Punch Corona 1998

[strayvector]

Smoked this cigar last night. It is the only specimen I have in my humidor and was very generously gifted to me from a friend.

Construction:

Wonderfully uniform matte light brown wrapper. Very little sheen to it and hardly any noticeable veins. Very uniform construction with no hard or soft spots. Pre-light draw reveals an easy draw and clean tobacco taste.

1st third:

After toasting the foot, the cigar lit easily and straight. First puff reveals earthy nuts like uncooked pecans, very woody. Good amount of smoke volume. There is also some creamy sweetness and very little bitterness. The cigar is medium bodied to me.

2nd third:

Cigar continues to burn razor sharp and even. Creamy sweetness builds and the smoke volume also builds. It also continues to be very woody and earthy, but the nutty flavors dissipates.

Final third:

Strengthens a bit. The flavors are very balanced. Very little nuttiness now, the creaminess dissipates and more musty leather. The cigar is still very woody and quite sweet. The sweetness is very pronounced after sipping some water.

Summary:

Wow. Excellent cigar! Perfect burn, great balance and really exudes the woody Punch profile. If this is what a well aged Punch is like, I might have to stash some away for the long haul. Needless to say, this cigar went past finger burning to lip burning good. 94

[jdbrown]

The best smokes I have had this month have been 97 Punch DC and an aged SS 2 gifted which was generously gifted from a board member. They were both tremendous. I am down to my last 97 DC and I think it would still be very good after 10 more years.

[El Presidente]

Nice work mate

Aged Punch are some of the most underappreciated of all cigars.

Royal Seleccion No 11

Super Seleccion Number 2

Super Seleccion No 1

Punch Corona

Each are stunning with 5 years on them and leaders in their respective vitola's. Balance and immense complexity.

Even better (and a development over the past few years), excluding the discontinued Super Seleccion No 2.....they are all remarkably aproachable when young and you can add Punch PC and Punch Petit Punch to the list.

The only cigar I feel lets the side down occasionally (in the smaller vitola's) is the Punch Punch. Higher production numbers than the others has hurt. You can still get some cracker PP but some ordinary experiences as well.

I have left off the Royal Seleccion No 12. Loved this cigar for years and years but found some recent examples a tad underwhelming. Could be just young but the Punch Petit Corona shows no such inhibitions young.

[ksblazer]

» Nice work mate

»

» Aged Punch are some of the most underappreciated of all cigars.

»

» Royal Seleccion No 11

» Super Seleccion Number 2

» Super Seleccion No 1

» Punch Corona

»

» Each are stunning with 5 years on them and leaders in their respective

» vitola's. Balance and immense complexity.

»

» Even better (and a development over the past few years), excluding the

» discontinued Super Seleccion No 2.....they are all remarkably aproachable

» when young and you can add Punch PC and Punch Petit Punch to the list.

»

» The only cigar I feel lets the side down occasionally (in the smaller

» vitola's) is the Punch Punch. Higher production numbers than the others

» has hurt. You can still get some cracker PP but some ordinary experiences

» as well.

»

» I have left off the Royal Seleccion No 12. Loved this cigar for years and

» years but found some recent examples a tad underwhelming. Could be just

» young but the Punch Petit Corona shows no such inhibitions young.

I agree about the Punch line being underappereciated as well. Like you said they do need some time to develop though, and I think that is the reason why. We must have similiar tastes as the picks you've mentioned would be my recomendations as well. :-)

[bassman]

Punch is far from my favorite brand, but I've smoked through 2 boxes of 98 PC del Punch that have been very impressive.