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. It comes in a box made to replicate a box from the 11970s showing a old school look and reading “Cabinet Selection” on the top left corner of the inside lid.

The exclusive Habanos S.A. 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.

  • 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 (Box of 25, $375)
  • 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. The Serie D’Oro No.1 is 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, I get a little bit of leather and then it’s gone. To be honest, it’s a rather mediocre start.

Coming into the second third, coffee is the main flavor at this point but now I get 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 to 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 Edición Regionals than not that they 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 Ss.A. 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 three samples when possible.
  • Final Smoking time was one hour 30 minutes.

75 Overall Score

The Punch Serie D’Oro No.1 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 Edición Regional, I think you will be much happier.

Steve Valle

Steve Valle wrote for Smoking Stogie, a precursor to halfwheel, from 2010-2011.