Punch Double Corona TUP SEP 14 (PQDRW) My 99 Point Cigar!

[Monterey]

Spoiler alert, as if the title didn't give it away, this was one of the best cigars I've ever had.  I was thinking of what to smoke last night.  I wouldn't have selected this Punch except for I remembered this event.  So glad that I did.   This is a big cigar, but dwarfed by the amount of them I have.   I have always loved this cigar, and I have various cabs from 14-18, the most recent I picked up a few months ago in cuba.

Review:

The cigar is almost 5 years old.  I'm drinking my normal cold brew coffee.  It is the only thing I drink with cigars as I don't care for alcohol much.   A cold draw resulted in a slightly tough draw.  Just the way I like it.  Cigars with just a tad over normal resistance seem to last longer and provide just a tad bit more of flavor (spoiler, it REALLY did in this case!)

Initial taste:  Bam, right off the start.  Full flavored.  I had smoked a Sancho Panza Belicoso earlier in the day that took 30 minutes to warm up, so it was a welcomed thing.

-Cedar and chocolate slight cream

As it warmed up

-The chocolate moved to a malted milk chocolate with nuts.  Cream ramped up.  With the cream and malted chocolate, the cigar flavor got "chewey"  as if the flavor was sticking to the roof of my mouth (It did, more on that later)  

As is hit its stride

-All the above flavors remain but added coffee.      So we are talking primary, and strong, flavors of malted chocolate with nuts, cream, and coffee.  All the while remaining with that chewy feeling.  As if I could eat the flavors and enjoy the flavor in between puffs.  Unreal.  My head was spinning in happiness.  It was all so smooth and perfect.  I was thinking, could it get better?  In a way yes.

As it ended

-2 hours of pure bliss.  I couldn't think what more I could ever want out of a cigar.  I put the cigar down and grabbed my dinner.  But as I sat down, that chewy flavor remained. I sat down on my couch starving (8pm, well past my normal dinner time) but refusing to eat because I could taste the cigar still in my mouth and on my lips.  This lasted for 30 minutes.  30 minutes of tasting the best of the cigar after I finished the cigar!

Yeah, this cigar deserves a rare score from me of 99.  I don't want to give it a 100 because I never want to give up looking for the next great cigar.  Shame this cigar (supposedly) doesn't come in cedar 50 cabs.   But I have a cab just a few months old.  Here's hoping I find a 2019 cab for my next trip to Havana.  I would say here, but I'm never fast enough for the refresh/button clickers of the hardcore 24:24 crowd.

This was truly the best and what makes Cuban cigars so well regarded. This morning I was curious what CA rated this cigar.  I was able to find a review of the 2014.  They gave it a 95, a rare high score from them.  That was with just 2 years of age.  I think they got their rating right this time!  And I'm sure glad I have 4 cabs of this wonderful cigar.  It was one of the few cigars that I truly nubbed

[Samysam]

Excellent review. I can't wait to try mine. Thanks 

[David88]

Great review. Probably my favourite double corona!

[Markspring1978]

Very well done. Going to do one in a bit. This inspired me. 

[TheMonk]

Great review! I've got a Punch DC cab also from 2014 that I've resisted touching thus far.