Cuban Cigar Aficionados

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Year of Foundation: 1840

Tobacco Country: Cuba

Tobacco Procedence: Vuelta Abajo (Pinar del Rio)

Cigar Factory: La Corona

Punch was established in 1840 and their Cuban cigars were mainly intended for the British market, where a comic book featuring a character named "Mr. Punch" was a big hit at the moment. Don Manuel López, owner of the J. Valle y Cía, established the Punch cigar brand. The comedian Mr. Punch, who wore an unmistakably sly smile and who always had a Cuban cigar in his hand, still adorns the cigar box today.

The Punch cigars soon became a Habano of indisputable quality on the Cuban cigar market and form of of the Habanos S.A multi local cigar brands with a minor market share.

Punch is the third oldest Cuban cigar trademark in Havana, Cuba. The other two cigar brands created earlier are Por Larrañaga, founded on 1834, and Ramon Allones, founded on 1837.

In 1930, the Punch cigar trademark was acquired by Ramon Fernandez and Fernando Palicio, who owned it until 1959 when the brand was nationalized. Both of them were also owners of other cigar brands: Hoyo de Monterrey, La Escepción and La Belinda.

All trademarks in this Cuban cigar company were handmade in the factory located at Monte and Zulueta Streets, Havana. Punch was a great success, mainly in Great Britain, where Winston Churchill himself visited the factory during a trip to Havana, Cuba. The British politician, who was an inveterate Cuban cigar smoker, was honored with the name of the Punch vitola "Churchill".

The origin of Punch tobacco is Vuelta Abajo (Pinar del Río) and the trademark is slightly strong or medium strenght. Punch is commercialized mainly in Hong Kong, Argentina, Brazil, the Caribbean, Benelux, Mexico, Canada, Switzerland, Africa, Middle East and Great Britain. There is also a non Cuban cigar brand with the same name.