Arturo Fuente Cigars are some of the most widely renowned in the world, and the brand’s lineup includes some highlights that are some of the most highly rated cigars of all. Among the top picks from the Arturo Fuente line are the Casa Fuente, the Gran Reserva, and the Arturo Fuente Añejo, although what cigar will take the top spot will depend heavily on whom you ask, when, and why. Cigar smoking is a highly subjective experience and what one enthusiast loves, another might consider being so-so at best.

All the same, Arturo Fuente stands on a history of greatness. If the cigar smoker you ask does not appreciate a given cigar, there is something else carrying the Fuente name that will appeal to him or her. This may be due in part to a history of excellence that, like good tobacco, Arturo Fuente Cigars has been cultivating for well over a century.

A Short History of Arturo Fuente Cigars

Arturo Fuente Cigars began back in the late 1800s with the birth of the original, eponymous Arturo Fuente. He emigrated in 1906 from Cuba to Florida, bringing with him a rich cultural tradition of growing fine tobacco and producing memorable cigars from it.

Arturo Fuente, the company that bears its founder’s name, was established in 1912, in West Tampa, Florida. At the time, the cigars produced by the company were created using Cuban tobacco - there was no embargo and there were no stipulations on trade with Cuba, and goods could flow relatively easily between the countries.

The company grew relatively rapidly and at its peak was employing several hundred workers. Unfortunately, the original factory was destroyed in a fire in 1922, which delivered a significant setback to the man and the company that would eventually become known as one of the greatest producers of cigars in the world.

The destruction of the factory served as a significant setback to Arturo Fuente, who moved from West Tampa to Ybor City and worked in management to help recoup the losses. Although he was not operating at the former capacity of his operation, he continued to roll cigars on his own, in his home, nearly every day, and his spirit never flagged.

It was concerning every Arturo Fuente’s son, Carlos, who would ultimately restore the glory of the family’s line of cigars. Capitalizing on the experience he had gained as a child from his father, he learned not only how to make cigars but how to identify quality. As he grew older, he became more ambitious in his pursuit of accounts, and in time expanded into larger markets in New York and Florida.

By 1956, Carlos Fuente had succeeded his father Arturo as the head of Arturo Fuente & Company. His hard work continued and he began to invest in operations, reopening a factory in Ybor City to replace the one that was lost over 30 years before in West Tampa. In the mid-sixties, in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, Carlos Fuente knew he had to make significant changes to the company to sustain its growth. By 1965, he had transitioned the company to feature cigars that were not made with Cuban tobacco, a practice which, of course, continues to this day.

Arturo Fuente Cigars has continued to grow as an organization, adding to its line of offerings throughout the years. The name has become trusted not only for the quality of the tobaccos used in the construction of their cigars but also in the quality of the enjoyable experience produced.

Though Arturo Fuente is well known for many cigars, it is perhaps the Arturo Fuente Fuente Opus X that defines the name. It is not only one of the most popular and highly-acclaimed cigars of all time, but it remains a classic to this day.

It is acclaimed by smokers and critics alike; the Opus X Double Corona even owns the distinction of being named Cigar Aficionado's Cigar of the Year in 2005. It also owns an interesting history, being produced by Carlito Fuente (Carlos Fuentes’ son) in defiance of a statement that he would not produce a quality cigar.

A Background of the Arturo Fuente Fuente Opus X

Carlito Fuente may not have had the firsthand experience of his father, but he took the challenge and ran with it. Carlito set a goal to become a maker of Dominican cigars - with Dominican-only tobacco, something that had not been successfully done before.

Although filler and binder tobaccos are routinely grown in the Dominican Republic and are featured widely in many cigars, before the Opus X line, no cigars were made with a binder, filler, and a wrapper that were all grown in the Dominican Republic. Cigars that used Dominican binder and filler typically leaned on more powerful wrappers from Connecticut or Ecuador to add power, flavor, or balance.

Carlito enlisted the help of another cigar expert, Angel Oliva Sr., of Oliva Cigars, to find a region in the Dominican Republic that could produce a wrapper of note. With Mr. Oliva’s help, Carlito Fuente discovered a region in the Dominican Republic with different soil - a region that he selected for his venture and would later become known as Chateau de la Fuente.

The first few crops were not quite successful and did not produce tobaccos with wrapper-quality leaves, but Carlito was not discouraged. Despite tepid to mildly negative press and little outside interest, he continued to experiment before producing a shade-grown crop that could produce tobacco for both the filler and wrapper.

The rest, as they say, is history, and Arturo Fuente Opus X Cigars have gone on to receive some of the greatest reputations of all time. If you’re interested in trying one out, consider the Opus X Perfecxion 8-8-8 as an introduction to the line.

The Arturo Fuente Fuente Opus X: First Impressions

The Fuente Fuente Opus X Perfecxion 8-8-8 is as much a pleasure to behold as it is to hold in your hands and then to smoke. Its character is controlled by its interesting shape and the unassuming color of its Dominican Sungrown Habano wrapper, which lacks the rich, red depth of Corojo wrappers and is not as mild as the appearance of a Connecticut wrapper. It straddles the difference between these two extremes, but despite its unassuming nature, it underlies a rich, powerful cigar.

