Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Belicoso Review

5 1 6.8k

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Belicoso Review 2

The Don Carlos brand was created by Carlos Fuente Jr. as an homage to his father Don Carlos Senior. I’ve been smoking these cigars since I began smoking 20+ years ago and I’m always impressed with the quality the Fuentes put forth. I appreciate the flavor from the Cameroon wrapper they use and the medium bodied Dominican filler. Revisiting the Don Carlos Belicoso, I was once again satisfied.

Here’s what the Arturo Fuente website has to say about the Don Carlos blend:

To create this masterpiece, Carlos Fuente, Sr. blended together rare, vintage tobaccos that were hand selected and aged as much as 10 years. These cigars are rich and flavorful, with flawless African Cameroon wrappers, making them as appealing to the eye as they are to the palette. Because of the select tobacco required, these cigars are released in limited quantities and are among the finest cigars rolled at Tabacalera A. Fuente in the Dominican Republic. In every way possible, Carlos Fuente, Sr. strives to attain the ultimate in rich flavor, flawless wrapper color and superior construction in every cigar that bears his name.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Belicoso
  • Wrapper: Cameroon
  • Binder: Dominican Republic
  • Filler: Dominican Republic
  • Size: 5” 3/8 x 52 Belicoso

Appearance and construction

A chocolate covered wrapper expertly rolled with a choice amount of tobacco inside. The wrapper is delicate and toothy which is indicative of Cameroon wrappers as they can be temperamental and require gentle handling. I love the evolution of the band with the more pronounced gold and red that gives it an updated revitalized look.

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Belicoso Review

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The first puff accentuates the sweetness of the Cameroon wrapper to an almost candied like finish. On the retrohale lots of cocoa and toast. The medium body is quite pleasant with a creaminess coming through and some wood adding to the flavor. The quality of the tobacco is excellent noting the expertise in the Fuente’s fermentation process.

The second half is where pencil lead and wheat comes through with a slight nuttiness on the finish. The toasty character develops which is rounded out by more cocoa on the retrohale. Dried raisin and wheat interplay as the cigar continues. Additionally some Earl Grey tea is detected with an earthy component.  There are some fine complexities to this medium to full bodied smoke.

On the final third a zippy hit of pepper shoots through that resonates on the palate. Dried fruits and cherry wood build up as the smoke progresses. The cigar got a bit leathery on the finish which came about as the smoke was reaching the end. The medium to full range stays constant throughout the entire smoking experience.

Conclusion

Having smoked the Don Carlos line since I began enjoying cigars I can say they never disappoint and this experience was no exception. With this line being a nod to the taste and style of Don Carlos Senior I can see what the mans palate honed in on. This cigar delivers a medium profile that offers nuances you need to take your time and focus on to truly appreciate it. The old master took his time to create many fantastic blends with his son when he was alive and this line is a wonderful tribute. If you have not had the pleasure of smoking one you need to pick one up and see what a legacy tastes like.

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Gran Habano STK Zulu Zulu White Review

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Zulu Zulu White Label Cigar Review

Up for review today is the Zulu Zulu White by Gran Habano Cigars and master blender George Rico. The Zulu Zulu project itself has been around since 2011, though its branding has been updated considerably in recent years. Both the Zulu Zulu Black and Zulu Zulu White both feature eye-catching primary bands, as well as an outer wrapping featuring custom artwork which I unfortunately didn’t capture on the photos here. For those curious, you can see the artwork here.

With that background out of the way, let’s get on to the review, shall we?

Product Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Zulu Zulu White Label by Gran Habano
  • Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Size: 5.6 x 46

Zulu Zulu White Label Cigar Review closeup

Appearance & Construction

The first thing I notice about this cigar is the the thick, minimalistic white band. Not only is it eye catching, it also lends a sophistication to the cigar that many much gaudier bands don’t. The outer habano wrapper is dark brown and oily, with a few noticeable veins.

When squeezed, both samples for review were quite soft in places, a sign of inconsistent packing.  The draw is mostly loose, about a 5/10 in terms of restrictiveness. A whiff off the foot reveals hints of spice and earth, with the pre light draw delivering distinct spice, earth, and sweet woodsy notes.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

After toasting the foot, the Zulu Zulu White opens with rich, spicy, medium bodied smoke. The texture of the smoke has a nice cream element that comes across as almost chewy. Flavors in the first third include creamy chocolate, barbecue sauce, leather, roasted almonds (some vanilla there too), and spice on the palate and on the retrohale.

Smoke production is really fantastic. Not having to fight just to produce enough smoke is a great start for any cigar.

Overall, the first third very enjoyable and unique, and the cigar manages to be fairly full in flavor while also being extremely aromatic on the nose.

