The Arturo Fuente Magnum R44 isn’t a cigar you’ll find online for sale as Fuente has a strict policy about this stick only being available inside a brick & mortar. This is something I applaud as I have always preached to support your brick & mortar.
According to the official website for Fuente Cigars the wrappers used on this line are grown in Ecuador and aged for nearly a decade. How does that translate to the enjoyment of the cigar? Let’s find out shall we?
Cigar Review: A. Fuente Magnum
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia.
Wrapper: Ecuador Rosado
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Length: 4 7/8″
Ring Gauge: 47
Vitola: R44
Strength: Medium
The Look: The Magnum R44 comes packaged in typical Fuente fashion a look I like to call no frills. Don’t get me wrong, the box has beautiful art work, but the style is old school. Inside are uniform looking cigars lined up to be smoked. The Rosado Sungrown wrapper is evenly colored with a few thin veins and a nice oily sheen. The cigars have a pressed look to them, but it is a natural press that occurs after packaging. The foot is loosely packed, but there are no soft spots along the shaft of the cigar and the weight is average for the size.
The Notes: The cold draw of the Fuente Rosado has extremely well-defined notes of cinnamon, so much so it’s like eating a Cinnabon Classic Roll complete with the frosting. The aroma off the foot of the cigar is similar to that of the cold draw.
Once the cigar is lit some of the sweetness experienced on the cold draw makes its way into the smoking experience. There is a subtle cinnamon note with a hint of molasses mixed in for good measure. However, both of those notes are secondary as earth dominates the palate. On the retrohale there is a slight peppermint that helps enhance the sweetness of the cigar.
Moving along into the second third of the Fuente Magnum the sweetness begins to ramp up before fading back to a secondary note with some earth remaining on the finish. The dominant note here however is roasted nuts with a touch of cedar.
In the last third of the Magnum R44 the elements of the cold draw really begin to shine with notes of cinnamon and molasses being dominant with a slight cayenne pepper on the finish. The retrohale enhance the spice but also brings elements of nuts and cedar to round out the experience.
The Burn: The combustion line as razor-thin and very pronounced. If you listen to the radio show David Garofalo likes to refer to the burn as the mascara line, and with this particular cigar it makes sense. The light color ash holds firm for more than a third at a time with little to no flake. The draw was perfect and the cigar remained lit from start to finish.
The Finish: When these cigars first came out I recall smoking them on a regular basis, but being the worst nightmare for a cigar shop; I lack brand loyalty. I bounce around to whats new often leaving great sticks behind. I smoked one yesterday and enjoyed it so much I had to reach for another today to review. A complex full-bodied cigar that is mild-medium on strength that is an excellent way to spend an afternoon.
Score: 93
Price: $7.79 / $269.99
Arturo Fuente Magnum
Arturo Fuente Magnum Foot
Arturo Fuente Magnum Burn
