Arturo Fuente Château Fuente King B

Origin : Dominican Republic
Format : Belicoso
Size : 6 x 55
Ring : 55
Wrapper : Ecuadorian Sun Grown Rosado
Binder : Dominican Republic
Filler : Dominican Republic
Hand-Made
Price : ~$7 each
More info about purchasing Arturo Fuente King B cigars...

This is my 1st tasting of an Arturo Fuente King B. I have heard many mixed reviews about this cigar, ranging from very good to very bad, so I didn't really know what to expect from it. There is a fair amount of hype surrounding this cigar and it can be difficult to find. At retail, the price seemed reasonable at $6.75, so I figured I would give it a try.

Appearance :
This cigar was presented well with a classy cedar sleeve and ribboned foot. It had a rather strong prelight smell and an attractive medium brown colored wrapper. The wrapper was smooth and free of any defects, but not very oily. The cigar felt very heavy in my hand.
 
Construction :
I can sum up the construction of this King B in one word... mediocre. The cigar had a stiff head and a rather tight draw. The draw was just loose enough that it was smokeable. It didn't produce a lot of smoke until the last 1/3 and had an uneven burn that lasted the whole time. Between constant touch-ups with the lighter and fighting a tight draw, this cigar was too much work to be enjoyable.

Flavor :
This cigar was medium-bodied and the 1st half of the smoke had an earthy/spicy flavor that was a little bitter, but not harsh. A grassyness developed through the midsection of the smoke, which intensified its bitterness. This was the most unpleasant tasting section of the cigar. The last 1/3 saw the bitterness and spicyness dissipate leaving a strong earthy flavor behind. I would not describe this cigar as complex, rather inconsistent is more accurate. It didn't taste bad overall, but I certainly expected more.

Value :
I think this cigar is at a reasonable price point if bought at MSRP. There are some retailers which will inflate the prices of these because they are a little harder than average to find. Considering its construction problems and inconsistency, it is barely worth a try at MSRP, let alone anything over that.

Overall Rating :
This cigar was simply a bust. It seems that Fuente really fumbled the ball on this one. From what I gather the construction problems I've experienced are not an isolated incident. Considering the size and resources available to Fuente, I expected more from this cigar. If you're a fan of Fuente cigars, this cigar is worth a try and if your experience is like mine I can pretty much guarantee you'll only be trying one.