Today we will be taking a look at another Edición Regional for our Weekly Series, the Punch Serie D’Oro No.1 Edición Regional Reino Unido (2008). Only 1,210 boxes of this cigar were made and come in boxes of 25 cigars (30,250 cigars total produced). They come in a box made to replicate a box from the 1970’s showing a old school look and reading “Cabinet Selection” on the top left corner of the inside lid.

Photo courtesy of Cubancigarwebsite.com

The exclusive Habanos distributor for the United Kingdom is Hunters & Frankau, and they have one of the best reputations in the world as far as Cuban cigars go. Each year there are many Regionals released for this region, and they are often very unique in vitola and style.

Lets get to it shall we?

• Cigar Reviewed: Punch Serie D’Oro No.1 (Edición Regional Reino Unido 2008)
• Country of Origin: Cuba
• Factory: Miguel Fernández Roig
• Wrapper: Cuba
• Binder: Cuba
• Filler: Cuba
• Size: 6 1/8 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Vitola: Pirámides
• Est. Price: $15.00
• Date Released: 2008
• Number of Cigars Released: 1,210 Boxes of 25 Cigars (30,250 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked for Review: 1
  

 The cigar is quite big it’s a very large pyramid shape cigar. It’s not the prettiest as it has quite a few veins and lumps, but still a nice rustic looking cigar however. It appears to be Colorado Maduro in shade and is very firmly packed with an extremely dense feel to it. The prelight aroma is a very sweet and pungent tobacco aroma mixed with some cedar and hay. The prelight draw is just straight tobacco with a nice sweetness.

Starting off in the first third the cigar starts off very mild bodied, the smoke is abundant but very thin. Initial flavors are coffee and cedar with absolutely no spice or pepper at all. There is a nice leather note on the finish but it’s very short, you get a little bit of leather and then it’s gone. It’s Kind of a mediocre start honestly but let’s see how it warms up.

Coming into the second third the coffee is the main flavor at this point but now I am getting some nice leather notes here and there. Halfway through the second third the cigars starts to get bitter and acidic, the finish is extremely short and has a papery character to it that isn’t the most pleasurable. The cigar is rising in body and gets to mild/medium by the end of the second third. The ash is holding nicely and the draw is spot on. The wrapper at the head cracks on me a bit but nothing major.

Finishing up in the final third the cigar actual takes on some improvement, the bitterness has weakened considerably and I am able to get some decent flavors out of it. Coffee, cedar, and some dark chocolate make up the final third. The finish has improved in length however it still has that papery character to it so it’s worse in a sense. I nubbed it for the reviews sake but probably would have ended it sooner.

Final Notes:

• It seems to be the case with more regionals than not that they all have a very mediocre flavor profile and often taste very acidic and youthful for many years before they get any good. This cigar however doesn’t seem to have the strength or body to go the distance. I can’t imagine it being a cigar I would want to age but who knows. Habanos have been known to take drastic turns for the better out of nowhere with a few years in the humidor. I just wouldn’t put my money on this one.
• The profile was very mild and muted. It had some decent flavors but the bitterness, short finish and the papery note just ruined it for me. Unfortunately I only had one sample of this cigar because I would like to give it another shot as I think its only fair to smoke at least 3 samples when possible.
• Final Smoking time was 1 hour 30 minutes.

The Bottom Line: This cigar just didn’t do it for me. I need something stronger and more medium to medium/full in body and this just didn’t deliver. I have enjoyed mild body cigars in the past of course but they need to have a lot of flavor and be very complex and this just didn’t deliver that to me. If you have thoughts of buying some of these save your money and reach for a Rámon Allones Regional, I think you will be much happier.

Final Score: 75