Punch-Cigar Rights of America Edition

I recently joined Cigar Rights of America and received several cigars in a sampler as my reward for joining the organization. I will say the cigars were a nice perk, but I would have joined anyway. The cigar appears to be a normal Punch in something like a toro size with an added CRA band at the foot. The wrapper is a medium brown that has a few flaws and some veining, but it also has some acceptable tooth to it. A quick inspection tells me that the cigar is well made, but perhaps a trifle firm. The pre light aroma is of tobacco and light earthy tones. The pre light draw shows notes of crisp tobacco and some light spice.

The cigar opens with a typical Punch profile of tobacco, earth and some light notes of spice. The profile is thin and lacks some depth, but the flavors are not terrible. At the back of the palate there is a heavy earthy note that has some nice undertones of roasted nuts. The draw is a little too tight for and there is some labor involved in getting an acceptable amount of smoke. The burn is slightly off, but it is not anything that is causing me concern at this point.

The first two thirds of the cigar hold the same profile. There are notes of tobacco, earth and some light spice. However, the cigar still lacks depth and complexity and instead is a straightforward presentation that I feel is lacking. At the back of the palate there continues to be a heavy note of earth, but the nutty flavors continue to show through providing some enjoyment. The draw is still too tight for me, but it is not causing any issues. The burn has leveled off and is performing nicely.

The final third of the cigar shows a profile shift. The core shows some nice notes of pepper and rich tobacco flavors. At the back of the palate there are some notes of earth and roasted nuts that are continuing to show through. The draw is still too tight and begins to impart some heat with about a quarter of the cigar left. The burn is uniform throughout.

The finish is a touch thin, but shows notes of pepper and tobacco.

Appearance- 85 an average looking cigar
Taste- 86 slightly above average profile that lacked depth and complexity
Construction- 83 the draw was too tight
Strength- 85 an unremarkable medium/full
Overall- 84.75 a slightly below average experience