Chop Suey | CigarCraig's Blog

Yesterday I took a drive to Sicklerville, New Jersey and paid a quick visit to Black Horse Cigars for a smoke. My wife was doing some research at the library at Rowan University about 6 miles away, so it was a good excuse for a visit. The Black Horse Cigar Shop is at the end of a small shopping center and has a well appointed walk in humidor with reasonable prices for New Jersey. I selected a Punch Store Press Mata Fina and their own Aniversario cigar in a Lancero size and went to check out the lounge. They have a really nice lounge with all the amenities, a bar area, comfy seating, several hightop tables and TVs. I settles into one of the leather couches (and hoped that I could get up after sinking in!) and lit up the Punch. They had recently had an event featuring the Punch Store Press series, and the line was prominently displayed in the humidor, so it caught my eye. The 5½”x 55 Mata Fina not only looked like it was the right size for my time allotment, but the Brazilian Mata Fina Wrapper was a beautiful dark brown and looked tasty. They are displayed in trays with wooden dividers like they use to press the cigars in the factory to create the box press presentation. The lounge has lighters and cutters liberally sprinkled throughout the place, of course, I carry my own tools. The Punch Store Press Mata Fina started off a with little odd flavor, almost sour, but developed nicely over time. It sweetened slightly, but was more on the savory side for the most part. I really liked it and hated to put it down. Just before I had to leave one of the members came in and was very friendly and had he been there when I came in I can imagine that I would have spent the entire time having a great conversation with him. I was impressed with the shop and look forward to the next time I’m in the area and can stop in and spend some more time in the lounge.

When I got home I took my evening walk with the Black Horse Aniversario Lancero, which is a 6½” x 40 San Andrés wrapped cigar with and Dominican Binder and filler. OK, so it isn’t really a Lancero, it’s Lancero-ish, they also had a Gordo. I probably should have picked up their Connecticut version as well, it’s something for the next time I go there. They were tight-lipped about the factory where this is made, I asked, but my question went unanswered. This cigar has a dark maduro wrapper, and a pigtail cap. The burn and draw were perfect and I enjoyed it for a good hour and a half. It was earthy and on the milder side of medium, with some espresso flavors. I found it to be quite enjoyable and the $10ish price-tag was not out of line.

Speaking of Punch, this news came out last week:

PUNCH TO LAUNCH FULL-TIME LINE CALLED “KNUCKLE BUSTER”

Punch is set to launch a full-time, wallet and palate-pleasing line called “Knuckle Buster.” The three-cigar collection will begin shipping to retailers in March.

Named for a phrase made famous by a university basketball coach who described a rough and tumble physical game as a “Blue Collar Knuckle Buster,” the Punch Knuckle Buster was created to deliver a hardworking blend for hard working people.

Ed Lahmann, senior brand manager for Punch said, “Punch is committed to staying true to what the brand has represented over the last six decades: a consistent, well-made, no-nonsense cigar at a price that’s fair and reasonable. Punch Knuckle Buster honors this commitment with a solid, enticing blend for the people who work hard to enjoy the good life.”

Punch’s blending team at the HATSA cigar factory set out to make a medium-bodied cigar that would appeal to both new and seasoned smokers. They selected only Habano-seed tobaccos from Nicaragua and Honduras to deliver when it comes to balancing flavor and strength with complexity. Knuckle Buster has a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan Habano binder and its filler tobaccos are from Nicaragua and Honduras.

Punch Knuckle Buster will ship to retailers on March 9 in these three sizes:

Robusto (4.5” x 52); SRP per cigar $4.99; Available in 25 count boxes

Toro (6” x 50); SRP per cigar $5.49; Available in 25 count boxes

Gordo (6.25” x 60) : SRP per cigar $5.99; Available in 20 count boxes

Lahmann continued, “Our hope is that Punch Knuckle Buster becomes a ‘go to’ blend that cigar smokers can rely on time and time again, without having to think twice when they hit the cash register or click on their carts. We want it to be the perfect smoke for walking the dog or mowing the lawn or enjoying with cigar smoking friends. Because after all, a cigar is not about money or status or boutique cigar makers. It’s about removing those barriers and enjoying a moment of well-earned relaxation.”

Punch cigars are handcrafted at General Cigar’s HATSA factory in Danli, Honduras.

A few weeks ago Punch released the limited Edition Chop Suey, following up last year’s Egg Roll. I never did get around to trying the Egg Roll, not sure why I didn’t pick some up. The Chop Suey is a 7” x 37 Panatela with a 1” shaggy foot. I receive a pair of these from General a few weeks ago and figured tonight was a good night to give one a try. This has an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers, and retails for around $6. They package the bundles of 25 in boxes that look like Chinese take-out, and the bands have fortunes on the underside, mine said “Avoid people who take cigar fortunes too seriously”. I guess that’s better than “Help. I”m being held captive in a fortune cookie factory”. The first inch of this, without the wrapper, tasted pretty good, when the wrapper caught, it didn’t seem to change a whole lot. The draw tightened a bit, and when this happens I usually check the foot to see if there’s a tar build up, and there was, and I’m glad I cleaned it off with my finger before it hit my lips or tongue. If you’ve ever had that tar hit your tongue, it about ruins a cigar, or anything else, for the rest of the night. I re-cut the cigar and fixed the tar problem, sometimes cutting the absolute bare minimum off the cap just isn’t enough. The rest of the cigar smoked well, it tasted fine with leathery flavors. It lacked the sweetness I expect from Sumatra wrappers, but the higher combustion temperature from the. smaller ring might have something to do with that. I’ll give this cigar another try under different circumstances.