[Consumable Products] San Cristobal - La Punta

[Aikanár]

Spoiler for Legal Disclaimer concerning Cubans and U.S. Citizens: 

Take note that due to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 515, (Revised September 30, 2004) buying or consuming Cuban cigars is illegal for U.S. Citizens in the U.S and abroad (2004) except for pre-embargo cigars.

La Punta

• Name
  La Punta
  
  
• Company
  San Cristobal
  The official Habanos S.A. site of San Cristobal de la Habana
  
  
• Price
  varies: ~10$ international, ~11€ in Germany, a piece that is of course
  The official Habanos S.A. list of world wide distributors
  One of many sites to buy online - check the shipping and taxation details BEFORE you order
  
  
• Specs
  Origin: Cuba
  Manufactured: Hand Made
  Gauge: Thick
  Length: 140 mm
  Format: Campana
  Ring: 52
  Weight: 12,45 gr.
  
  
• Intro
  I used to be chainsmoking cigarettes for approximately half of my Life but always was a friend of relaxing with a glas of Cognac and a nice Havana as well. I stopped smoking cigarettes three years ago from one day to the other but never lost the taste for a nice cigar every once in a while.
  
  Spoiler for La Punta: 

  
  
  On Saturday mornings I use to ramble about the small to medium sized City I live in and have a Café au lait and a glas of Prosecco or Champaign along with a lighter to medium cigar in a cafe in the pedestrian area. Lucky me, there's a very nice Tobbaconist near to the market place, just around the corner which is specialised on cigars. I'm not a regular there but I'm a known customer and drop in every once in a while to have a talk, get introduced to some special offers, have a smoke and all the chit chat that goes on in there. You know the movie "Smoke"? Sort of like that but in a totally different and more refined, cigar oriented way
  
  Spoiler for The Cut: 

  
  
  One sunny day in September a few years ago I was introduced to San Cristobal, but the Muralla, which is a special product and outside of Cuba mostly only available in special offers. I really liked it since I normally go for heavy cigars like Churchill wide or Siglo VI thus the Muralla fit in perfectly.
  
  Spoiler for The Burn: 

  
  
  Anyways my smoking habits changed to next to none-smoker or better cigar only casual smoker. Last year in spring, and it was a lovely spring around here, I droped in the Tobacconist again for the first time since surely half a year or so and was looking for a softer and lighter taste for my Saturday's café sit-in. That was when I came to know the La Punta.
  
  
• Pros
  It's a lovely light to medium Havana that fits to almost everything from coffee to a soft Cognac or Brandy but goes very well with Champaign or Prosecco as well.
  Due to it's flavour it's very digestible and does not hit you in the stomach at all. The La Punta is not only mildly flavoured but also is well manufactured, a beauty to look at even though the wrapper is not necessarily uniformly colored.
  
  It normaly lasts around 45 to 55 minutes, depending on how you smoke, really perfect for a lovely hour in a street café for a talk or watching the passers-by.
  
  
• Cons
  Obviously this is true to all Tobacco products, nicotine. Well it's not necessarily a contra, but the possible addiction to it for sure is. If you consume them only every once in a while the risk of getting addicted should be avoidable. But if you're not sort of used to nicotine, its initial flash when lighting the La Punta will hit you relatively instantly, not in the face, but smoothly creeps down your back and into your knees. So be careful and enjoy it.
  
  
• Conclusion
  A very nice and for a Cuban of it's class reasonably prized cigar. Ideal if you're looking for a light or medium taste for in between meals.

Spoiler for Only the bold dare to click: 

[M D]

The inaugaral post, thank you very much Aikanar this is very interesting

[mrmouth]

Cigar Terminal is one of a few trusted sites to get genuine Cuban cigars. And they will ship to the US.

But nothing is perfect. The sheer level of counterfeit and ever evolving proficiency at copying the labels allows for fakes to get through even the best sites or personal suppliers. In my mind you are best to just stick with the other Caribbean offerings for much cheaper, which are just as good if not better.

Ive been out of the loop for at least 2 years, but was picking up two particular brands from Nicaragua. One was Illusione (cg-4) - and I forget the other. But the cg-4 is a great smoke for around $7-10.

[StealthFox]

Good job Aik! I smoke an occasional cigar so I'm glad to see this and I hope you do more! I may even do one myself soon.

Only one problem though:

Specs
Origin: Cuba

Can't get that here in the US.

[DAVIDE]

Better than Montecristo?

[Diglytron]

I once tried smoking a sigar, since people told me it was ''not bad for your lungs'' I searched and it indeed turned out to be non bad for your lungs however, only old people seems to smoke sigars (I'm 18 now, and find smoking sigars funny, however I never really consider to smoke it in public).