Heading into the second third is where some construction issues start to become apparent. The cigar begins burning much too quickly while not producing much smoke, and its clear that there’s a decent sized tunnel somewhere in the bunched filler tobacco. At the same time, the wrapper has begun burning unevenly, causing a couple of quick touch ups to be needed.

From a flavor standpoint, the profile is mostly unchanged though the spice present has taken on a cinnamon like character which pairs nicely with the creamy vanilla note. The leather as well has shifted to a slightly drier cedar note.

Into the final third, the flavor profile takes on a bit more spice and falls somewhere between medium and full. At the same time, likely because of the construction issues, the smoke heats up considerably and I’m forced to put the cigar down before I’d typically like to.

Conclusion

All things considered, the Zulu Zulu White is a unique and enjoyable smoke. While not the most complex cigar, it puts forth a flavor profile that I found very enjoyable and in some cases surprising. Unfortunately, both samples had construction problems that substantially altered the experience, which knocks a few points off of what otherwise is an exceptional cigar.

Final Score: 88

Opinion: The Best Cigars from Arturo Fuente Cigars

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best arturo fuente cigars

In this post, I’ll recommend the top three Arturo Fuente cigars to purchase based on price, availability and quality.

If you’re on this page, you’re either likely a new cigar smoker trying to prioritize which Fuente cigars you smoke first, or you are here because you are looking to purchase cigars for a family member or friend and you know they like Arturo Fuente cigars.

The good news is, Fuente cigars are popular because they are outstanding. The cigars are packaged beautifully, they are high quality and carry lots of brand recognition, and they have good options at both ends of the price spectrum. The brand has also been featured on Cigar Aficionado’s annual Top 25 list, even winning first place in 2017.

So let’s get down to it. If I were to make recommendations on which Arturo Fuente cigars to buy, the following would be my top three.

My top three cigars from Arturo Fuente

Arturo Fuente Sun Grown Double Chateau

Arturo Fuente Sun Grown Double Chateau

The Fuente Sun Grown Double Chateau sits at the lower end of the price spectrum for Fuente cigars. But the quality is absolutely there. The Fuente Sun Grown Double Chateau is rich and extremely smooth, and features notes of cedar, coffee, touches of salt, vegetal notes and dark chocolate.

Price: $29 for fivel / $112 box of 20

Click here to buy the Fuente Sun Grown Double Chateau from Famous Smoke Shop.

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story

Perhaps the most recognizable cigar from the Fuente family, the Fuente Hemingway Short Story is perfect for shorter smokes. Its tapered size (which changes the proportions of the blend as the cigar burns) affords a complexity of flavor basically unheard of for cigars in the $5 price range. Smoking the Short Story, you’ll experience balanced flavors of wood, pepper, and subtle sweetness.

Price: $26 for five / $129 box of 25

Click here to buy the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story on Famous Smoke Shop.

 

 

fuente don carlos belicoso

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Belicoso

A bit pricier than the Sun Grown Double Chateau, but still very moderately priced at about $10 per cigar. Less subdued than the Double Chateau, expect a brighter, more robust smoke, with creamy coffee notes, floral, touches of pepper and cinnamon.

Fair warning: this cigar is popular enough that it is often backordered!

Price: $46 for five / $230 box of 25

Click here to buy the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos from Famous Smoke Shop

Those are my top three cigar recommendations for cigar smokers looking to experience Fuente cigars. Of course, there are much more expensive and rare Fuente cigars like the Opus X, but I haven’t listed them here because they are nearly impossible to find in significant quantities online. For Opus X, your best bet is to call the major cigar retailers in your area and ask if they have it in stock.

The Glenrothes Vintage 2004 Review

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The Glenrothes Vintage 2004 Review Bottle

In 2018, The Glenrothes released the Glenrothes Vintage 2004, a whisky that is aged in Sherry-seasoned American Oak casks. This expression is limited to just 3,150 bottles in the U.S. market, making it a limited release.

Today, I’ll be taking this whisky for a test-drive and seeing how this whisky stacks up to the distillery’s marketing language.

A bit of backstory on the Glenrothes, from the distillery website:

The Glenrothes is an award winning Speyside Single Malt of exceptional quality. Hidden from the main street in the town of Rothes, the distillery lies at the foot of the Mannoch Hills beside the Rothes burn. The water that we use in the process of making Glenrothes comes from two natural springs, the Ardcanny and the Brauchhill, just a couple of miles upstream.

Not mentioned is that this is a distillery that’s had something of a complicated relationship with fire. The distillery was hit by fires in 1897, again in  1922, and a third time in 1962. Fortunately, instead of giving up , the last fire prompted the company to expand its facilities (and hopefully upgrade its fire suppression systems).

