Arturo Fuente Solaris (SI Exclusive)
Sunday, May 20th, 2012Thanks to Smoke Inn for sending me a couple of these to review. This is another exclusive blend for them, and was completely created by Fuente. Carlos Fuente made a small batch of cigars over six years ago, and there they sat. Until now. I paired with water and got to smoking. Let’s see how it went.
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Binder & Filler: Unknown
Size: 6 x 49
Price: $89.50 for a 10 pack
Pre-Smoke & Construction:
The wrapper had a smooth, oily appearance. There were no visible flaws, and the veins were small to medium. The smell of the wrapper was a mild cedar. The foot had almost no smell at all, perhaps a mild earthiness or hay. The cigar was well packed, with only minor hard and soft spots. The draw had slight resistance, and the pre-light draw had a sweet, almost honey flavor to it.
The burn required a couple corrections, and the ash held for about 1.5 inches.
Flavor:
The first third had a dominant flavor of cedar. Retrohaling revealed an easy pepper with a tinge of creaminess. There may have been a mild nutty component as well.
The second third was almost an even combination of cedar and nuttiness. Like before, the pepper was easy to swish around the mouth and sinus. I could only detect earthiness in the aftertaste.
The last third kept the same core flavors as before. The only difference was the smoke feel became creamy and sweet.
Conclusion:
This was a solid mild to lower medium bodied cigar. In typical Fuente fashion, it was consistent, easy to smoke, and construction was good. Unlike other Smoke Inn blends, this fits a different demographic than, let’s say, the Anarchy. For me, this is a breakfast or lunch smoke with coffee. If I had to complain, the price may be a little on the high end, for me at least. I think they are worth a try if you appreciate mild to medium cigars.
