Atruro Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8 Claro – Cigar Review

Atruro Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8 Claro – Cigar Review

Time in Humidor   - 6 months

Size: 6x47

Blend: Dominican filler and binder wrapped in a Claro Connecticut wrapper 

Construction: this Candela was wrapped with a dry pastel green claro wrapper 

with negligible veins and invisible seams; Finished with a tidy double cap. The pack of this stick was firm and consistent along its length, no lumps or bumps. Overall this cigar was very delicate in both appearance and feel with its smooth flawless wrapper. I grew quite excited during the inspection to fire it up.

Smell: Only the faintest smell of wet fresh grass and hay were present on the wrapper; the foot smelt much stronger of dried hay with faint tobacco and coffee.

Cold draw: After Punching the cigar, simple flavours of Hay and tobacco were present through the firm draw. 

First Light: Flavours on the first light consisted primarily of grass with hints of tobacco, caramel and the slightest minty dash of cucumber. The cigar was producing reasonable amounts of thick white smoke through the firm draw. I was hoping on the draw opening up once the stick warmed up.

Aroma: the pleasant light aroma emanating from this candela had a toasty overall character coupled with grass and sugar. I’d be pleased to sit anyone smoking one of these. 

First 3^rd – 16 min

As the cigar warmed up the draw resistance loosened up and give rise to better smoke production, producing a slightly moist medium density smoke. Once the cigar was rocking along the body presented as a light to medium. The flavours developed to become a little more detailed than those of the first light. The character of the stick remained cool and grassy but now managed to add gentle hints of burned caramel and a sweet spice like cinnamon or nutmeg. All the flavours in this cigar were quite veiled and subtle due to the mild personality of the cigar.

While smoking I managed to milk a little more diversity out of this cigar by holding the smoke for 10 seconds in the mouth. This managed to offer a slightly bitter earthen tannin flavour which I found quite pleasant and interesting at the same time.

The burn was excellent throughout the third sporting very little variance from side to side and maintain a reasonably sharp line all the way round.

Second 3^rd – 33 min

Flavours in the second third were very similar to those experienced in the first. The general profile shifted gently sweeter overall with a touch more caramel. The spice dialed down slightly while letting the sweetness grow. The body remained constant at a light to medium. When holding the smoke the tannins remained and an increase in the sugar managed to push through into the finish.

As the third progressed a slight toasty component started to contribute to the profile of the cigar. The smoke production increased and the texture of the smoke got very thick and moist.

During the third the cigar extinguished itself suddenly, upon investigation I discovered that it had managed to develop a significant tunnel down about 12mm.

This was probably the reason for the toasty flavour coming up, typically I can taste a tunnel when smoking a cigar, on this occasion, I didn’t until I realized there was one then it all made sense.

Soon after the relight the draw started to clog, I took to the stick with the cutters in a bid to fix it with only small amounts of success. The cigar was firmly packed on the head so the draw remained quite tight.

After relighting the cigar started swelling on the cherry and managed to break the wrapper on the seams which was chasing down with the burn. I shuffled the band up and rand it down with the burn line to keep the stick together as I could see this wanting to turn into a full scale blowout writing off the stick.

Third 3^rd – 1 hour

The Burn on the cigar slowed down significantly in the second third. Using the band to stop the tear in the wrapper worked a treat and I was soon onto undamaged wrapper and back in action.

The flavours in the third were much the same as those in the second with now with the removal of the toasty component once the tunnel was out of the picture. The body remained set at light to medium; the burn with exception of the dastardly tunnel and wrapper tear corrected itself back to its former glory.

The final third went through the usual motions with no significant developments. Heat started to present itself nearing the end of the third. Due to its mild and delicate flavours I retired the stick at 1 hour 25 min.

Overall this stick was a reasonably interesting smoke, there were enough developments along the way to keep me interested, flavours experienced were quite mild and pleasant. I personally wouldn’t run off and purchase a box, I would not be upset if a friend gave me one to smoke. They don’t cater to my personal preference though they are a great cigar.

If mild cigars are your thing I would definitely recommend this cigar. A good well-built smoke with a desirable flavour profile and good smoke attributes, with the exception of the tunnel issue. 

Suggested pairings for this cigar would be an Ice cold Corona beer with lime in a pre-meal routine. If one insists on whisky this cigar would pair well with a light bodied slightly peaty/ smoky whisky like Johnnie walker blue on the rocks rather than neat.

Thanks for reading!

Whisgars!

Arturo Fuente, Chateau Series, Cuban Belicoso, Sun Grown Belicoso - Cigar Review

Arturo Fuente, Chateau Series, Cuban Belicoso, Sun Grown Belicoso - Cigar Review

Bottom of FoTime in humidor 4 months 

Size 5& 3/4 x 52

Blend: Ecuadorian sun grown wrappers, extra-long aged Dominican filler/binder.

Construction: This tight and consistently packed cigar was wrapped in a mottled milk chocolate coloured oily wrapper, with insignificant but visible veins and seams. There was some slight wrapper damage on the foot from the removal of the cedar liner.

Smell: Bouquet on the wrapper was very light, it consisted of cedar from the liner, grass and very sweet butter with traces of tobacco; the foot consisted primarily of dried grass and butter.

Cold draw. After taking a small cut off the head I was offered a brilliant level of resistance on the draw, considering this is an ever problematic torpedo/ belicoso shape, I was surprised. Flavours on the cold draw consisted primarily of sweet dried grass with hints of butter or oil. 

First Light: Flavours on the first light consisted of toast, butter, sweet green grass with a very smooth and slight white pepper spice. The general character of this stick was smooth creamy and quite mild. Smoke production was brilliant, offering plumes of thick slightly oily and moist smoke.

Aroma: The aroma coming of this cigar was very bready with the slightest hints of mould, not overly pleasant to be smelling.

First 3^rd 15 min

Flavours in the first third were much the same as those experienced on the first light while developing a mellower synergy with each other. The cigar was getting creamier and the smoke slightly thickening.  The cigar developed a pleasant spicy, creamy finish with a gentle dash of butter. The body seemed to settle a notch shy of medium after warming up. The burn was a little messy at times but always managed to self-correct with some “tactical placement & rotation” Conditions during the review were very windy which contributes to uneven burning.

As the third progressed the toast and white pepper started to dominate the more subtle flavours of the cigar.

Second 3^rd 34min

Moving into the second third saw the Toast transition into more of a bready flavour and get mouldy, coupled with the white pepper and a further increase in dominance the general feel of this cigar was heading downhill fast. The overall flavour was a breaded mould with a spicy acridity, with every puff becoming less and less enjoyable.

The burn went wild with about 20mm of variance, even whilst executing my tactical rotation and placement…… not so smart anymore am I, a touchup was required.

The bread and pepper was now totally dominating this cigar, making for quite an unpleasant experience. As the second third progressed the burn continued to offend and require additional touchups

Mid third the cut I made started to clog and another cut was required, which opened up the draw perfectly. Unfortunately this did not change the delicious now burnt plastic, caustic flavours offered this stick. On close inspection these horrid flavours were exacerbated but he fact this cigar developed a tunnel at least 1 inch deep down from its burn line. 

44min

I elected to retire this stick moving into the third 3^rd as I didn’t want to vandalise my palate any further with this now toxic cigar.

I’ve smoked 3 of these to date and they have all been reasonably similar to the first third with this one by far being the worst. Overall I was expecting significantly more from Arturo Fuente, on the whole I am quite disappointed. 

If you like a very toasty bready cigar you might enjoy one of these cigars.

Suggested pairing for this cigar would be a semi sweet Verdelho white wine.

Thanks for reading.