1999 Punch Corona

I don't think I need to go into the long and played out story of the 'terrible' cigars from 1999-2000.  What may have been true then is certainly a lot less so today.  I have alot of cigars from this period in time, and the majority of them are fine.  In some ways, time heals all wounds.  In other ways, the internet takes 5 minutes to pass on partial information that people around the world put together and eventually extrapolate out into a big deal.  No one would argue that there is a bad impression worldwide of cigars from 99-00.  But today, you can also find people worldwide who will tell you, "GREAT, more for me. "

This cigar lights up like a firecracker.  It has been in a zip lock bag for three days and on a counter in the open air for a few days before that.  Right off the bat this is a medium-full bodied cigar with a short, but apparent finish of coffee on the tongue.  The draw is perfect, the wrapper is dark and rough.  The band slides freely up and down the length of the body of the cigar. 

The flavor is a little less intense than the body would suggest.  It is leathery and roasty with some coffee hints in the flavor and finish.  It burns slow and steady and straight.  There is a light note of concord grape in the nose. It is a really great cigar for smoking and talking.  As it burns down it's length, it remains arrow straight and perfect in combustion.  Not at all strange for a ten year old smoke.  I want to ash it, but it presents no fissure to show it intends to fall.  As the stick reaches halfway, the flavor is less intense but good.  Certainly smoother.

It is intense and satisfying without having so much flavor as to be worth getting distracted over.  Still, a fine palate could get alot of flavor and identify subtle nuance, which is certainly there.  But I am no connessieur.  But I now what I like.  And I know that you would like it, too.  It's not as rich and wonderful as a classic aged cigar that you pull out of a dusty old box and reverently make a show of lighting and smoking.  It's just a cheap, old, good cigar.  82.