Arturo Fuente
Cigars

Arturo Fuente Brand Background

The story of the Fuente name is less a smooth, graceful cruise and more a gritty, hard-won saga. One punctuated by an astonishing amount of adversity. It began in 1921 when brand founder Arturo Fuente found a home in Ybor City, Florida after leaving Cuba. It was there were he rolled and sold cigars out of his house. Everything he made had a real “wow” factor. Enough for word to spread fast. In just a few years, he turned his home business into a major operation employing over 500 people.

This success was unfortunately met with a major roadblock. In 1924, a catastrophic fire razed the family’s Tampa factory, halting production for over two decades. It wasn’t until 1946 when Arturo got the wheels turning again and started rebuilding from scratch. He ultimately passed the torch to his son, Carlos Fuente Sr, who purchased the business for a symbolic dollar in 1958, eventually establishing the dynasty we know today.

Carlos dreamed of turning this local favorite into a worldwide phenomenon. His vision, however, ran headlong into geopolitical reality. First, the U.S embargo cut off the brand’s primary supply. Carlos had to spend years to find a replacement, finally settling in Nicaragua, searching for new fertile grounds. The hurdles continued. Their short-lived tenure there also brought another factory fire while the Sandinista Revolution swept across Nicaragua. A brief ill-fated stint in Honduras, saw another accidental factory fire in 1979. Fires followed the family at nearly every turn, but the company’s true character was forged in the heat of challenge.

How Arturo Fuente Became a Touchstone

The 80s brought the breakthrough. They landed in in the Dominican Republic in 1980, where the brand found stable ground. This is where their success really took off. They started a tireless, multi-year mission to cultivate the perfect environment for growing their well-known estate-grade tobacco, all culminating in the legendary Chateau de la Fuente farm. Since then, they’ve spun out incredible, fan-raving, and award-winning cigars.

This new era cemented Arturo Fuente Dominican cigars as one of the industry’s gold-standard. It paved the way for modern icons like the Arturo Fuente Hemingway, Gran Reserva, and the Arturo Fuente Sun Grown, which made the brand a legend.

Inside the Blend: What Makes a Fuente a Fuente?

If there were a Mount Rushmore of cigars, Arturo Fuente is certainly up there. Their 100 years of refined craftsmanship and passion have earned them a place in just about every aficionado’s humidor.

The Fuente philosophy is rooted in controlling the entire cigar making process, from literally growing the tobacco to perfecting the cigar. They’re famously credited with pioneering the cultivation of true, high-quality tobacco in the Dominican Republic. Seed selection, curing, fermenting, rolling, and aging all take place under the brand’s watchful eye in the Dominican Republic. This is what gives them their superpowers.

Every tobacco leaf is also subjected to years of careful aging, allowing their essential oils to marry and mature into the renowned smoking experience you know and love. This intensive process creates a flawless draw and a rich complex sensory journey. This is why they’re one of the most talked about cigars everywhere. This incredible control combined with the unrivaled skill of cigar making that grants Arturo Fuente cigars its signature construction and smoking experience.

How Arturo Fuente Smokes

The sensory effects of their blends are incredibly unique. Instead of mere raw strength, a Fuente cigar delivers a depth of richness. You’ll be at awe by how it all comes together. The perfect combo of ingredients makes it welcoming for newcomers and seasoned palates. It’s a rich, layered tapestry of deep cedar, earthiness, or creaminess, depending on which cigar you try.

The construction is famously impeccable. Firm and weighty, the fever dream of creamy goodness is why seasoned smokers praise the Arturo Fuente Dominican cigars as a pillar of the industry.

The Lineup Arturo Fuente Cigar Brands

The Arturo Fuente cigar lineup span a spectrum of blends, all united by their amazing quality and sharp construction. There’s something for every palate and budget:

Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva

The Gran Reserva is the brand’s flagship cigar line. It’s the doorway into the entire Fuente portfolio. The company likes to call it “a cigar that carries the personal family touch with only with the finest vintage tobaccos,” which is PR-speak for ‘prepare yourself, you’re in for an unbelievable ride.’ And it’ll happen every time you pick up one up. Made with aged Dominican tobacco for its filler and binder, the line comes in a variety of wrappers. These include the Connecticut Shade, the 90 plus rated Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro, Ecuadorian Sun Grown, and African Cameroon. It’s almost unsettling how incredibly consistent it smokes every single time. A testament to their insane levels of cigar making skills. Award-winning. Impeccable construction. A smooth experience you won’t get enough of.

Hemingway

A true visual and sensory standout. The Hemingway line is defined by its antique, tapered Perfecto shape. Hemingway basically dragged the Perfecto format out of retirement when it was going extinct. Made as a tribute to the famous writer, every bit of this beauty was made to capture the adventurous spirit of his literary work. The Cameroon wrapper introduces an almost organic sweet complexity that dances with the aged Dominican filler. The smoke often begins with a warm, woodsy aroma, evolving into a creamy texture that carries juicy waves of spice and earthiness. It’s supremely balanced and structured, further enhanced by its shape.

Don Carlos

This beauty wears its namesake with pride. Named after the family’s patriarch Carlos Fuente Sr, it’s a refined masterpiece. Wrapped in a high-grade African Cameroon leaf, this blend unfolds beautifully enveloping the richness of aged Dominican long-fillers. The head turning beauty appeals to the eye and your taste buds. The 10-year-aged tobacco steals the show delivering deep notes of sweetness, earthiness, citrus, roasted nuts, and spice. “Wow” is all you can really say when holding and smoking this spectacle.

Fuente Fuente OpusX

The cigar line that revolutionized the industry. The Arturo Fuente Fuente OpusX line is one of the many crown jewels in the brand’s lineup. The original OpusX is considered the pinnacle of cigar perfection, a glorious Dominican Puro that set the stage for the success of their other releases.

The 20th Anniversary bottled Carlito Fuente’s childhood into a smooth smoking experience. Angel’s Share borrows its name from winemaking, where some believe that evaporated spirits are blessed by guardian angels. Made using the middle primings of a tobacco leaf, it gives the blend a lifted, smooth, and elegant profile. Forbidden X is blended in top-secret barrels inside a secret place in the iconic Fuente factory. It’s made up of a rare mix of undisclosed tobacco that rewards anyone who fires it up. The Oro Oscuro uses some of the finest tobaccos straight from their vault to create an amazingly deep and expressive smoke.

Find out why they have become renowned within the industry in our Arturo Fuente wrapper guide on the Blending Room.

Suggested Pairings

Good cigars don’t need much help, but Arturo Fuente tends to bring out the best in whatever you pair them with.

Try a Don Carlos cigar with a single malt Scotch whisky. The spirits’ depth complements the cigar’s sweet notes. For the Hemingway, the Cameroon wrapper pairs unbelievably with rum. The cane molasses will pick up the vitola’s subtle richness. For a non-alcoholic choice, the cedar and earthy tones in the Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva are fantastic matches for brewed coffee or even tea.

Buy Arturo Fuente Cigars Today

The finest smoking experience starts with Arturo Fuente. Browse our extensive selection of Arturo Fuente cigars online today. Whether you’re stocking your humidor or looking for the perfect gift, you’ll find it all here. Enjoy exclusive savings and incredible deals when you shop at JR Cigars.