Arturo Fuente Opus X Forbidden X 13 God's Whisper 1924 (7.2 x 41)

It is not everyday that I smoke a cigar from deep inside the depths of the special places in my humidor.  When I do there is usually some sort of occasion attached to the smoke so it becomes significant to the event, place and time.  In this case I was just in the mood for something bold, and special and whilst writing my latest political diatribe in my political blog (www.commonsensenotcommonpractice.blogspot.com), I fired up this selection from the dark recesses of the lower trays in my generous humi.

Opus smokes are often what the individual smoker makes of them.  Much too strong for the regular Fuente smoker, in my opinion, they are a reserve smoke for those of us out here that like to experience the power of a cigar, while also understanding the subtle nuances.  I am an arrogant SOB (most of you should know this by now) and I am a cigar elitist (most of you should know this as well), so I will come off as pedantic when I say if you can't understand the finer nuances of a fine smoke you should stick with whatever chicken bones you normally smoke until you graduate into the upper echelons.  This takes years of hard work, and smoking, and smoking things that would make a goat puke, but you will eventually get there and when you do you will appreciate the finer smokes out there with the level of gravity and attention that they deserve.  Of course I am just F'in with ya (or am I), you can smoke whatever you want (just don't expect to be offered something from my stash of specials).

The very name of this cigar inspires the imagination before it even breaches the wizened and yellowing cello.  God's Whisper?  I think I hear it as I get ready to smoke this bad boy.  It's saying pay attention my son...  The band work is excellent, the attention to detail here is wonderful.  The wrapper is evenly and expertly applied by the hand of a master.  The reddish hue and the wonderful dusty feeling are something to behold.  An examination shows nary a blemish, soft spot or area too firm.  The pre light aroma is a dazzling essence of French Toast from a food artisans kitchen.  The pre light draw shows magnificent illuminations of pepper and wood.

The cigar opens with a profile that is full of cinnamon, maple and light wood essences.  I am struck by the profundity of it all right off the bat.  This complex array of flavors dances across the palate with the delicacy of a Joffrey trained ballet ingenue.  There is so much balance and nuance that I struggle to figure it all out in the early moments.  At the back of the palate there are wonderful hints of crisp tobacco and light earth that bind the sweetness of the front portion of the smoke wonderfully together.  The draw is a dream and delivers booming clouds of smoke that lazily drift o'er head as I blog away on the idiocy of our elected officials.  The burn is rock solid and the ash holds on wonderfully as the smoke progresses.

The first half of the smoke is wonderful.  The core profile maintains some nice cinnamon flavors, but a slight hint of citrus zest has come in here as well and makes for an interesting flow.  The back of the palate has picked up the syrupy, maple flavor with some wood and tobacco notes that complete a wonderfully balanced package of flavors.  The draw maintains all it's glory as it churns out scads of smoke.  The burn continues on unhindered as if in a slow directed march to the finish on a course that can not be deviated from.

The final half of the cigar is nearly legendary, and this is where the true Opus power and nuance come into full view.  The core profile becomes a wonderfully peppery presentation that keeps building and building until it is slapping the palate with powerful bursts of pepper flavor.  The palate reaction to this phenomenon is unique, most smokers would not be ready for this rapid turn of events in a cigar that had exhibited so much sweetness for the better part of the smoke.  I truly enjoy turns of events like this and it excites me as a smoker.  The back of the palate continues to deliver wood and tobacco notes as a base upon which the experience can lie.  The draw was exceptional to the finish, as was the burn.

The finish was a fine array of pepper and wood, but came off a bit sharp.  Having that as my only complaint I am willing to rate this as one of the finest smokes I have ever had in 25 years of smoking.

