Wrapper: Dominican Proprietary
Binder: Dominican Proprietary
Filler: Dominican Proprietary
Size: 6.125 x 49
Strength: Medium
Price: $30 in 2020. Now $89.00-$117.00 (Yikes)
Not Nekkid:
Nekkid:
This cigar has 4 years of box aging.
BACKGROUND:
Originally released in 2013 to celebrate 100 years of the company. Very little is known about this cigar but the Fuente site says, “Forbidden X is the evolution of the Fuente Fuente Opus X. This line contains the rarest selections of tobacco from Chateau de la Fuente. In true ToyMaker style, Carlito ages this mysterious blend in Forbidden barrels in a secret area of our beloved factory. This line encapsulates the mystical and spiritual essence of the gods.”
This cigar better be fucking great.
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
Carefully clipping the cap provides the perfect air hole. Which I’ve been called countless times. My PerfecDraw sits waiting. I ignore the fucker. It waits. I yell. It goes away.
Cherries and graham crackers. Sounds like a country song title. The blend does not fool around and slams it home to my futile palate and crepe filled brain. Yes. The cigar delivers immediately.
Medium strength with a hint of going places. Strong body. Very subtle notes of maple syrup, creamy hot cashews, black pepper, citrus, vague sweetness, and floral.
Better than nuanced notes is the complexity simmering at the back of my throat. I feel the stirrings…this cigar wants to be a grown up. But to be honest, after Fuente’s crazy description of their own cigar, I expect something mystical to happen. Transcendent and supernatural events have not kicked in. I’ll wait. Plenty of cigar to go.
I reviewed the 10-year-old Opus X Perfecxion No. 77 Shark four days ago. Now that cigar came swinging out of the box. This cigar mostly limps…but in sort of a good way. Anytime I put a $50-$100 cigar in my mouth, I expect IMAX. Remember the Forbidden X doesn’t have 10 years of humidor time. Only 4. I’ll wait.
The burn is pretty damn good and the ash shows good form.
If I had initiated this smoke as a blind taste test, I’d have said this is a great $12 blend. And I’d be waiting for the sweet spot in the second half to convince me I made a skillful purchase.
The problem with snagging impossible to find expensive cigars is I can only afford one stick. I have a limit on how many C Note cigars I can buy. I talk myself into the purchase as it relates to my review blog. I’d have loved to possess a few of these, but I’m like you…I don’t like being whipped to death by my spouse.
The blend is very rich. Unlike me. But there is no ‘It’ factor. Wholly disappointed. An excellent start. What happened? The second half will be the final test. If it surpasses my expectations, I’d surmise that this blend will excel with a decade of humidor time…not 4 years. You’ll be alive. Me? Not so much.
The burn gets wonky. Uh oh.
Sheryl Crow. I never got it. Not a great songwriter. Only an OK voice. What am I missing.
I’m beginning to feel like I’m killing time. Drat.
Forward progression stalls. Flavors do not expand. Complexity does not grow with each puff as I expected. Damn.
This is not a $100 cigar. Maybe a good $12 stick. I went to all the trouble of finding online retailers that are scalping this cigar. I’m not going to show them to you. I don’t want you spending the dough…I don’t care how rich you are.
A bush-league cigar blend. Drains the funny right out of me. Having a bunch of these sticks would not have pleased me. I’d be having a panic attack right about now and wondering what to do with these unsatisfying cigars.
I found only two written reviews of this cigar, in a different size, and they loved it. But only two reviews. It was a sign. And I failed to heed it. I must note that neither review mentioned a litany of flavors. Just a few as I have.
The second half begins. One hour. The blend better be trippin’ or else.
And it does improve. But I feel it is too late as I sit here with a frown, a pancake, and a waffle. It surges. This is good.
Look, I reviewed the IGM 537 yesterday. A $16 stick. Half the price tag when this Forbidden X came out and 1/6th of the current cost…if you can find them. The 537 was an absolutely killer blend from the get-go. Buy the IGM 537. Forget the Forbidden X.
Lemon, creaminess, milk chocolate, black pepper, baking spices, and just a bare hint of sweetness.
Strength remains at medium. But pretty much a one trick pony.