[mishkin]

This looks good

Sadly I foresee a discussion on "Political Mudpit" about reptilian Cuban communists taking control on TWC (and probably other gaming forums).

[Aikanár]

Cigar Terminal is one of a few trusted sites to get genuine Cuban cigars. And they will ship to the US.

But nothing is perfect. The sheer level of counterfeit and ever evolving proficiency at copying the labels allows for fakes to get through even the best sites or personal suppliers. In my mind you are best to just stick with the other Caribbean offerings for much cheaper, which are just as good if not better.

Ive been out of the loop for at least 2 years, but was picking up two particular brands from Nicaragua. One was Illusione (cg-4) - and I forget the other. But the cg-4 is a great smoke for around $7-10.

Indeed, I totally agree with you on Cigar Terminal and pretty much of the rest as well. I'm lucky I not only have a very well supplied Tobbaconist around the corner but am living in a part of Germany where you've to drive only 50KM to get to huge stores, thus absolutely no need for me to use the internet, but I tried once and was satisfied with CT.

Concerning other Caribbean or Sout-American cigars, there are a lot of nice smokes out there and just because something is not labeled "Habana" or "Cuban" should by no means discourage one.

Good job Aik! I smoke an occasional cigar so I'm glad to see this and I hope you do more! I may even do one myself soon.

Only one problem though:



Can't get that here in the US.

Thank you, I'm glad you like it. I'll be expanding on that one with more pictures and maybe even some vids, as soon as I'm in the mood for another one and thus have the opportunity to provide pics from the lighting or the ashes and so on.

Would be nice to see other Reviews of cigars here, I agree with you and I think I'll write one or the other more, just when it fits and I'll have had one, fresh impressions are always the best to write about

Better than Montecristo?

I wouldn't say better. Different definitely, what Montecristo do you prefer to smoke?

I once tried smoking a sigar, since people told me it was ''not bad for your lungs'' I searched and it indeed turned out to be non bad for your lungs however, only old people seems to smoke sigars (I'm 18 now, and find smoking sigars funny, however I never really consider to smoke it in public).

I've smoked my first Cuban when I was in 11th grade (Smoking back than was legal in Germany at the age of 16. Nowadays you need to be 18, which was a good move, since 16 year olds tend to still grow in size) and loved it ever since. But I agree with you that it's not a commong sight nor is it "hip" or "in" amongst young adults, well at least as far as I know

Edit: Updated with recent screenshots and a special Yeah writing about it made me have one just an hour ago

[mrmouth]

I'm lucky I not only have a very well supplied Tobbaconist around the corner but am living in a part of Germany where you've to drive only 50KM to get to huge stores, thus absolutely no need for me to use the internet, but I tried once and was satisfied with CT.

Color me envious. Although the sad reality is that if the US dropped the embargo on Cuba, Cuban smokes would be even more difficult and expensive to get. So it works well for you.

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

That really is an impressive voice.

[Aikanár]

Color me envious. Although the sad reality is that if the US dropped the embargo on Cuba, Cuban smokes would be even more difficult and expensive to get. So it works well for you.

Indeed, supply and demand. And yeah, I'm pretty satisfied that it works well for me, have to have one on JFK I guess

[Radboud]

Nice job on the review it's well written and quite extensive .

It surprises me how thick these cigars are, it's as thick as a thumb (ish).

I once tried smoking a sigar, since people told me it was ''not bad for your lungs'' I searched and it indeed turned out to be non bad for your lungs however, only old people seems to smoke sigars (I'm 18 now, and find smoking sigars funny, however I never really consider to smoke it in public).

Seriously? I guess it's only bad for people who don't smoke who are surrounded by smokers? Sorry for this, it's my curiosity which pushed me to ask this (I'm not trying to be political and failing horribly).

[Aikanár]

Cheers mate, I'm glad you like it.
Yep, there are thick ones out there, diameter depends on the format though.

Davide inspired me, the next review will be about the Montecristo No.2 a real classic.

[spanish_emperor]

very nice. but how do you smoke a cigar? i have never tried one

[Aikanár]

very nice. but how do you smoke a cigar? i have never tried one

Thanks How do you mean smoke, in general? You don't inhale the smoke but smoke it more like a pipe.

[Ascarona]

Wow, wrong thread.

[Cyrus Da Great]

Congratulation for 1st place.

[mishkin]

bah.
wasnt so good.
(just kidding, congrats)

[Aikanár]

Cheers, tbh, that was rather unexpected