of 1999 which I was weeding the good ones from which kept my personal stocks supplied and that is what I had been smoking until they ran out. The rest were from 2003 which were exceptional.

Blow and behold late Friday afternoon I had the urge for a SS1 and took one from an open 50 cab in the humidor with a DIC 06 code. I almost put it back as there is no way a SS1 should be ready to smoke at such a young age. Afterall these are one of the most powerfull ageing cigars there are. However, after a rather insipid RAG, I felt the need to for a palate assault. I was stunned. Sensational cigar so much so that I smoked another this morning for review purposes.

Not the prettiest cigar. Colorado wrapper with some oil showing through. Tobacco and unsweetened cheesecake smell at cold. Powerfull aroma Construction was excellent, well rolled with a good open foot and no hard spots. Ckipped the cap and the draw was heavenly. Slight sweetness on the lips with a hit of dark tobacco.

Gently torched the foot....BANG! all pepper through the nose, full body and straight into an unsweetened licorice and BBQ notes. Meaty, chewy, BIG. Settling down now and showing a complex mix of treacle thick toffee and black coffee. Still full bodied with charred wood notes but this part of the mix is mellowing significantly.

This is a juicy cigar, tremendous mouthfeel, viscous. Burn is not all that straight but no problems keeping alight. Well past the first third and the sweeter flavours are coming to the fore; cream, custard, unbaked buscuit cake base, however still interwoven within a solid core of black and white pepper spice. Very entertaining.

Towards the back end and sweetness more subdued. Toasted almonds, cheesecake base and espresso coffee. Remarkably approachable. Still full bodied but no elements of the dark side of youth. Very similar in style to my last Royal Seleccion No 11 but significantly stronger..yet not harsh.

Why is this cigar so aproachable so young? Not sure. It has strength, complexity and balance but I assume its multi faceted flavour delivery will only improve over the years. This cigar has a spine of pepper and core tobacco strength which will see out the long term. What is so exciting is the developed complex flavours which are evident now.

This Dic 06 SS1 is every bit as good as the 03 I have enjoyed. The 03 are a more subtle, more refined and no doubt provide a window to the future development of this cigar.

90/100 5/6 smokerings.

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