Punch cigars have a reputation for being straightforward fuller-bodied smokes. As one of the most iconic names in the world of cigars, as well as one of the most popular brands on the market today, this one was a prime candidate for a review on our blog. I’ve smoked plenty in the past so I’m quite familiar with the brand, but have never done a formal Punch cigar review. To further investigate this classic brand (and see if it lives up to the hype), I bought a 5-pack of Punch cigars in the Rothschild shape and got to smoking!
The cigar’s appearance is, in a word, impressive. The wrappers are smooth and supple with relatively small veins, and have an oily sheen and feel to them. The seams of the wrapper were all but invisible. The cigar’s cap sliced off cleanly with a firm draw and dark, sweet aged tobacco flavors. I noted that the vitola felt well balanced in the hand.
I found that all of the Punch cigars I smoked for this Punch cigar review took a while to toast before actually lighting. This corresponds to a cigar with plenty of ligero (lee-HAIR-o) tobacco in the blend, which are the leaves from the uppermost part of the plant that receive the most nutrients and sunlight, and are therefore the strongest and oiliest.
Once lit, the cigar produced a large volume of thick, white smoke. While the cigar lacked the peppery bite associated with many newer full-bodied cigars, it still packed plenty of body, strength and flavor right off the bat.
The cigar’s flavors had “settled in” by the time I rounded the second third, while the body and strength continued to build. I did notice an increasing sweetness and a palate of earthy, dark flavors with a strong room note. The cigar’s burn is for the most part straight, and while one of my Punch cigars began to burn unevenly, I was able to correct it without having to touch it up.
In all of the cigars I smoked, I found that the mottled gray ash plopped down in firm 1″ nuggets. The construction also held up nobly right down to a half-inch nub. By this point the flavors had redoubled in intensity for a richly full-flavored smoke of earthy, nutty, dark tobacco flavors with some caramel-like sweetness to keep things interesting. The smoke by the end was full in body, although it should be noted that there has been a group of ultra full-bodied cigars that are heavier yet than Punch cigars. The cigar finished at a medium to full strength.
If you are looking for nuance and complexity, look elsewhere. The original Punch series doesn’t purport to offer either of these things. Instead, the astute cigar smoker can reasonably expect a fuller-bodied smoke with rich, full flavors and medium to full strength. Punch cigars are best suited for more experienced smokers, although they may also be enjoyed by newer or occasional cigar smokers, given that they are not overwhelmingly strong.
It is advised to smoke them carefully, as over-smoking them can cause a build-up of strength and/or bitter tars. Furthermore, these cigars would pair well with a dark beer or brown liquor such as Scotch or Bourbon. Hope you enjoyed my Punch cigar review! To learn more, check out Punch’s official website for some additional details on the brand.
Cigar: Punch Rothschild
Size: 4.5″ x 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, Dominican Piloto Cubano
When he's not busy writing, editing, smoking cigars, or raising his many, many children, Hayward " "It's Lou, not Hayward" " Tenney spends his days combating confusion about his real name (it's Hayward, but please - call him " "Lou" ") and mourning the matrimonially-induced loss of his moustache (what's he gonna do with all that moustache wax he made?).
Show all Lou Tenney's Articles
Reading Time: 2 minutes Aimed at being “a culmination of Trinidad Espiritu’s epic journey through years of diverse cigar cultures,” The Trinidad Espiritu No.3 now gives a nod to Mexico by using a specially-aged Mexican San Andrés wrapper. Get the full story here.
Reading Time: 7 minutes RyJ gets Twisted over its first barber pole cigar, the Romeo Y Julieta Reserva Real Twisted Toro. We give this dual-wrapped blend a proper taste test and determine whether its flavors are a win, or were better left unraveled.
Reading Time: 7 minutes The Panel critiques AJ Fernandez’s New World Dorado cigars selection. These box-pressed Nicaraguan puros feature tobaccos from the first harvest of AJ’s Dorado farm. Watch this cigar review now to see whether this AJ release has struck gold or struck out.
Reading Time: 7 minutes We love to smoke cigars, we love to listen to music, and we sure as hell love doing both at the same time. Check out the Cigar Advisor Playlist – our list of stogies and songs, and which to pair with what!
I agree. I really enjoy the upper cut when I can find them. Goes very well with Canadian whiskeys.
Honestly probably the most mediocre thing I’ve ever smoked.
What does the writer mean when he suggests not to over indulge in the br a nd because you will build tolerance and or tar bitterneess??
Hi Charles,
I’m a proponent of this as well. You don’t want to constantly draw on a cigar or the tars will begin to draw toward the head, albeit slowly. But when you get to that final third you may encounter some tarry bitterness.
Best advice is to take your time and try to puff in two minute intervals. Sometimes it’s hard, especially when the cigar tastes so good, but that’s what the writer was getting at. Hope this helped.
G-~
I’m guilty of this myself sometimes when enjoying a cigar. I try to get at least an hour out of a good smoke.
Please send catalog
Hi Shirley. I have sent your info to customer service. Thanks for the request.