Punch Upper Cut Robusto

The Punch brand is produced by General Cigar. To come up with just the right blend for its Upper Cut line, General Cigar decided to use feedback and various opinions from the smoking public before making the cigar official, and it actually won a showdown with another blend to become a part of the Punch family. The Upper Cut name is interesting and makes you wonder if this is a powerhouse similar to the boxing punch it shares names with. Let's hope the public got it right with this one and it ends up being a stud and not a dud.

The Upper Cut Robusto measures 5 ¼ x 50. Punch offers the line in two other sizes: the 6 x 45 Grand Corona and the 6 5/8 x 54 Toro. The cigar's filler is composed of a blend of aged tobaccos from Nicaragua, and the binder comes from the nation's island region of Ometepe. The Ometepe region is home to volcanic activity as well as farms that produce tobacco with a unique flavor. The Upper Cut is finished off with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. In terms of strength, the Upper Cut is said to be medium to full-bodied.

General Cigar made quite a statement when they dressed up the Upper Cut with two large bands. The band near the head has a dark blue and gold color scheme. This differs greatly from many other Punch offerings that come with red bands. The band features the Upper Cut and Punch names and looks somewhat similar to a boxing championship belt. The band near the foot has a scenic look to it, with a depiction of the Ometepe region's mountains and landscape. Both bands do plenty to attract attention, and those who enjoy heavily decorated cigars will enjoy that aspect of the Upper Cut. The cigar itself has a dark and oily wrapper. There's a good amount of veins visible, and it feels firm to the touch with no soft spots. Before lighting, there is a pleasant aroma and cold taste of sweetness.