Initial Thoughts:
The Punch Chop Suey is kind of an ugly cigar. Not much attention was paid to making this lancero look perfect, but hopefully, what the Chop Suey lacks in appearance (due to the inch and a half long shaggy foot), the cigar can make up for in flavor!
After using the v-cut (a.k.a “notch cut”) to open up the cigar, the draw was a smidge tight. On the cold draw, I could taste tobacco that seemed a little green and under-aged.
However, after torching the end, I could taste leather and cedar. During the first few minutes, the flavors were mellow with just hints of spice.
CigarScore:
Brand: Punch
Line: Chop Suey
Size: 7 x 37
Cut: V-Cut
Light: Torch
Price: $5.49 – Luxury Cigar Club
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic
Smoke Time: 63 minutes
Through the first half of the Punch Chop Suey, I enjoyed it. The flavors were semi-complex, and with a little sweetness. The draw was just a little tight, but not bad. The burn could have been better, but I didn't have to relight the cigar.
Final Thoughts:
While this cigar has a funny name and questionable construction quality, at the end of the day, the Punch Chop Suey is just an “okay” cigar. For the entire smoke, the draw was annoyingly tight, and, toward the end, the flavors toward became a little harsh. But, the stick I smoked had a decent burn.
Although the Chop Suey isn't a bad cigar, it's not a great cigar either. Had I enjoyed the second half as much as the first, perhaps things (and the CigarScore) would be different. But, for today, the Punch Chop Suey earns a CigarScore 2.
