Punch Gran Puro Rancho Review

6/24/2014

Cigar: Punch Gran Puro Rancho
Size: Robusto, 5.5”x54
MSRP: $5.99
Strength: Medium-Full
Wrapper: Sun Grown
Origin: Honduras

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Prelight: The sun grown wrapper has very nice coloring and is silky (and slightly oily) to the touch. The wrapper smells like chocolate colored raspberries – the first time I’ve noticed this. The foot has an aroma of dusty cocoa and is very densely packed. There are a few lumps in the cigar that feel like veins under the surface and the cap…well, it looks like crap to be honest. It’s ragged and not flush with the rest of the wrapper. While attempting to punch, the double cap just lifted right off. The cigar seems like it’ll hold together though. The cold draw is mildly oaky.

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1/3: A bit of a peppery burn in the retro, but is actually pretty creamy on the finish. Oakiness elbows its way into the party to join the cream and I even get a little cocoa once in a while. The burn line is pretty good and the draw is fine. The cap (or lack thereof) is doing great.

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2/3: The ash is fairly dense and hanging on fairly well. Creamy oak is the leading character in this play, but the cigar is getting a little bitter. I’m confused. Bitterness tends to be a sign of over-humidification. But the cap was dry enough to pop off when I punched it. My hygro (calibrated only a few months ago) read 63% when I grabbed this cigar. Oh, well. The cream begins to fade and I get a little nuttiness. But bitter hay becomes the supporting role next to oak as I end the second third.

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3/3: The cream comes back momentarily, but the nub is pretty bitter and harsh.

Overall: A great start, but ended on a downer. For the price though, this is not a bad cigar. There may be some aging (or long-resting) potential with it as well. I’m fairly sure this cigar is only a few months old, so maybe after a year, it could be a winner. The construction did fine, but left me longing for more in a way.