Punch Rothschild Maduro Review

[punch]

I first tried these cigars last winter when the Tobacco Hut ran out of my usual EMS version. I had discovered earlier with the London Club that there was little difference between the EMS and Maduro versions of the standard Punch line. Both use Ecuador Sumatra wrappers with Connecticut binders, with the Maduro being slightly darker than the EMS. In fact, with the London Clubs, I had a hard time telling them apart in the humidor when they sat side by side. Even the difference in taste was within what expected between cigars within the same wrapper color. From what I can tell from the manufacturer’s information, only the higher priced Punch Delux and Gran Cru lines use a different wrapper for the Maduro, in this case Connecticut Broadleaf. Note this is different than what is recorded in Perelman’s Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars. I have e-mailed the manufacturer for further information, but nobody has chosen to respond to the question.

The Punch Rothchild is a 4.5 X 50 cigar with a mix of filler from the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua. Like all non-Cuban Punch cigars, this cigar is made in the Honduras.

The Punch Rothschild Maduro ages very well. Since the Rothschild is not my “go to” cigar for the line (that would be either the London Club or Elite), and since the EMS shade of wrapper is my preference over the maduro, these cigars get to sit in the humidor for months before I smoke them. This had an unforeseen benefit as age really seems to tame this cigar and give it a mellowness not typical of the regular Punch line.

The particular cigar that I smoked today was purchased earlier in the summer as I started to accumulate my winter cigars. I started smoking Punch cigars in the winter months when I found that the Fuente wrappers would not hold up to the low temperature and low humidity conditions of the Nebraska winter. I have been dipping into my supply lately as the temperature and humidity have been dropping.

Upon removing the cigar from the three-finger case that it shared with one of its brothers and a Rare Corojo cousin, I noticed a light coating of crystal plume covering the wrapper. Since the sun was rather bright outside, the plume almost seemed to sparkle. The cap came off quite cleanly with my scissors, and the pre-light draw was light but acceptable. The cigar lit easily and smoked profusely during the entire burn. Draw remained light but never got hot. The wrapper became smooth and the texture of patent leather as the cigar heated. Flavor was full and strong, but did not have the harsh bite that often is the mark of the regular line of Punch cigars. Burn was nearly Montecristo straight! Finishing the cigar left me with a slight buzz and quite satisfied. I rated this cigar a solid “A”.

[Cap'n Mike]

One of my all time favorites, though I haven't had one in a while. The local shop carries them and when I was smoking them regularly, I would get a couple for running errands at lunch and or on the weekend. Hardly any one else was buying them, so the ones I got were aging nicely at the shop. Definitely carries the "flagship" Punch Honduran medium-bodied flavor and aroma, which I know and love. I also like to smoke the Double Corona maddie when I play golf and it is the only "stick" I carry that won't betray me!

Reading your review and strolling down memory lane has got me fired up. Guess where I am going at lunch today!

Thanks for taking the time to write it all down,

Mike