The Punch brand cigar is a bit iconic but in some ways under appreciated as so many "super-premium" cigars have hit the market and pushed the founding brands to the way side. I think Punch will always carry with it a faithful following of salty old cigar smokers who appreciate the meat and potatoes of a good smoke. For over 40 years now the Punch line has been rolled in Honduras and has branched out into several different blends.
This Punch Magnum is a whopper at 5.25 x 54. The wrapper was a bit uneven and blotchy and really not much to look at. It had a nice firm feel to it but the pre-light draw felt a little loose. Once the foot was firmly aflame I found the draw to tighten up a bit which was nice. The initial flavors were a bit muddled but I could pick out a few hard woods with a tobacco underbelly. After about the first 1/2" it began to settle and a peppery flavor began to emerge. Initially it was just pepper in flavor, but it began to build to a nice spicy pepper by mid-smoke. As I neared the final 1" it mellowed a bit to reveal the earthy woods that drifted in and out throughout the entire cigar. The construction was good and didn't require any additional work. The aroma was quite bold but still enjoyable.
I really enjoy the classics and this is a classic full bodied Honduran. I know that it is cool nowadays to smoke fancy brands like Gurkha and CAO, but sometimes you need to reacquaint yourself with an old friend.
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Hon, DR, Nic
Binder: Conn
Rating: 91
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