A roving rock star sex adventure. My bandmate told me that if you wanted to know if a girl was clean, there was a tried-and-true method of testing. Get nicotine from a cigarette on the tips of your finger and if upon insertion, she cries out in pain, save your weenie by running out of the room screaming. Years later I discovered this was bullshit. Still, I never got an STD. Small miracles.
This was an error by the Fuente folks. No small wonder that this blend hasn’t reappeared. If it does, seek out cigar reviews to remind you that a purchase might be in vain.
Strength hits medium/full with loads of nicotine. 2” to go and I’m calling it quits. Damn.
Buy the IGM 537 from my sponsors Small Batch Cigar (10% off with promo code ‘katman’) or Luxury Cigar Club (15% off with promo code ‘katman’).
RATING: 88
And now for something completely different:
The flow of cigar company greed, like an erupting Norwegian volcano, is fucking insane. The new Fuente Y Padron Legends cigar release is at hand. $7115.00. 40 cigars. $178 per cigar. And you get to keep the box.
This incredible shrinking deal is plastered all over cigar industry websites. And not a single mention of the two cigars’ blends. Not one bit of information. Check that…they are being presented as cigars with ‘undisclosed leaf stats.’ Are the cigars any good? Who cares? You get to pay $178 for a single cigar. That’s all that matters. But don’t fret, this package will disappear quicker than my music career.
Reports vary that some or all the dough will go to charity. Sure.
And what will the lucky few rich guys do with the gorgeous cigar box a year from now? You know the answer. Like a 5-year-old with a new toy, it will find its way to the dusty corner of the man cave forgotten forever…but at least it was outrageously expensive.
One last thing…ever notice that cigars in this category of ridiculousness never get reviewed? Not once. Who wants to report that a two-hundred-dollar cigar is just OK. No one. Plus, you never know if these companies have hit squads. Better to just shut the fuck up.
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Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
I could not agree more with you about the seemingly endless price increases for “the next limited once in a lifetime blend” that happens every year and at best tastes like a $10 smoke. Meanwhile, this will only continue with those willing to spend insane amounts for the belief in PR Bull. Anyway, like the saying goes, “smoke em if ya got em”. I just sit back and watch the madness. Happy to those who will taste unicorn watered tears and rainbow sprouts with their purchase of fuente y padron legends. Ha
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Mr. Martin,
Thank you for your comment.
And I agree 100% with you.
‘Unicorn watered tears and rainbow sprouts.’
Yeah, baby.
Phil
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When they announced those Fuente Y Padron Legends I thought well damn, there you go. I knew it would be ridiculous. When their book sells for $1200 things are getting out of hand.
Now, I like Fuente cigars and they’re a goto. I love the Queen B’s (Thanks Conan!), the 858’s, the Hemingway lines. They make good cigars. But some of this stuff is simply ridiculous.
But they are not the only ones playing this consumer milking BS.
Frankly I think it’s the cigar forums and websites driving it. Hello influencers, “You arrogant swine, you’ve killed us all!”.
You get a bunch of guys clustered in one place that want to impress the other and voila’. Self licking ice cream cones. Pete Johnson has been playing the cigar crowd like a violin for years. All the limited “special” releases and the private cigar clubs thing. They all do it.
Same thing with whiskeys. I bought a bottle of 20 year old Pappy van Winkle years ago. $190 but I “had” to try it. It was good, but not $20 a snort good. But in the right group, that “knew” what that was, instant street cred.
LOL. My SIL, when I was going to do a family pour at christmas asked “Do you have any Coca-Cola?” I switched bottles. ;)
Here’s my take, a $200 anything is only to impress another acolyte. You offer that Legend to a friend fishing, he’ll appreciate it but have no idea what he just dropped in river. It’s all for sake of appearance.
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Vince,
Once again you prove that my readers are smarter than me and better writers as well.
All I can say is True Dat!!
Phil
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Well Phil, I reckon if we’re hanging out here to bask in your generously reflected wisdom that in and of itself says something.
We are simply a shadowy reflection of your imparted knowledge and intellect.
To quote one of my favorite philosophers “Mongo simply pawn in game of life.”
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Pshaw…
“God darn it, Mr. Lamarr, you use your tongue prettier than a 20-dollar whore.”
Do I owe you money?
P
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