Product Specifics

  • Whisky reviewed: The Glenrothes Vintage 2004 Single Malt Scotch
  • Producer: The Glenrothes
  • ABV: 43% (86 proof)
  • Aged in: Sherry-seasoned American Oak casks
  • Age: 13 years

Appearance

The Glenrothes Vintage 2004 comes bottled in the traditional short and stout Glenrothes bottle. The liquid in the bottle is fairly dark, the deep color of bottled honey. In the glass, the whisky is a lighter apricot color.

The Glenrothes Vintage 2004 Review

Nose

The nose is very Glenrothes but with an unmistakable sherry influence. Take a whiff and you’ll pick up juicy, fruit-forward aromas of stone fruits, banana, leather, and baking spices. There’s very little heat on the nose, which is a plus.

Palate

The Glenrothes Vintage 2004  enters round, smooth, and somewhat understated, with fruity notes of apples, pears, vanilla, and a touch of ethanol. Moments later, as the liquid moves around the tongue, the flavors expand and bloom into brighter notes of dry oak, baking spices, and a very light chocolate note.

Finish

The finish is moderate in length and quite satisfying. First because it is smooth and doesn’t pack much heat, secondly because it features an enjoyable combination of spice and lingering malty sweetness (though there’s also a very faint bitter yeastiness way in the background that doesn’t fit).

Conclusion

The Glenrothes Vintage 2004 competes well in the $65 price category. It’s puts forward a clear flavor story and delivers enough complexity to put it a shelf above its more entry-level sibling, the Glenrothes Vintage Reserve. It does have some elements I don’t find endearing (a twang of bitterness on the finish), but nonetheless is deserving of good marks because of its clarity and overall enjoyability.

Final Score: 88

Disclaimer: though by no means our first bottle of Glenrothes scotch, the bottle for this review was supplied by The Glenrothes. Our opinions (good and bad), remain unaltered and entirely our own. 

Gran Habano La Conquista La Nina Review

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Gran Habano La Conquista Review

Up for review today is the Gran Habano La Conquista La Nina, a cigar that’s probably most notable for the detailed artwork adorning its primary band. After sitting in my humidor for about six months, the time seemed right to pull it out for an early afternoon smoke. What I didn’t realize before getting settled to write the review is that I’d be smoking a cigar with a profile perfectly suited for an early-afternoon smoke.

Product Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Gran Habano La Conquista La Nina robusto
  • Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
  • Binder: Nicaraguan Corojo
  • Filler: Columbia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua
  • Size: Robust (5 x 52)

Gran Habano La Conquista Review closeup

Appearance & Construction

The outer Corojo wrapper on the La Conquista is light leather brown, with a few significant veins and smooth texture. The band is large and ornate, with a scene depicting what looks to be a soldier or king with subjects bowing to him. From an artistic standpoint, especially compared to most other art-focused bands, this band is quite good.

As for the cigar,off the foot is I pick up notes of old cedar planks and some earth, while the pre light draw reveals some mild natural tobacco sweetness. The draw sits right in between slightly too loose and slightly too restrictive. That is to say, it’s perfect!

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The La Conquista La Nina opens with some wood, spice, charred meat and gentle sweetness. On the finish is a wood pulp note that slightly bitter and none too enjoyable. Smoke production though is excellent, and the character of the smoke is that it is light (definitely mild bodied) but nicely textured. This makes it a great candidate for pairing with a cup of coffee or espresso early in the afternoon.

As the ember hits the second third, the smoke shifts and takes on a character that I find very attractive. The texture of the smoke is extremely fine, and the flavor profile has shifted to become sweeter and more elegant. Flavors and aromas mix together creating impressions of snickerdoodle cookies, light woodiness, and floral notes. The retrohale balances the mildness out with just the right amount of white pepper. The fact that this cigar does this while remaining so mild is impressive.

This profile doesn’t stay too consistent as it fades in and out with the intervals presenting a more generic profile of wood, pepper, and natural tobacco flavors. A bit disappointing, but still enjoyable.

Into the final third, the La Conquista recovers and settles on a profile of light woodiness, floral, fresh cookies, albeit without the spice on the retrohale to balance the profile out. Still, a great profile and a nice end to the cigar.

From a construction standpoint, the burn did become wavy at times, but always corrected itself and never required touch ups.

Conclusion

La Conquista by Gran Habano Cigars is a winner in my book. It’s not a cigar that will be enjoyed if you’re looking for a full bodied smoke, but as an early afternoon cigar it offers a lot of flavor with great complementarity. And though it had a few unenjoyable moments, the positive elements outweighed those moments by a long shot.

I recommend giving the La Conquista a try and potentially stocking up.

Final Score: 89

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