Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario
Size: 5.2 x 50
Tobacco: Dominican
Price: $40 (single)

This cigar stands out as being, by far, the most expensive cigar I've ever smoked. Thank you Cigars Direct

History: 2006 marked the 30th anniversary of Don Carlos cigars, which were created in the Dominican Republic by the patriarch of the Fuente family, Carlos Fuente Sr. This unique anniversary edition was created by his son, Carlito, back in 2004 to commemorate his father's legacy in the cigar industry. Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario was chosen as Best of the Best by Robb Report (June 2007). Only 24,000 cigars were released to the public; they are sold in humidor boxes that sell for $1,250 each.

Appearance: My cigar sported a smooth, milk-chocolate brown wrapper, with few veins. Its prelight taste was a tad spicy on the lips and the aroma seemed to indicate a medium flavored smoke.

Setting: I selected this cigar on the first day of my beach vacation in Ocean Isle, NC. One of my favorite places to enjoy a cigar is sitting on a beach in late afternoon listening to the surf as the tide rises. It was a very windy Monday afternoon, which was turned out to be unfortunate, because I had trouble getting the cigar lit and keeping an even burn.

Taste: Upon first light, I was rewarded with a full peppery flavor. But that quickly subsided into a medium-bodied, nutty flavor with little aftertaste or finish. The cigar picked up strength as it burned, making me a little light-headed near the end, but the flavor remained constant-- medium and nutty.

Overall impression: I wish I had chosen another day to light this cigar, because it is difficult to savor the complexities of a cigar when you are having to fight gusting wind just to sustain a decent draw. But even allowing for that, I just didn't "get" what was so special about this stogie: it had a decent but unremarkable taste. Not nearly as memorable as other Fuente offerings like OpusX, God of Fire, Hemingway, or Sun Grown.

On my 10-leaf scale, I can only give the Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario a 6/10.