Punch 48 Specialist Exclusive

HISTORY

Punch is one of the very oldest Havana brands. Don Manuel López of Juan Valle & Co. founded it in the mid-19th Century with an eye to the booming British market, where a humorous magazine of the same name was much in vogue.

A contented Mr Punch, the clown who personified the magazine, is still featured on every box, cigar in hand and surrounded by 19th-century images of cigar making that remain virtually unchanged over a century and a half later.

In 1931, Punch became associated with Hoyo de Monterrey, and the two brands have been made at the same factory ever since. Today, the factory is La Corona.

Punch’s distinct medium flavour is created with a blend of filler and binder tobaccos from the Vuelta Abajo zone, and all of the sizes are ‘tripa larga, totalmente a mano’ – long filler, totally handmade.

Introduced in 2017, the second band on this cigar indicates that they can only be found in La Casas del Habanos or Havana Cigar Specialists. A fraction shorter than the more famous Punch Punch, but with slightly more width. Well worth seeking out.

TASTING NOTES

This medium-strength cigar offers a balance of earthiness, toasted bread, and cedar, alongside distinct notes of leather, floral honey, and gentle spice.

Its aromatic and balanced character is perfectly complemented by a rich XO Cognac.

CIGAR INFORMATION

Country of Origin: Cuba

Flavour profile: Medium-Bodied

Vitola: Hermoso No. 3

Size: 48 ring gauge, 5 1/2 inches

Smoking time: 45 minutes