This lovely perfecto is the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Work of Art maduro (WOAM) which, according to vitolas.net, is 4-7/8″ x 46/60. The Hemingway maduros, along with the Añejos, are released around the holidays, and occasionally again around Father’s Day. I don’t generally love a Cameroon wrapper so I don’t keep many Hemingways or Don Carlos, but I am a maduro fan so I grabbed a few of these this year when the opportunity presented itself and at the risk of ruining the review, I’m glad I did.
Pre-light, this cigar had a wonderful aroma, a little sweeter smelling than most maduro Fuentes. The cap cut cleanly and the draw was firm, but I generally expect this with a perfecto since the opening at the foot is much smaller. The foot lit quickly and the first few puffs had a rich, dark, maduro flavor and left a little sweetness on the lips. The burn was slow and even across the large foot and reached the widest part of the cigar at the same time on all sides, I’m always amazed how that happens on a well-rolled perfecto.
The draw opened up some as it burned past the tip, but not quite as much as I was hoping for. I am probably biased because I prefer maduro wrappers, but I think this Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper compliments the rich Hemingway filler and binder perfectly. The first third started sweet with an occasional mildly spicy draw. The body was medium with a long finish.
The tight draw kept it burning cool and still provided ample smoke and didn’t burn perfectly straight but never required a touch-up. The ash was solid as a rock and a medium gray, mottled with black spots from the wrapper playing catch up. Flavors from this enjoyable cigar alternated between smooth, maduro flavors and spicier, sharper notes.
I don’t generally nub a cigar but I smoked this one down below the one inch mark. Really, I enjoyed this until it just became too difficult for me to smoke. They aren’t easily available to everyone, and they’re not cheap for those that are lucky enough to have a B&M that gets them, but I definitely recommend giving one a try. If you buy some and don’t like them you will have no problem getting rid of them.
Sounded like a great cigar!! What was the price for one anyway, just curious? Looks like a great few times a year cigar.
Dave
I’ve only smoked one and the burn was very bad… I don’t remember being wow’d by the flavours either. These are probably better than average cigars if you get a good one but I’m not sure they are worth the money or fighting the Fuente loving wolves to get one during the holidays… for me anyway!
nice review none-the-less Brian.
I picked these up, along with a bundle of the #4 maduros, in an order from Tampa Sweethearts. I only paid MSRP, which was $7 before the holidays and is now $7.35, and there was no fighting wolves, but I understand what you mean Joe. My local B&M got one box each of the maduro Work of Art, Signature and Classic and they didn’t last long.
I enjoyed this cigar and would gladly pay they price I paid for more, though I wouldn’t pay through the nose for them nor would I fight any wolves. 🙂
What I don’t understand is why these are rare releases… aren’t they just Hemingways wrapped is a Broadleaf maddie wrapper… Why can’t they be produced consistently? If anyone knows the answer I would love to know.
Now that I can’t answer Joe, though I’ve never seen it claimed it was anything other than Conn. Broadleaf maduro. I would certainly love to be able to get these year round.
In response to Jabba, I believe that they are not produced consistently because making them is a quite lengthly process.
Great review…. Makes me want to dig one out of the cooler.
The reason they are rare is the same reason most of the other Fuente products are hard to find, which is the standard Fuente marketing strategy: produce in limited quantities to create a mystique. Obviously it is working pretty well for them.
“The reason they are rare is the same reason most of the other Fuente products are hard to find, which is the standard Fuente marketing strategy: produce in limited quantities to create a mystique”
Spoken like someone who knows less than nothing about cigar making OR marketing. Who intentionally keeps production low on a product YEARS after it’s introduction to “create a mystique”,lol. And when everyone knows that they could sell as many as they produce and increase revenues.
Since I’ve been there and seen the operation, I can tell you it’s because there are very few rollers that can produce these shapes with the consistency of Fuente. And they lost a good percentage of these rollers during the “cigar boom” when everyone and his brother looked to open up factories in the DR and hire away any experienced roller they could find. As to Opus X, the parcel of land used for the wrapper leaf is miniscule compared to traditional wrapper plantations. For the same reason Havana cigar leaf tastes the way it does…the soil. Sorry, but I still get a kick everytime I hear someone profess this great “marketing strategy”,lol.
I’ve seen these in my B&M will have to pick up a few!
Matt M.
you should they are great,,,,
Really raq? They are THAT hard to make? they have the same tip as any other Hemingway and a torpedo is the same to roll as a round tip. Believe it or not the whole Fuente thing IS a gimmicky little marketing scheme. I understand the Opus X is only produced on a small feild but wth is so hard to find about a maduro wrapper.
You must work for fuente/JC newman with how defensive you got.