The Punch Diablo is scheduled to be among General Cigar Co.’s new releases at the upcoming IPCPR Convention & Trade Show, as the company announced its impending release on Friday after teasing it recently via social media and online ads.

Outside of the Cuban brand from which it gets its name—and which is owned by Habanos S.A.—this will be the first Punch line extension not made at the company’s factory in Honduras. Instead, it will hail from Nicaragua and an individual and factory who has become a frequent collaborator with General Cigar Co., Abdel “A.J.” Fernandez.

Named for the Spanish word for devil, the company is also calling it the strongest Punch to date, pegging it at medium-full to full bodied, according to a report by Cigar Aficionado. The blend uses an Ecuadorian Sumatra oscuro wrapper, a Connecticut broadleaf binder grown in the U.S., and filler tobacsos from Nicaragua and Honduras.

It is being offered in three sizes, with each vitola having a name that ties in with the cigar’s devilish theme:

  • Punch Diablo Scamp (6 1/8 x 50) — $7.19
  • Punch Diablo Diabolus (5 1/4 x 54) — $7.79
  • Punch Diablo Brute (6 1/4 x 60) — $8.19

A representative from General Cigar Co. declined to confirm the accuracy of the initial report or provide further information about the cigar, such as when it will ship to retailers, whether or not it is limited edition or regular production, as well as how many cigars come in each box, though an image in the article indicates a 25-count package.

This year’s IPCPR Convention & Trade Show runs from July 13-17 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Update (July 2, 2018) — General Cigar Co. provided additional information about the cigar today, as well as images, which have been added to the story. The Scamp and Diabolus will come in 25-count boxes, while the Brute will be offered in 20-count boxes, and the line is scheduled to begin shipping by the end of July. This story was originally published on June 30.

Image via Punch Cigars’ Facebook page.

Davidoff is the official sponsor of halfwheel's coverage of the 2018 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.
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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.