According to the Arturo Fuente website, “A tribute to the early days of cigar making, Casa Cuba is the last blend of the late Carlos Fuente, Sr. using the time honored traditions he learned from his father Arturo Fuente, about the experience and flavor of Cuban cigars. Carlos Sr. selected an Ecuador Havana wrapper ad chose a mix of Cuban-seed Dominican grown long filler and binder, and blend them in the same manner he used blending Cuban tobacco many years ago.”
Cigar Review: Casa Cuba Doble Cinco
Size: 5 x 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Ecuador Havana
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Debut: 2013
Box Count: 30
Smoking Time: 1 hour 10 mins
The Cigar: Taking the cigar out of the cello reveals a cigar that looks like it could have come from Cuba or out of a time warp from the 80s. The wrapper has some oils and feels like velvet under the fingers but it looks wet much like a Cuban Ramon Allones. In the hand the cigar does have a couple of voids of tobacco and the boxed press cigar feels light in the hand.
The Taste: I love how Fuente works their tobaccos for certain lines. The aroma from the foot of a well aged Opus, Anejo or Casa Cuba are like no other. There is a sweet maple with a rich molasses that pours off the wrapper and from the aroma on the exposed foot. With the cigar cut the aromas make the way to the palate before it is lit in a way that mimic the foot.
The first third of the cigar offers notes of cream, cedar, raisins and a subtle earth. The retrohale serves up a hazelnut with a very small hint of maple that carries over from the cold draw and aroma.
As we make out way into the second third we lose the ash right where the voids were but thankfully the cigar still burns true. I rest the cigar between my lips as I type, and when I do this for the Casa Cuba there is a wonderful cedar around that rises upward. The second third begins to develop a wet earth, nuts and a touch of leather. The retrohale sees an occasional cinnamon component with maple and pepper.
Moving on to the final third Casa Cuba becomes earthy with an underlying maple sweetness. There are additional notes of cedar, coffee and a subtle cinnamon while the retrohale offers up wet earth, maple and black pepper. The cigar finishes at medium in strength with a moderate finish.
Conclusion: In short the cigar has moments of greatness but often falls flat like an unsealed bottle of coca-cola. While the cigar is extremely flavorful there are many times where the cigar has not much going on outside of wet earth. Because of this there is a tremendous inconsistency in the cigar itself. It’s like dinging out at a restaurant and once bite is delicious and one bite has no flavor. It’s frustrating to say the least and why we have a hard time recommending it.
Score: 84
Price: $13.00 (Before any local or state taxes)
