Cigar Geeks - Arturo Fuente Don Carlos No. 2

Cigar Geeks Geek Critique

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos No. 2
Written by Cigar Geeks Member: Stephen (appollo)

87
Cigar Geeks Rating

Welcome to another Member sponsored Geek Critique. This one has been generously sponsored by our member Vroomp (Brad). The cigar provided for this round is the http://www.cigargeeks.com/cigardb/default.asp?action=showcig&cigar_id=7368">Arturo Fuente Don Carlos No. 2. Carlos Fuente Jr. blended the Don Carlos cigar line to honor his father, Fuente patriarch Carlos Fuente Sr., for whom the cigar is named. The cigar has long been prized for its flavor and consistency. Unlike the company's spicy Fuente Fuente OpusX brand, Don Carlos cigars are nuanced. The cigars are wrapped in toothy Cameroon harvested from Western Africa. The filler and binder leaves include some of the oldest tobaccos in Fuente's extensive and massive tobacco inventory. The No. 2, which first hit the market in 1997, is a considerably fat pyramid, with a portly 55 ring gauge. As with most Don Carlos cigars, the smoke is a slow starter.

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos No. 2

Brand:: Arturo Fuente
Name:: Don Carlos No. 2
Length:: 6
Ring Gauge:: 55
Country of Origin:: Dominican Republic
Filler:: Dominican Republic
Binder:: Dominican Republic
Wrapper:: Cameroon
Color:: Colorado Maduro
Strength:: Medium
Shape:: Torpedo
Average Member Purchase Price:: $14.34
Average Member Rating:: (7 Review(s))

This cigar was enjoyed with water

Pre-Light: 10 Points of 10 Possible

A nice smooth wrapper with minimal veining. I found no soft spots with a nice cap. I get a nice tobacco smell with a little spice. The stick cuts great and now I'm ready to go. Been looking forward to getting into this stick.

Lighting and Burn: 12 Points of 15 Possible

I do find for the size of the stick it burns fast. The ash is a nice light grey with some black strips. The volume goes up and down. The burn is good but in the last third it waivers and I have to do a relight.

Construction: 27 Points of 30 Possible

The draw is great but I get a tar build up on the end and I recut it once to get rid of it. The wrapper is a nice medium brown with no major soft spots or viens. The wrapper develops no cracks and stays great through the whole process. I wish I could have rested this stick more than a couple weeks after it spent 4 weeks in the mail. As most Fuentes the construction is great.

Flavor and Aroma: 38 Points of 45 Possible

1st Third - The stick fires up with no issues and off we go. Been looking forward to firing this up since I signed up for this review. I lucked out - its a beautiful sunny day in Nova Scotia. There is good smoke output at this time and the burn waivers a little but no correction is needed. I get a nice tobacco flavor with this distinct Cameroon taste. There is a nice spice on the tongue with red pepper and a little buttery flavor on the retro. Near the end of the first third I get som graham crackers mixed in.

2nd Third - As far as construction goes, everything is still great. The buttery flavor on the retro is gone and replaced by a creamy chocolate. The spice and tobacco is still there. This is a smooth smoke and I am enjoying it. The burn is fast for a stick this size.

Last third - At the start of this I have to touch up the stick its gone to far. I am also getting tar build up on the end and this takes alot of enjoyment out for me. I cut it a couple times to get rid of it but don't dare to cut anymore in fear of ruining the stick. The flavors remain pretty constant except I lose the cream on the retro. I ditch the stick with about 1.5 inches left, the tar has become to big of an issue.

Summary

The stick lasts about 50 min. I did enjoy the stick but the tar was an issue for me. I would like to thank Brad for the chance to smoke this stick. I am still a Fuente fan and will remain one. I wish I could of let it rest longer but thats another story.