Brand: J. Fuego
Vitola: Corona
Ring Gauge: 46
Length: 4.50
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sungrown Corojo
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Origin: Niccaragua
Price: $7.00

Brand:
In December of 2006 a new cigar began to circulate around local cigar shops as well as generate a little discussion among the cigar forums. These cigars were crafted by one Jesus Fuego, which some may recognize as the blender behind lines such as the Don Tomas, Helix, Defiance and a couple of other common names.

The Gran Reserva Corojo No. 1 sports a Sungrown Corojo wrapper from Nicaragua. The binder and filler tobaccos are grown exclusively for this cigar by Nestor Plasencia. The cigars are packed in boxes of twenty and are available in five sizes, which include a Corona (46 x 4.50), Robusto (52 x 5.00), Belicoso (50 x 6.00), Elegante (54 x 7.50), and a Grande (58 x 6.50).

Pre Light:
Once removed from the cellophane I began giving my J. Fuego Gran Reserva a good looking over. When handled I found the wrapper to have a soft and supple sort of feel. When pinched, I found the stick to be consistently packed with tobacco, with the exception of one soft spot located just beneath the secondary band. The wrapper color was a rich brown with reddish hue and mild sheen.

After opening the head of the cigar with a guillotine cutter I began checking the pre light draw. I found the draw to have slight resistance and an enjoyable semi sweet flavor.

First Third:

After a quick toast and light, I had my J. Fuego Gran Reserva evenly lit and producing a solid supply of smoke. The initial body was medium and produced a crisp finish. The primary flavor upon lighting was rich Corojo tobacco.

After a few minutes passed the cigar began to settle in and the dominant Corojo tobacco flavor began to settle slightly. Upon settling I began to pick up a mild spicy component that was easily distinguished as the smoke passed through my sinuses.

The burn line was thin and even while producing a light colored ash. Initially the ash was solid but began to flake slightly as the cigar burned down past the one inch mark. The draw had a little resistance but provided plenty of dense smoke with each puff.

Second Third:

After forty five minutes, or so, I found myself into the second third of my J. Fuego Gran Reserva No. 1. As I worked my way deeper into the stick the body picked up ever so slightly but remained seated in the medium spectrum. The crisp finish from the first third carried over and remained pleasant, producing a clean and fresh feel on the palate after each puff.

The primary flavor remained that of rich Corojo tobacco while the secondary flavor was a stiff spice which grew more apparent when the smoke was passed through the sinuses. On occasion I picked up a red wine flavor that quickly came and went. When taken all in, the cigar was complex and enjoyable throughout the second third.

The burn line remained thin and even while producing a light resting smoke. The draw had a bit of resistance but continued to produce dense mouthfuls of smoke. The ash remained light in color and firm while the flaking of the first third disappeared.

Final Third:

As I rounded the eighty minute mark, I found myself into the final third of my J. Fuego Gran Reserva. Just like in the previous third, I found that the body was creeping, ever so slightly, towards the full spectrum. The finish remained crisp but was beginning to get a little aggressive on the palate.

The primary flavor remained that of rich Corojo tobacco while nuances of red wine continued to pop in and out of the overall picture. I found this added flavor interesting and thought it added a bit of character to the smoke.

The burning characteristics remained top notch. The ash remained light in color while being firm and compacted. The resting smoke was light and made for a good burn rate. The draw had a bit of resistance, but just as before it kept producing a mouthful of dense and flavorful smoke.

Final Thoughts:
After an hour and a half of smoking I finally had to lay the cigar down to rest. Throughout the entire time I enjoyed the J. Fuego Gran Reserva and look forward to smoking more in the future. The only downside I see to this cigar is its price tag. With an MSRP of $7.00 for a corona it is definitely out of my everyday comfort zone, especially for a cigar of this size and stature.

If this cigar was down in the $5.00 range I could most definitely see myself smoking many more, but at the current price I’ll have to reserve them for when I am feeling a bit more generous and want to treat myself.

Just like with the J. Fuego Delerium and Xikar Defiance, I think Jesus has put together a fine product that many people will find appealing. If you’re the type of person that enjoys a rich Corojo flavor then this is something I would definitely recommend trying.

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