Opus X Petite Lancero

This week's review is of the Opus X Petite Lancero. I have reviewed an Opus X before so I won't go into too much detail about the line, but this vitola is one of the Opus X's I haven't smoked before so I figured it was worth talking about. Opus X has always been a relatively hard to find cigar,  but with the current trend of limited edition cigars flooding the cigar world it seems like Opus is a little easier to come by lately. I don't know if Fuente is making more, or if they just aren't selling as fast as they used to now that there are so many other harder to find cigars competing with this line. Either way when this box came in to the shop I grabbed one to try since I haven't had an Opus X in quite some time. This cigar measures in at 6.25X39 and has a tapered head. It also has a slight box press to it. I haven't smoked a ton of Opus, let alone one that just came in this past week to the store. I am curious to see what current production fresh Opus taste like!

The Opus X Petite Lancero is a very elegant looking cigar with a reddish brown slightly splotchy wrapper. One thing that I like about Opus is the prelight aroma that comes off them. It is a very distinct smell of sweet earthy spice and some nutty aromas. After clipping off the head the draw is pretty much perfect for this ring gauge, just enough resistance to keep it from smoking too quickly. The prelight flavors are the same as the aroma coming off the foot, plenty of that sweet earthy spice and maybe a little bit of raisin. Once lit the flavors are much lighter than the other Opus I have smoked. There is a little bit of cedar and some cinnamon spice on the finish. When I think of Opus I think of much more pronounced/stronger flavors. Maybe this one just needs some time to get warmed up. After an inch not much has changed, which isn't good. I am waiting for the flavors to show up! On the retrohale is more of the cinnamon spice I expect from Opus, but it is still lacking on the palate. 

Entering the second third of this cigar and some more flavor is slowly starting to show up. With the cinnamon spice and sweet earth is a little bit of leather. There is a ton of spice through the nose. The burn has been very even and the ash is falling off every inch. Even with the little bit of flavor that has shown up, this is really disappointing so far. There should be a lot more flavor coming out of this cigar. I am getting plenty of smoke and the room aroma is fantastic but the flavor is so muted. As I reach the end of this cigar it is still very muted. I would say it has a medium amount of strength, so not as strong as other Opus I've had. 

The Opus X Petite Lancero was a huge disappointment. I have heard from so many people that this is one of the best sizes in the line and it really didn't deliver. I have a feeling that these are just way too fresh to enjoy right now. Maybe with some downtime they will come alive. All of the Opus I've had in the past were really flavorful so I have to believe that this one was a fluke. After smoking this I talked to a few other people who bought some out of the same box and they had great luck with them, so I am chalking this one up to just being a dud. I might consider grabbing another and putting it in my humidor for a year or so though, just to see if it would improve with some time. I picked this one up for around $12, which is a pretty good price for Opus X. 

Casa Fuente Double Robusto

Today's cigar review is of a rather hard to get cigar (depending on how close you live to Nevada), the Casa Fuente. This cigar isn't rare because of the quantities produced, but because you can only get them at one location, the Casa Fuente cigar bar in Las Vegas. One of my fantastic customers at Bull and Bear recently brought this back for me. The blend for this cigar is a big secret, but the general consensus is that it is a tweaked Opus X filler and binder, with a Cameroon wrapper. I have had a few of these in the past, and would agree that this tastes very similar to an Opus, but with the wrapper adding something something different to the flavor profile. The size I am smoking is a new one for me in the Casa Fuente line, the Double Robusto, which measures in at a hefty 5.75 X 52. This is the only Casa Fuente that comes in the cedar wrap if I am not mistaken. The bands on these cigars have to be one of the nicest, but flashiest out there, but then again these are from Vegas, so what do you expect?

The wrapper seems of high quality without any blemishes or major veins, but there is some wrapper lift near the not so neatly applied cap. I would expect a little more care taken with such a highly priced cigar.

The draw is perfect, and the dominant flavor on the predraw is light sweet cedar. After lighting, this cigar starts off VERY smooth with that classic Opus cinnamon spice and sweet cedar flavor. I think the wrapper on this really adds to the sweet flavor. The room aroma on this cigar is fantastic. When passing the smoke through the nose, the spice is definitely intensified, but not overwhelming at all. There is plenty of balance between the spicy and sweet flavors in this cigar.

After the first inch, the burn has gotten a little uneven, but I think that is mostly my fault. I just recently got this cigar from my friend, and being the impatient person I am (with very little self control when it comes to cigars like this) I didnt give this time to rest after its journey from Vegas. So, I will not blame the cigar on the uneven burn, but blame it on not giving it a chance to rest long enough in my humidor. The ash is very solid and holds on for an inch easily. The flavor has stayed pretty consistent, with loads of cinnamon spice and that sweet cedary flavor. There is a little bit of leather mixed in the flavor profile as well. I would put this right in the medium/full bodied category. I would really recommend pairing this with an aged rum like Ron Zacapa or Zaya.

The Casa Fuente is a very tasty cigar! While similar to the Opus X, changing up the wrapper to a Cameroon certainly mixes things up. I think the Cameroon really brings out a sweeter flavor from this cigar. While good now, I imagine this cigar would be even better with a few years humi time on it. This cigar will always remind me of my trip to Las Vegas with a bunch of the guys from Blowinsmoke.net. We closed down Casa Fuente's bar 2 nights in a row and had an amazing time smoking too many cigars and drinking a few too many of the house Mojitos.

As a side note, Visiting Casa Fuente cigar bar is an absolute must for any cigar smoker in las Vegas. The mojitos are the best I've ever had, and lets just say the waitstaff isnt too hard on the eyes. A word of warning though, dont be shocked when you see the prices. Other than the Casa Fuentes, they have every size Opus X, Forbidden X and a bunch of other rare Fuentes, just be prepared to pay through the nose for them. The Double Robusto Casa Fuente goes for around $22, and if I remember right the cheapest Casa Fuente is the Corona Gorda, for around $18. These aren't cheap, but again, this is Vegas we are talking about! Would I go to Casa Fuente looking to stock my humidor? Hell no! The prices are way too high, but I would definitely pick up a few more Casa Fuente's knowing that I couldn't get them anywhere else.

PS, guys, if you bring your significant other with you to Casa Fuente, don't let them catch you drooling over the waitresses!