The Punch Champion takes part of its name from its wrapper, a “double maduro” or Sumatra wrapper and lives up to its heritage with a bold, full-bodied taste – qualities in a cigar that appeal to men who follow their own instincts rather than following the crowd. You can get one for less than $5, which puts this firmly in the mid-range in terms of price and quality for a cigar 4.5 inches long with a fat ring gauge of about 60. Yes, this is a beefy cigar, shaped like a torpedo as it nears an inch in diameter at its widest. The Punch Champion features an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, Connecticut Broadleaf binder, with the finest filler available from Hondura, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. It is manufactured by one of the largest producers of mass market and premium cigars in the world – General Cigar Altadis.
As you start to enjoy the Punch Champion Double Maduro cigar, you will immediately notice it is a well crafted smoke with a sweet peppery flavor and a bold odor that reminds you of smoldering hay. The draw may be a little quick, but that does not mean you will miss out on the subtle nuances of this cigar – like the cedar flavor you will pick up with the last third of the cigar. This is a mild to woody flavored cigar, and the burn may result in more smoke than you are used to, so if you enjoy it with others, make sure to give each other room. We all enjoy the experience, but not the smoke burning into our eyes. About halfway through, I noticed it lost some of its flavor and was kind of bland, just another medium bold cigar that burns very quickly. Funny enough, however, is how the stack of ash holds up as it burns – it kept its shape, smoldering, but never gave away till I lightly tapped the side of the picnic table out back.
The Punch Champion Double Maduro is a pretty good medium to full bodied cigar. I would not describe it as a boring smoke, but not memorable, either. I certainly would not turn my nose up if one were offered though!