Cigar Aficionado

If you're lucky enough to live near an official Casa del Habano franchise shop or even a certified Habanos Specialist, you should be able to find the new Punch Punch 48, a Cuban cigar made especially for these establishments.

Called Hermosos No. 3 in Cuban factories, the Punch Punch 48 measures 5 1/2 inches by 48 ring gauge and is the first cigar to wear the newly designed secondary band indicating that it's an exclusive product for both Habanos Specialists and Casas del Habano. What's the difference? Casas del Habano are directly franchised and have a contractual agreement with Habanos. The contract requires the shops to maintain certain standards.

A Habanos Specialist, however, is an independent retailer and not contractually bound to Habanos because the program is appointed by local distributors. The logos for both are printed on the new band.

Originally slated for 2016, the Punch Punch 48 didn't make any major retail appearances until last month. The cigars come in varnished boxes of 10, although prices vary from country to country. In Mexico, for example, the Punch cigar runs $26 per stick, while it will cost 15.50 Swiss Francs (about $15.40) at a Casa del Habano in Switzerland, and in Hong Kong, it goes for HK$273 (about $34).

For a rating, see an upcoming issue of Cigar Insider.

This article first appeared in the April 4 edition of Cigar Insider.