1 review for Arturo Fuente Añejo 55
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Arturo Fuente Añejo 55
Overall Score
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Jason
Format : Torpedo
Size : 152 x 22 mm (6 x 55)
Ring : 55
Wrapper : Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder : Dominican Republic
Filler : Dominican Republic
Hand-Made
Price : ~$10 each
It had been about a year since I had last had an Anejo and I had never had a No. 55, so I was looking forward to revisiting this brand, which I have previously enjoyed. The 55 is similar in size to the Shark, which is slightly shorter and a 54 ring gauge. This cigar also came in a cedar sleeve, which isn’t pictured. The tobacco used in these cigars is aged in cognac barrels for 6-8 months.
Appearance : [rating:4/5]
This was a rustic looking cigar, sporting a dark and oily wrapper, and was very firm to the touch. It had a very sturdy head and a large vein running up one side. It had an inviting smell and seemed well made, despite its rough appearance.
Construction : [rating:4/5]
The Anejo 55 had a nice draw, but didn’t produce a lot of smoke for some reason. It burned very evenly with a stiff, light gray ash. The sturdy head held up well through the duration of the smoke.
Flavor : [rating:3/5]
This cigar started out pretty smooth, showing off its aged tobaccos. It tasted of black licorice with hints of bitterness and espresso. It produced a very dry finish that reminded me of drinking gin. The taste of anise intensified in the 2nd half with some nice dark cocoa flavors creeping in during the end. Overall, this cigar was fairly complex, but I found the flavors to be kind of boring and unflattering. It was medium-full in body and strength.
Value : [rating:3.5/5]
MSRP on this cigar is around $10, which I think is fair and definitely worth a try at this price point. However, some retailers price gouge on Anejos, so they may be hard to find at their appropriate retail price. Also, these are usually only released around Christmas and Father’s Day, making them difficult to find.
Overall Rating : [rating:3.5/5]
Meh… that’s my attitude toward this cigar. I used to really enjoy Anejo’s, this one just didn’t hit the spot for me. Perhaps my palate has changed in the past year, maybe this one was just off, or maybe it was the vitola. Regardless, I am in no hurry to smoke another. I find the hype that surrounds these and the accompanying price gouging to be annoying and largely unjustified. No knock on the people that love these, just wasn’t my bag.
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Chuck
Nice review. These are great sticks. They’re so enjoyable I tend to go for a larger size than I usual prefer because I hate reaching the end of an Anejo. I love the No. 77, the “Shark.”
If you don’t know of a shop that sells Anejo around MSRP, then try and trade for them on the various cigar forums. Much better route. One of the big online retailers routinely has combo deals that contain an Anejo also.
The Cigar Spy
My Review
I was very fortunate to come upon this cigar as it was gifted to me by former St. Louis Blues enforcer and all-around great guy Tony Twist. These days, Tony is a very successful businessman in the St. Louis area with a number of great restaurants and a well-established cigar club. The Anejo No. 55 was one of a few cigars that he was kind enough to pass along to me and I am happy to thank him publicly here. The differences between the standard lines of Arturo Fuente cigars and the Anejo lines is that the aged maduro wrappers are cured in cognac barrels, giving them an extra bit of kick. Combine that with a blend of filler from the Hemingway, Don Carlos, and OpusX lines and you have a very distinct cigar.
And for those curious, Anejo in Spanish means “Age refined.”
Holding the cigar in my hand, I found a nicely packed, firm cigar. The only imperfection in the slightly oily and veiny maduro wrapper that I detected was an extra glob of glue from the cedar sheath it came in, otherwise, everything appeared to be in order. The wrapper itself gave off a woody, almost sweet scent, almost asking for it to be lit and smoked. Time to oblige it.
Taking my first draw, I was greeted with a slight hint of spice and familiar woody tones. Initially, I did find that the draw of the cigar was a bit tight at first, remedied by cutting just slightly more off of the edge, which immediately opened up the draw and allowed a greater concentration of flavors to move into the palette. After the first third of the cigar, the spice that I noticed at the beginning subsided and was replaced with some sweeter notes – like a hint of black cherry. The strength of this cigar is most definitely full-bodied, and as the evening wore on and I progressed further down the cigar, its potency increased, especially in the last third. This is definitely one you will taste the next day if you do your smoking in the evenings. I’m unsure if I took my time with this particular cigar but it almost felt like this one burned a bit on the slower side. This is great if you have the time to spare to really enjoy this cigar.
A couple of drawbacks to the cigar I did find. One was that the burn was a bit uneven. I did have to correct the burn more than a few times. And the ash was easily flaked off, as without any effort I found ash on my basement floor. While neither of these issues would deter me from the cigar, it is something to keep in mind.
Recommendations: This is a very flavorful, full-bodied cigar. No question about that. I also discovered varying price points from the cigar. At a couple of local shops, the average price was $12.00, online it was much higher. If you are looking at purchasing these, do your research and shop around. While I would not purchase this cigar very often because of the price, it is definitely on my list of favorite full-bodied maduros.
FranciscoP
I’m completly desagree… I have smoked these anejos 55 several times, and I think this is a superb cigar!! Maybe your palate wasn’t in tune that day…I recomend to try it again and smoke it very slowly to really appreciate it.
Caligo
it looks absolutely gorgeous 🙂 it has the nice color of some italian toscano cigars
Lee
Jason, that’s my opinion of these cigars as well. Just finished smoking a 46 and, while a good smoke, it’s definitely not a great one.
Lee
I don’t understand all the hype surrounding these either. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good cigar, but it’s far from what’s claimed (IMHO).
Saint Jimbob
I just smoked one of these recently, and aside from the occasionally wobbly burn, it was a great smoke.
Jason
Thanks! rlneal is exactly right. It’s the top of a CAO Gold humidor.
rlneal
Se7en_V I believe that might be the top of a CAO Gold humidor.
Se7en_V
After I left my comment I tried to ask Inspector where you got the CAO tile. He thought it best to ask you (Jason). So. Where did you find that tile? I LOVE it!!!
Se7en_V
Nice review. Isn’t it amazing how subtle things can have such an impact on an experience. Vitola, Hype, etc. Guess that’s why they say ‘To each his own.’ Thanks for the honest review.
nickwiegand
good review. I do like the sharks better. If only they made a lancero.