The new Punch Signature will ship out to retailers on March 2nd, and will be a regular release. Details on the cigar have been coming out in the form of teasers at signature.punchcigars.com. While many cigar companies have enlisted celebrities, Punch has enlisted the brand’s mascot to serve as the voice of the brand.
Made in Honduras and blended by Master Blender Agustin Garcia the cigar has been three years in the making. According to Garcia, “The Punch Signature was inspired by the original Punch.” He added, “The blend mixes tradition with modern tastes.”
Punch Cigars which is part of General Cigars is asking Cigar Smokers to interact with Mr. Punch leading to the launch. Mr. Punch will create custom memes on cigar-related photos submitted on Twitter or Instagram (@PunchCigars), with the hashtag #NiceBurn. Cigar smokers can visit the Punch website to see what Mr. Punch has to say about their photo. They can also visit PunchCigars on Facebook for details on Punch Signature.
Full blend details have not yet been released.
The band of the cigar features a re-creation of artwork developed in the 1800s for the first Punch cigars. The back of the band features Mr. Punch and his dog, Toby which is a throwback to the original Mr. Punch character.
The Punch Signature box is a mix of old and new. The presentation is bold with color blocking and features an acrylic window to showcase the band, even when the box is closed. The lid features the script typeface that was originally used in the 1800s. Each cabinet-style box holds 18 cigars, to maximize retailer shelf space.
Update 2/23: Development of the Punch Signature blend began in 2012. Agustin and his team found a small batch of Ecuadoran tobacco they wanted to use, but had to ensure that they would have enough to make Punch Signature a full-time addition to Punch.
So they started working with a grower to cultivate a special Ecuadoran Corojo wrapper exclusively for this cigar. The wrapper is related to the original Cuban Corojo seed. The Punch blending team in Honduras aged and sorted the tobacco, and prepared it for launch three years later.
The wrapper has a lot of natural oil which makes the leaf silky, gives it elasticity and imparts a hint of cocoa, with an earthy spice.
The binder is made from a proprietary Connecticut Habano leaf.
The blend composition is a story all its own. The leaves are from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua and they are of the same variety as in the original Punch blend. Here’s what’s different: Some of the filler leaves are very aged, and others are less so. The aged leaves bring flavor and balance, and the newer leaves deliver more strength. It’s all about incredible, balanced flavor.
