Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Personal Reserve Robusto Cigar Review

This 5.25x50 stick features a mottled dark chocolate wrapper with a light but firm even pack, minimal veins, tight invisible seams, triple cap and pungent peppery earth and hay aroma. First light reveals a perfect draw with rich plentiful medium-full bodied smoke with an airy smooth mouthfeel, aged texture without the mustiness. Notes of a lighter earth, good bit of pepper and zing, nuttiness, vegetal tastes and a long finish. The first third continues with the intense flavors getting heavier and more substantial overall. The profile shifts more earthy with a big caramel blast on the draw and the pepper remaining consistent and prominent. The finish changes with the typical Fuente woodiness although not a pronounced as other blends. Holding the ash in a solid chunk the 2nd third goes sweeter carrying the caramel and adding a fruity plumb and dark cocoa to the draw over a zingy light nutty core while the finish brings a lighter earth again. Ending at 1:30 the last half burned very slowly keeping the complex profile just coming down a notch to a solid medium body with no strength.