Since 1912 Arturo Fuente has been making great cigars and like fine cognacs and wines they require time to bring out a rich, pleasing taste. Today we fire up the Don Carlos Personal Reserve, a limited production cigar that is said to be a tweaked blend of the Don Carlos line that was the personal cigar of Carlos Fuente.
Cigar Review: Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Personal Reserve
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Not Disclosed
Filler: Not Disclosed
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Size: Robusto
The Look: Package in black lacquered boxes, the cigars come complete with white gloves. Inside sits 20 cigars in two rows of 10, with each row in its own tray. The cigar features a red, gold and black band denoting A. Fuente Reserva Don Carlos with a secondary band showcasing the signature of Carlos Fuente and the words Personal Reserve. The Cameroon wrapped cigar is bumpy, with a cap that won’t win any beauty contests much like the rest of the Fuente portfolio.
The Notes: The aroma from the foot is incredibly sweet with an aroma of brown sugar, molasses and a subtle cinnamon. The cold draw of the cigar offers up a taste on par with the nose although with an added intensity. It’s a very distinct flavor profile that is incredibly enjoyable. Once the cigar is toasted and lit the first notes is a subtle earth and pepper.
As we move into the first third of the cigar there is a subtle citrus component that serves as the focal point for the first half-inch of the cigar before it begins to pull back revealing notes of caramel and vanilla before it is joined near the end of the first third with some elements of brown sugar.
The second third stars with a strong brown sugar component and a touch of cedar. As we near the halfway point a strong molasses begins to develop with some cinnamon components. The retrohale sees the addition of caramel that lingers on the fairly long finish.
As the cigar concludes it is the quintessential Cameroon cigar with sweetness, and tartness. There are notes of caramel, cinnamon, earth and cedar. The cigar has some subtle pepper on the retrohale, but a lot of sweetness that creates a great experience from first light to last puff.
The Finish: No one does Cameroon like Arturo Fuente and this cigar offers an excellent experience on that wrapper. It’s a tweaked blend of the regular Don Carlos line that was believed to be made for Carlos Fuente Sr. Back when I started smoking Fuente was one of those cigars you had to have in your humidor, and over the years to company might have lost some of that geeky status, but this is a cigar has rekindled that love affair.
Score: 93
Price: $15.79 / $315.99
Don Carlos Personal Reserve
Don Carlos Personal Reserve Foot
Don Carlos Personal Reserve Burn
