Wednesday, July 06 2011
Fuente Feunte OpusX Perfeccion X
Size: 6 1/4" x 48 (en cedro)
Strength: Full
Wrapper: Dominican Habano
Filler: Dominican
Binder: Dominican
Some of the cigars I smoked over the July 4th Holiday weekend included a Gran Habano Triple Robusto, a Famous 70th Anniversary by Rocky Patel Robusto (one of the last), a Tabacos Baez Favorito, and finally, a special selection for the fireworks show on July 4th: A Fuente Fuente OpusX Perfeccion X that I've had aging in my humidor for about two years, which I paired with a Mike's Hard Lemonade.
As one would expect from an OpusX, the cigar is gorgeous. The wrapper was dark and oily, and the pre-light taste was mellow and nutty and the
draw was perfect. Just enough pull to elicit plenty of rich, creamy smoke. Though
OpusX cigars have a reputation for being spicy, my Perfeccion X had a very mellow flavor with flavors of sweet wood, nuts and some herbal notes in the early stages. This could have been due to the extra home aging.
The burn was touch and go (maybe it's me, but I've smoked a lot of OpusX that burned unevenly), yet the ash was very solid, and I only had to make a couple of touch-ups; one at the beginning and one just before the last inch.
I've always felt OpusX cigars have been overrated, not to mention overpriced, but I was very impressed with the body and complexity of the Perfeccion X. Every puff was ultra-creamy, nutty, and laced with flavors of sweet wood and toffee in the mix.
As the cigar past the halfway mark the flavors intensified, revealing flavors of nutmeg and cinnamon. Though the flavors and for that matter, the strength, continued to build in the last third, the cigar never turned bitter. Some spicy notes crept in along the journey, but it never turned peppery.
Overall, a wonderful complement to a sky-lit evening of celebration. The only downside was after the fireworks were over. I had to sit in my car for at least 45 minutes before I could pull out of my space and get back on the road. So I listened to the Phillies post-game show on the radio and, using the dual thumb and forefinger holding method, I continued to smoke my OpusX Perfeccion X literally down to half an inch. Amazingly, it held up all the way, smoking for almost two hours!
Finally, though I made my opinion clear about OpusX cigars above, even at $12.00, I would definitely return to the Perfeccion X. It hit on all cylinders, making it a very special and enjoyable surprise on a very special night.
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