Connoisseur’s Corner: Punch Super Selection No. 1
Even though this long corona has been sitting in a 50-count cabinet for 24 years, the dark, gleaming wrapper hasn’t lost any of its oils. Each puff delivers dense smoke that’s both sweet and savory with a palate of mocha, caramel and graham cracker atop salty notes of leather, roasted chestnuts and the slightest hint of spicy cinnamon. It’s aging superbly, with plenty of life left. —Gregory Mottola
A beautiful light wrapper invites you to light up this figurado, which has a perfect draw and burn. The initial white pepper note gives way to a creamy coffee flavor in the mid-palate, and it finishes with a light earthy note. The finish builds in intensity as the cigar warms up. This cigar is smoking wonderfully now, but has a lot of life remaining. —Gordon Mott
I lit this gorgeous, chocolate-colored robusto at a smoky lunch in Havana. From the first puff it was filled with flavors of crushed coffee bean, earth and Valrhona chocolate. The draw was perfect, the burn even despite a fan blowing away the humid Cuban air. A brilliant smoke that is filled with life. —David Savona
Beware Cohibas with this type of cigar band—unless you are certain they are vintage, and from a trusted source. This old, skinny smoke is remarkably vibrant for its age. The draw, sometimes a problem with this vitola, is flawless. It has a lightly minty quality, with pleasant earthy notes, toasted almond and a hint of baking spices. —David Savona
