Cigar Review: Arturo Fuente Don Carlos No. 2

Graciously provided by my friends at Cigars Direct, here’s another review of a popular Arturo Fuente. The Don Carlos No. 2 is a fine looking cigar that has been making the rounds in popularity recently. And I can see why. The Don Carlos cigars are reputedly Carlos Fuente’s favorite blend and are said to be super spicy with a medium body.

Origin: Dominican Republic Size: 6×55 Wrapper: Cameroon Binder: Dominican Filler: Dominican

Appearance: Once again, the Fuente’s are able to make a fine looking cigar. This torpedo looks a masterpiece with each conical head coming to a perfect point. The colorado colored wrapper is smooth, without tooth, and the veins are slight. On my latest sample, the only blemish was an over-use of glue near the band and some excess glue near the foot. This cigar at least looks worth the $10-12 you’ll end up paying for one.

Taste: I have yet to find the spiciness that people talk about in these cigars. I actually find them to be quite one-dimensional in flavors, but this isn’t a drawback with this cigar. This cigar has a woody flavor with major overtones of floral notes. Together they make a creamy and tasty flavor that sits well on the palate. I think these are relatively mild, but I’ll concede that strength, like flavors, are mainly subjective. The wood and floral notes would exchange places with one becoming more prominent than the other, but these flavors were consistent throughout the smoke. I like this combination and do not consider this a drawback.

Aroma: This cigar smells like a gem when you hold the stick to your nose and inhale. Buttery cocoa fills your senses and promises a wonderful smoke. The smoke, which wasn’t all too plentiful, was a little acrid and could be unpleasant, but not overbearing.

Construction: This is where the Don Carlos No. 2 disappointed me. For a cigar in this price range, I expect perfection. All of the samples I’ve had have had burn problems. And it’s been where one side of the cigar has been less filled than the other in an uneven roll. My last one I only had to touch up once after the cigar never worked itself out, which a well-rolled cigar will do if it’s just a bad light. But even with the one touch up, it never really straightened itself out. If it were only a one-time thing, I’d overlook it, and maybe the samples I had came from the same batch, but for a premium cigar, I expect more.

Overall: The only reason this cigar isn’t being rated higher is because of its construction problems. Also, I had to stop smoking at the band because I couldn’t get it off without destroying the cigar. I like the flavor profile even though I’m usually not to big on mild cigars. The presentation of this cigar is wonderful and it holds itself well among the higher priced cigars. I’d buy these if I could find a great deal on them, but as you probably already know, I’m a relatively cheap smoker and I can find sticks just as good if not better for half the price that these come.

Cigar Rating:

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