The Punch Brand has been around since 1840, originally crafted for export to the United Kingdom. To celebrate its 18th anniversary, General Cigar is releasing the Punch Aniversario, which the company is calling its more limited offering to date.
88%
Good
"Overall, it was an okay smoke, no frills for me at least. If you like earthy notes with some pepper and char, this will be right up your alley. Little gave in way of sweetness save the grassy notes in the beginning that quickly faded halfway through. Draw issues with it being too tightly rolled made smoking it at times a chore, however all in all, eh, try it… you might like it, you might not, you be the judge…" -John A. (Bostoneo)
92%
Great
"Another great cigar that I enjoyed. Beautiful light chocolate wrapper with bumps and veins showing. Nice notes of sweet tea, hickory, black pepper, and butterscotch balance this cigar out. Minor splitting at the end that corrects itself. Even burn with a nice inch long ash. Great late afternoon smoke. A cigar I'd try again." -Sean F. (fullermaine)
89%
Good
"From the time I took it out of the bag and held it to my nose to the time I put it to rest in my ashtray, this cigar made a lasting impression on me. All around this was an effortless and undeniably pleasant smoke. With a near-perfect burn and draw, I didn't have to work to smoke this cigar which always heightens the experience for me. Although lighter with regards to body and complexity, the flavor was certainly not lacking and the transitions were smooth and made sense. I typically reach into my humidor for a stronger cigar but would not hesitate to start my day with this cigar accompanied by a solid cup of coffee. I would also recommend this stick to any beginner with a developing palate who is looking to broaden their horizons and start venturing into slightly more complex and flavorful smokes. I can't wait for the reveal as I would love to explore this cigar again!" -Noah S. (Noah)
General Cigar has announced a new regular production line in the Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur brand: Excalibur Black. Launching June 7th, the new blend uses a USA Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Ecuadoran Sumatra binder, and Honduran and Nicaraguan ligero filler. Excalibur Black wil be rolled at General's HATSA factory in Danli, Honduras.
General Cigar has updated the look for its Punch Signature line. The redesigned packaging actually started hitting shelves already, earlier this month. The blend remains unchanged.
88%
Good
"I don't usually go for the bigger cigars but this was excellent start to finish. The sweet cocoa at the beginning that morphed into buttered toast and warm cinnamon at the midway point was perfectly balanced by charred oak and black pepper on the retro. The final inch or so got a little heavy on the wood notes but I would definitely smoke this one again after a big dinner with a nice rye to pair." -Vance T. (Vance)
93%
Total Score - Great
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·“This is a cigar that I could see myself giving to a novice or a seasoned cigar smoker. The seasoned bloke will enjoy the change in pace of flavors presented on sample 529 and the novice will become introduced into the world of what a premium cigar can offer. This is a cigar that could be smoked and enjoyed after several other offerings as the profile is bold and evident. Construction was top-notch and however many hundred or thousand hands it touched before coming to fruition, it was worth it.” –Matt C. (Big Matt)
93%
Great
"The creamy sweet milk chocolate notes that slowly evolved into a more bitter dark chocolate by the end along with the classic leather and earth background notes made a very old-school quality Maduro. There was some great complexity and interest with the nuttiness, molasses, baking spices, and hint of cinnamon that upped this blend to another level. I'd be interested to try this in a larger size to see if more time allowed for even more transitions." -Lauren S.
90%
Very Good
"As soon as I lit this cigar, I could taste sweetness and roasted nuts. Almost like honey roasted peanuts. As I continued to indulge, a little white pepper was introduced, adding a little complexity to the cigar. The sweetness eventually gave way to the pepper notes, only to return as the cigar began to wind down. Would I smoke this cigar again? Absolutely! I enjoyed the experience so much I would have immediately smoked another one upon setting this one down. " -Jai P. (Jai)