Appearance- 98 a wonderful looking smoke
Taste- 99 one point lost at the finish
Construction- 100 flawless
Strength- 97 a powerhouse, but wonderful
Overall- 98.75 a classic smoke no matter how you cut it

Arturo Fuente Opus X Reserva D'Chateau

This was another gift from the finest Brother of the Leaf I know. I know him and his collection and I have no hesitation believing that this cigar has eight plus years of age. It is a beautiful cigar with a leathery looking wrapper that has ample oils and very few veins. The overall presentation of this cigar is one of the best you could ever hope to see, a cedar wrap, a stunning band and a fine looking cigar all add up to high expectations based on the visual presentations. An inspection shows not a single issue and I am getting excited about smoking an Opus with this kind of age. The pre light aroma is of leather, cedar and spice. The pre light draw shows leather and sharp spicy undertones that fire up the palate.

The cigar opens with a stunning profile that has notes of leather, very refined tobacco, cedar and spice. At the back of the palate there are some notes of orange peel and wood that add to the complexity of the smoke. The depth is incredible, and I can already tell that this is one of the finest Opus examples that I have ever smoked. The draw is slightly tight, but I am not having any issue other than it is not as loose as I usually prefer. The burn is sharp and produces a nice medium gray ash.

The first third of the cigar settles into a nice profile that shows complexity and depth that can only be a product of extensive aging. The core is full of leather and spice, with touches of crisp tobacco and sweet cedar notes. At the back of the palate there continues to be an essence of orange peel and nice solid woody flavors that mingle well for added complexity. The draw is opening up and I am impressed with the performance of this smoke. The burn is still sharp and the ash holds for two inches before I plop it into the tray.

The middle third of the cigar starts to show some profile shifts. The core shows leather flavors, but peppery notes start to come through. There are still some inferences of cedar and spice, but pepper is attacking the palate. At the back of the palate there are still notes of wood, but some tobacco flavors are now also showing through. The complexity continues to be impressive, but the depth is not what it was in the front of the smoke. The draw is more what I prefer at this point and the burn continues in fine fashion.

The final third of the cigar shows all of the traditional hallmarks of an Opus X. The profile becomes a powerhouse, showing a core profile of deep wood, leather and rich spicy flavors. At the back of the palate there is a satiny finish to the smoke as nicotine kicks the palate in the face, there are also some hints of wood noted here as well. The draw and burn stay relatively consistent to the end.

The finish is strong and long, there are flavors of pepper, wood and tobacco that show through.

Appearance- 98 a fine looking smoke
Taste- 97 a phenomenal profile that showed multiple shifts and complexity and depth abound
Construction- 93 some tightness in the draw early hurt the score
Strength- 94 a very full smoke that could use more power up front
Overall- 95.25 a classic smoke and a fine example of what aging can do for a cigar

Fuente Opus X Perfecxion X

I had this cigar in my humidor for well over a year just waiting for an occasion to give it a go. I typically only smoke an Opus once or twice a year so it seemed Labor Day was a perfect time to have one. The cigar is draped in cedar and I remove the sleeve gently. The wrapper is beautiful, but it has one flaw about an inch from the head I am hoping that it will not cause any issues as the smoke progresses. The pre light aroma is full of cedar and tobacco character. The pre light draw shows spice and citrus notes. The construction appears to be excellent.

The cigar begins with less power than I am typically accustomed to from these smokes. It has an almost timid beginning, with a profile that is of light tobacco and spice. The burn is crisp and the smoke is ample. The flavors maintain the above character for the first quarter of the cigar.

In the second quarter I detect some development of a citrus flavor, orange peel and some lemon zest. These flavors punch up the light tobacco flavors that are still present in the main body of the profile. The burn has stayed consistent and the smoke is still abundant and smooth.

In the final half the cigar really packs a punch. The strength intensifies to a full blown experience. The profile develops notes of rich tobacco flavor and some floral essence. The flaw in the wrapper does cause an issue and the last 2 inches of the cigar comes apart. I struggle through anyway and the profile is not hurt by the issues.

The finish is long and strong. There are notes of rich tobacco, leather and a citrus zest on the finish.

Appearance- 88 one flaw hurt the score
Taste- 91 a fairly complex and tasty smoke
Construction- 80 hurt by the eruption at the end
Strength- 89 a nice full profile cigar, but the strength overpowers some of the depth in the profile at the end
Overall- 87 somewhat disappointing, but still above average