The Punch Diablo will be the first Punch from brand owner General Cigar made outside of Honduras. They have teamed up with A.J. Fernandez to create this cigar in his factory in Nicaragua.
The specifics
The Punch Diablo is made with a blend of four-year-aged Nicaraguan and Honduran Habano leaves and is wrapped in a deep, oscuro Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper, also aged four years. The Connecticut Broadleaf binder has been aged for six years and comes from the Connecticut River Valley, outside of Hartford.
The Punch Diablo is available in three vitolas: A Gordo (6.25×60) named Brute, a Toro (6.125×50) named Scamp and a Robusto (5.25×54) named Diabolus.
The experience
Apperance
The cigar is very firm to the touch and has a dark oscuro wrapper. There is an earthy tobacco aroma on the foot and a mild leather aroma on the wrapper. There are visible seams and a few pronounced veins.
Pre-light
The pre-light draw had just the right amount of firmness and I found sweet, earthy flavors from the filler leaves.
1st third
The first third had a strong spicy retrohale. There were sharp, savory notes on my palate, along with a tingling sensation and a short finish.
2nd third
During the second third, the peppery sensation dropped off dramatically on the retrohale while the palate flavors remained constant.
Final third
For the final third, there was a spice sensation on back of my throat. The cigar had a medium finish with tasty, earthy notes.
[su_box title=”Summary” style=”glass” box_color=”#e1dddd”]Overall combustion was very good. The cigar maintained an even burn, had a thin carbon ring, and a consistent firm, light gray ash. The cigar produced a good amount of smoke during the entire session. I consider the Punch Diablo to be medium in strength and medium to full in body.
Overall, I rate this cigar at a 93.[/su_box]