Classic cigars. Premium cigars. Rare and hard to find cigars. Arturo Fuente makes them all. But today, we're reviewing the Arturo Fuente Reserva Don Carlos Belicoso, a cigar that costs half as much as an Opus X an tastes twice as good. Or does it?
Related: Arturo Fuente Opus X Angel’s Share Blind Review
Initial Thoughts
Even before I lit the Arturo Fuente Reserva Don Carlos Belicoso, I was impressed with this cigar. Immediately after taking it out of the cellophane, I could smell the aromatic, doughy and leafy Dominican wrapper leaf. Once cut, the cold draw offered up flavors that were quite cedary. After lighting the Don Carlos, the smoke tasted sweet and leathery.
Within minutes, I was thoroughly impressed with the Arturo Fuente Reserva Don Carlos Belicoso, and it was even better than I remembered it being.
Is the Don Carolos worth almost $16? Let's find out.
CigarScore:
Brand: Arturo Fuente
Line: Don Carlos
Size: 5 3/8 x 52
Cut: Guillotine
Light: Torch
Price: $15.36 – Adventure Club
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Smoke Time: 69 minutes
Strength: •••
Final Thoughts
I was able to smoke the Arturo Fuente Reserva Don Carlos Belicoso for 69 minutes, and I really enjoyed the first half of this cigar. The first half was sweet and doughy and delicious. In the second half, most of the sweetness went away. What was left was a cigar that was leathery and spicy, with hints of earthiness in the background.
Regarding the construction of the cigar, the Reserva Don Carlos had a great draw, a great burn, and wonderful smoke output. The only hiccup was the excessive glue on the label that stuck to and tore the wrapper leaf.
The Arturo Fuente Reserva Don Carlos Belicoso earns a CigarScore 5.
