Punch Cigars

Way back in 1840, the very first Punch Cigars were produced in Havana, Cuba. The Punch name, and its iconic mascot, were inspired by a traditional European puppet called Punch and Judy, featuring the character Mr. Punch. This gave Punch Cigars early success, especially in Britain where Punch and Judy shows were exceptionally popular.

Following the infamous Stock Market Crash of 1929, Punch Cigars was struggling and found itself under the ownership of Fernandez, Palicio y Cia, which also made the famous Belinda and Hoyo de Monterrey brands. Fernandez, Palicio y Cia made Punch Cigars in Havana for over 3 decades until the early 1960s when the U.S. levied an embargo against Cuban goods in response to Castro’s communist revolution.

With an end to the embargo nowhere in sight, Palicio decided to sell Punch and Hoyo de Monterrey to his good friends Frank Llaneza and Dan Blumenthal of Villazon in 1965. By 1968 with the opening of HATSA, the very first Honduran-made Punch Cigars began appearing on the market. In fact, Punch Cigars are among the first brands to be made in Honduras.

The arrival of a non-Cuban made Punch also marked a significant change in the international cigar industry, as it paved the way for other owners of Cuban heritage brands to produce and sell their brands for the United States.

Today, Punch Cigars is owned by the famous General Cigar Company and still made at HATSA in Danli, Honduras. Punch hosts a sizeable portfolio of blends leaning more toward the full-bodied end of the spectrum, but even a novice will find many Punch blends palatable.

The beloved Punch Clasico is the first introduction many connoisseurs have to full-bodied cigars. Produced in several sizes with age Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Honduran long fillers, the classic Punch comes in two blends, one with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and Connecticut Broadleaf binder, and the other with a Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper and a Connecticut Shade binder.

The original Punch provides a rich medium-full bodied tapestry of rich flavors reminiscent of the zesty pre-embargo Cuban Punch, while the maduro blend offers added nuances of chocolate and pepper to the bold profile.

Honoring its found home after the Cuban embargo, Punch Gran Puro cigars highlight the complexity and richness of Honduran tobaccos. One of the first Honduran puros ever brought to market, the Gran Puro is blended with only the finest Honduran tobaccos with a Cuban-seed wrapper. Its medium-full bodied notes of cinnamon, earth, tobacco sweetness, and creamy finish will please a discerning palate.

If those Punch blends just do not hit hard enough, the Punch Signature delivers that knock-out flavor you seek. It features a top-quality Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper grown specifically for the blend over a rare Connecticut Habano binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan long fillers, leading to a full-bodied tapestry of spice, chocolate, earth, and leather that will make the most seasoned connoisseurs weak at the knees.

This only covers a fraction of the Punch Cigars portfolio – there are nearly a dozen blends to explore and develop your palate with. But whichever blend of Punch Cigars you favor, make sure you order them here at JR Cigar.