Pre-light Experience

The Punch Diablo Scamp has a wrapper that is dark brown and feels of fine grit sandpaper. There are a couple of medium sized veins present but they are well pressed. The seams are smooth but visible due to the wrapper thickness while the head is finished off with a well applied double cap. The band is black, red, silver and white. It carries the brand and line name. The aroma from the wrapper is damp earth, wood and crushed red pepper. The foot brings wood, tobacco sweetness and a light crushed red pepper. The pre-light draw brings sweet wood and some crushed red pepper that gives a nice tingle to my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Punch Diablo Scamp has a dark and toothy wrapper. The band has off white lettering and red metallic lettering, with silver and red accents on black. The red comes in a flat red and a metallic reflective red. Nosing the wrapper, I pick up fresh cut cedar and some leather. In the foot, there is hay and sweet tobacco.

First Third

The cigar begins with a heavy wood note and some baking spice. At a half inch in, the baking spice has morphed to black pepper. At an inch in, a light creaminess has joined the profile as the pepper has eased up some. The retrohale carries the wood and cream with a combination of baking spice and black pepper. At an inch and a half, the cream has transitioned to mustiness. As the third comes to a close, some dry earth joins in with the heavy wood, mustiness and light black pepper. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third begins with sweet, spicy pepper. The retrohale mirrors the main draw but curiously is more subdued. The pepper is immediately full bodied. Some sweet cedar joins the mid palate as the cigar settles in. There is sweetness on the retrohale that intensifies as the pepper falls to medium intensity. Some post draw leather settles in at light plus. Overall profile intensity falls from full to medium by the halfway mark. At the halfway point, the profile has moved to sweet cedar with a similar profile on the retrohale. I’d say the profile has really flattened out rapidly, reminiscent of bubble gum that has been chewed for too long.

Second Third

The second third continues on with the profile from the previous third. At a half inch in, the dry earth is equal with the wood while the mustiness is right behind and the pepper is fairly faint. The retrohale consists of wood, dry earth and mustiness. As the third comes to a close, the dry earth has taken the lead over the wood. The mustiness is slightly behind as the black pepper is still quite faint. The strength in this third bumped up to medium-full.

Second Third

Cedar carries the entire flavor profile moving into the second third. Some sweetness joins the post draw, and I can’t remark on any evolution through the middle third. A dry mouthfeel takes over from the cedar on the post draw at the halfway mark.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the profile is fairly drying with the dry earth leading the profile still. At a half inch in, some bitterness joins the profile. The retrohale has the dry earth, wood, mustiness and a vegetal note. At an inch and a quarter, the vegetal note makes its way to the mouth draws. As the cigar wraps up, the profile is wood, dry earth and mustiness with the bitterness and vegetal note. The strength in this third remained at medium-full.

Final Third

Similar profile to the middle third, with no changes during the transition. Once the final third settles in, there is some mild pepper coming through at the end of the draw. Post draw still consists of dry cedar, eventually joined by some earthiness.

Burn

The burn line was straight the whole way. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.

Burn

The burn is extremely straight through the smoking experience, with the ash consistently falling off at the 2 inch mark.

Draw

The draw was perfect with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The first third had a good flavor profile. Once the dry earth joined though, it knocked the enjoyment down a bit and then when the bitterness joined in, it fell even further. Construction was perfect as to be expected coming from AJ. Overall, I felt the Punch Diablo Scamp was fairly average. For people that are a fan of AJ and like darker, fuller strength cigars, they may find an enjoyable experience. The price point is great, so that’s a plus. When I’m in the mood for something dark and fuller strength, I’d prefer something with a better flavor profile, so this cigar probably isn’t something I’d return to with any frequency.

Draw

I initially rated the draw as poor, our second lowest rating. The draw started out as resistant to the point of being plugged, eventually opening up to 4 notches of resistance which I averaged against the initial draw. Feeling the cigar, it is very packed with tobacco throughout.

Overall

The Punch Diablo Scamp started out promising, with flavors of spicy pepper, sweet cedar and some leather. Unfortunately, by the bottom half of the first third, the profile becomes absent of anything remarkable, and becomes quite bland for the remainder of the smoking experience. The burn line was perfect, which was surprising given that the initial draw was so tight I thought I was going to have to light up a second cigar to review. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 57 minutes.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.25

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.50

Cost/Point

$1.31

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Punch Diablo Scamp