Like all cigars in the Opus X line, these are hand-rolled and filled with binder and filler tobaccos that, like the wrappers, are grown in the Dominican Republic, in defiance of the popular opinion of the time. It was this line of cigars that proved the stereotype of Dominican wrappers false.

These cigars are firm in the hand and feature excellent construction and nearly flawless wrappers, with no blemishes. The real joy of an Opus X, however, comes from the enjoyment of smoking it.

Preparation and Pre-Light Notes

Whether you punch or cut the end of this Opus X, it will produce a fairly complex portfolio of cold draw notes that are almost deceptive with respect to the full body of the smoke. It has been described in great variety, but many agree that the pre-light notes will betray hints of earth and light spices, perhaps even the hint of sweetness, although it has been remarked that this skews to the earthy or toasty, like a baked good or a fruit.

To prepare the cigar for smoking, you’ll want to either cut off a small section from the end of the head at the point of the Lonsdale Vitola, although with a little skill and preparation you can also use a cigar punch if that suits you. It’s been remarked that this particular Arturo Fuente cigar has excellent construction that allows for a smooth, even draw, and enjoyable smoke.

Once you’ve spent some quality time enjoying the construction and the pre-light notes and flavors, it’s time to apply a flame to the foot of that cigar. Be sure to smoke it slowly and deliberately, so you can take the time necessary to appropriately enjoy this cigar as it develops. It is a complex and flavorful cigar that will present different notes throughout its lifespan.

What to Expect as the Arturo Fuente Fuente Opus X Develops

Some have remarked that many Arturo Fuente cigars have mild flavors, and for that reason, those that appreciate heavy-bodied cigars may tend to seek favorites elsewhere. That is not the case with award-winning Arturo Fuente Fuente Opus X Cigars like the Perfecxion 8-8-8, which is a full-bodied cigar that will give you a new lease on your appreciation for complexity and flavor.

As you light the cigar up, it will probably present you with heavy notes of wood, even bitter notes. It does not take long for these notes to develop, and if anything, as the cigar matures, the strength will begin to balance out. This cigar starts with a full punch.

The strength and bitterness should persist through the first third of the cigar, though it will start to mellow out as long as you aren’t smoking too fast. That woody bitterness will give way to earthiness, even nuttiness. Cigars like this that present nuttiness has a full-mouth feel, almost a mealiness to the smoke that satisfies almost in the same way that food does. Rich, powerful, and flavorful, as this cigar develops it will deliver rich, delightful flavors.

As you enjoy it, the cigar may even seem to develop a hint of sweetness or even creaminess. The sweetness is somewhat fruity or reminiscent of a cooked baked good, which somewhat ties into the peppery dryness of the cigar. It is a toasty sweetness rather than a cloying sweetness if it can be called sweetness at all.

By the final third of the cigar, you might be noticing a resurgence in some of the bitterness, definitely in the spiciness of the black pepper that you probably noticed throughout the cigar so far. There might even be some notes of cedar that develop as you near the final few puffs of the cigar. Meter your puffs and you should be able to avoid some of the unpleasant sourness that is the signature of a dying cigar.

Once you’ve finished a Fuente Fuente Opus X Perfecxion 8-8-8, there’s only one thing to do. Relax, reflect on the flavors that will linger on your palate, and debate when and where you want to try your second. These types of fine cigars, like all delicacies, will yield up nuances each and every time you try them, nuances that you failed to notice the previous time. Like a good book, you’ll discover new pleasantries every time you go back to them - and the best part is, if you’re looking for a repeat experience, you can enjoy some of the best cigar prices right here.

You’re in the Right Place for the Best Cigar Prices

At Atlantic Cigar, there are a few things we do very well. One of them is to provide one of the largest selections of cigar brands available online. Our customers come to us time and time again for their favorite cigars, including Arturo Fuente cigars. We have many Opus X Cigars in our catalog, including but not limited to the Perfecxion 8-8-8 that was the focus of the preceding sections.

In addition to the Opus X Perfecxion 8-8-8, we also carry Opus X Reserva D’Chateaus, Perfecxion No. 77s, Belicoso XXXs, and others, among many other Arturo Fuente Cigars.

The other thing we do is provide unheard-of-prices on these premium cigars. As you may be well aware, the Opus X line of cigars has garnered repute for more than quality - it is also an infamously expensive cigar.

However, our motto here is to provide ultra-premium cigars at not-so-premium prices. In all honesty, we have some of the best cigar prices on the internet, and on some of the most popular cigars available, including the Opus X line and other great cigars.

Take a look through our collection of discount cigars - discount in price only - and be sure to get in touch with us if you have any questions or would like special recommendations. You can get in touch with us at 800-887-7877 and we’d be glad to help you out!