The Habanos line Punch, founded in 1840 is considered a foundational touchstone of Cuban cigar history. Often touted as the third oldest independent cigar brand founded on the island (following Cabanas and Por Larranaga), and the second oldest surviving brand, it was founded by the German Stockmann. fellow countryman, Herman Upmann, who would register his own eponymously named cigar line three years later. Stockmann would name his brand after the much beloved traditional English Punch & Judy puppet show, “Punch” also referring to the distinct body of their blends. The savvy move embedding the brand in the mid-1800 cultural zeitgeist, helped the line secure an enviable size of the prestigious British market early on. A strong early reputation helped Punch whether the financial devastation of the 1920s, that claimed many cigar factories. Acquired by Fernandez, Palicio & Cia in 1930, the Punch brand once again rose in popularity helped by association with its new sister brand, Hoyo de Monterrey, the two sharing the La Corona factory since 1931.
Following the 80s a wide majority of Punch vitolas were discontinued due to a blue mold epidemic afflicting the island, the brand since then becoming slightly peripheral to the big name Habanos (Cohiba, Partagas, Montecristo etc.) despite being very widely recognised. This sudden discontinuation, with so many vitolas left in limbo aging in humidors, allowed Punch to quietly garner a cult following over the next few decades. Punch cigars aging potentials are very well documented and are vaunted by aficionados as remarkably stable, uniformly improving with aging, lacking the unpredictable “peaks” and “troughs” of other tobaccos as identified by Min Ron Nee. Habanos S.A perhaps catching on to the Punch status as the ultimate “cellar cigar” has used the brand as a driving vehicle for special releases, following another major round of discontinuations of the predominantly thinner gauge portfolio in the late noughts. As of today, a dizzying 24 regional editions have been released since 2005, bolstering Punch’s international prestige despite claiming a much more modest export share since it’s historic heyday.
Traditionally Punch’s most iconic vitolas were their 6 Corona Gordas (46 X 143mm); the Nectares No.2, Seleccion de Luxe No.1, Black Prince, Punch Punch, Super Selection No.2, and Royal Selection No.1. Of these only the Punch Punch has made the cut as a continuing regular production, making it the contemporary flagship cigar of this iconic brand.
Enter the Petit Corona del Punch. The petit corona vitola (42 X 129mm) directly adjacent to the Corona Gorda, was a Punch specialty and thereby has been in continuous production since before the revolution up until 2012. The smoke has traditionally had the role of being the spicier, more robust alternative to the Perlas sized Petit Punch (40 X 102mm), another heritage vitola that was unceremoniously extinguished in the late noughts.
Aptly named as “THE” brand’s petit corona, it’s hard to think of a better immersion into this seminal cigar line, than a 1999 Petit Corona del Punch. It’s always a special day when I stumble across a Cuban Punch cigar, considering their unavailability in Canada due to a trademark dispute with another company. Punch’s history as a pioneer of Cuban tobacco excellence, the box’s charming old-world lithography retained in all it’s glory, sets expectations high for my experience of this vintage petit corona.
Straight off the bat, the box strongly emits the intoxicating “vintage Cuban cigar smell” that has been described every which way by those of us lucky to have experienced this aroma. This distinct sweet wood, floral musk, I’ve detected before only on the finest age-potential Cubans; namely from Sancho Panza, and Saint Luis Rey, in all the time I’ve spent at La Casa del Habano Montreal’s vintage humidor.
The texture of the cigar confirms the age, the wrapper taking on an old parchment paper delicacy. After 22 years of breathing, the Colorado Claro surface feels grippy, as if covered by soft felt. The tender dry feeling of the wrapper feels as if it’s absorbing the natural oil on your fingers, pointing to the stunning tactility of well-aged cigars. On the cold draw, sweet graham cracker and floral notes dominate.
Punch – Petit Corona del Punch – May 1999 cigar
First Third:
Upon lighting, the mild bitterness of powdered chocolate compliments the graham cracker sweetness perceptible in the cold draw. What is striking is how unambiguous these flavours are. The texture of the smoke in the mouth is light and airy, the dry mouthfeel lends itself to a smooth buttery aftertaste propping up dried herb, and tea notes.
Second Third:
The balance on this cigar is striking, a heavy peanut note upon the draw informs mild licorice and nutmeg elements brought into the fold upon concentration. The dryness of the smoke lends a clarity to a balance of baking spice and honey sweetness, with a stronger herbaceous element that keeps the cigar feeling fresh mid-way through.
Last Third:
Going into the last stretch, the profile is stable, and elements become more pronounced with each puff trailing to the nub. Peanut notes remain at the forefront, morphing into a mild marzipan bringing out spicier elements of nutmeg to the baking spice profile. The herbaceous element by the end imparts a ginger like zest, never devolving into harsh tannic notes. Bowing out to this cigar, the Punch Petit Corona del Punch was completed with a toothpick until my index finger gave out from the heat of the ember.
Final Thoughts:
This vintage Petit Corona del Punch confirms the brand’s legacy as the ultimate “cellar cigar”. Not requiring a de-gassing at any point during the cigar’s 40-minute smoke time is a testament to the magic of cigar aging, with no traces of ammonia or tannins perceptible. The light bodied elegance, and clarity of profile of the Petit Corona del Punch is enough to have me seeking out more of these vintage gems for the foreseeable future.
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