General Cigar has announced a new line extension to its Punch Golden Era line in the form of a 7 x 38 Lancero. This is a project where General has teamed up with the father and son team of Justo and Julio Eiroa.
The concept behind the cigar is to honor the legacy of Corojo tobacco and deliver a profile going back to the “golden age” (or golden era) of Corojo cigars. Corojo is a seed varietal that fell out of favor due to diseases and mold. Today, many growers use hybrid seeds to grow Corojo, but the Eiroas have perfected techniques to grow authentic Corojo, mitigating the risks associated with it.
The Golden Era uses tobacco from the Eiroa family’s JRE Tobacco Farm and is rolled at JRE’s Fabrica de Puros Aladino SA in Honduras. This includes a Honduran-grown Corojo wrapper and binder. The filler is a combination of Honduran-grown Habano and Corojo. The lancero becomes the fourth size in the line.
In a press release, Punch’s brand manager, John Hakim, said, “We’re excited to add a classic Lancero to the Golden Era line. The rich, silky Corojo tobacco of Golden Era is a throwback to when Corojo was king in the cigar world, and the new Lancero delivers a uniquely creamy and spicy smoking experience that connoisseurs will love.” General has said this is the only lancero in the Punch lineup.
Like the other sizes in the line, the lancero comes in 20-count packages. Pricing is set at $10.99 per cigar. At a glance, here is a look at the Punch Golden Age:
Blend and Origin
Wrapper: Honduran Corojo
Binder: Honduran Corojo
Filler: Honduran Corojo and Honduran Habano
Country of Origin: Honduras
Factory: Fabrica de Puros Aladino SA
Vitolas Offered
Lancero: 7 x 38 (SRP $10.99)
Robusto: 5 x 50 (SRP $9.99)
Toro: 6 x 52. (SRP $10.49)
Churchill: 7 x 48 (SRP $10.99)
Only lancero in the Punch lineup? Do they not make the “after dinner” anymore? The Chop Suey was also a decent smoke for the price point.
Punch After Dinner is a Churchill size, not a lancero. Chop Suey yes, but was limited and not in production anymore.
I was referring to the After Dinner EMS lonsdale 7 1/4 x 45… I guess by today’s standards that could be anything from a lonsdale to double corona to Churchill. But yes, definitely not a true lancero