RA Estupendos

[RR4362]

I was looking at getting a box of estupendos or the punch super robustos. Any good reviews?

[Colt45]

If you check the review forum, you'll find a number of reviews for each.

The following is my opinion only......

Regarding the RA Estupendos, the original 2006 release was a mixed bag regarding quality of construction. A number of members have

reported boxes of plugged cigars which were basically unsmokeable. I've found the '07s to be much better with regards to construction,

and both years exhibit great potential with regards to flavor.

Having said that, there are other cigars in that format I'd go for any day and every day, especially taking into consideration cost. The

H. Upmann Sir Winston and the Bolivar Coronas Gigantes are stalwarts that outshine the Estupendos - again, in my opinion.

We have members who love the Estupendos, and their opinions are valid.

With regards to the Punch, I have a box in storage which I have yet to sample. My suggestion would be to try a couple of singles of each

and see what you think. My true instincts are that you can acquire regular production cigars which equal or surpass these in quality and

flavor and save yourself a little coin in the process.

Of course, you won't get the extra band

[shrink]

If you're trying to decide between the Estupendos and the Punch Robustos, that would depend on which flavor profile you prefer. I have found that the Estupendos are more true to the classic Ramon Allones flavor profile, while the Punch is somewhat less so. I like the Punch, but have described it as being something of a cross between Punch and Cohiba. A very smooth, refined cigar. I'm aging my Estupendos, but the few I've sampled have been among the best cigars I've had in the last two years. They are unmistakeably Ramon Allones, with those nice woody and fruity flavors, but elegant in their sophistication and complexity. With a few years, these are potential classics.

Colt is quite correct in that there have been lots of exceptional regular stock, large ring guage cigars rolled in the last couple of years, including Cohibas and Bolivars. I've also been impressed with the early '08 Upmanns, Partagas Lusi's, and Juan Lopez No. 2.