Fuente OpusX Robusto
Size: 5 1/4 x 50
Tobacco: Dominican puro
Price: $25

One of my most memorable cigars was the "skunk cigar" I reviewed in April 2008, an OpusX Super Belicoso, so-named because I was chased off the porch by an adventurous skunk while smoking. That cigar was characterized by an initial burst of pepper, followed by a series of alternating tastes that fluctuated between sweet, spicy, and earthy.

This time, my friends at CigarsDirect sent me this OpusX Robusto.

It's always interesting to note how different vitolas compare to each other. This robusto, as you can see above, had a dark, bumpy wrapper, not at all like the smooth glossy wrapper on the belicoso. There was no initial burst of pepper, and the prominent earth tones of the belicoso gave way to a subtle vegetal taste. Despite being shorter, the robusto seemed to last longer, clocking in at more than 90 minutes. As you would expect from the world's rarest "super premium", the burn was perfect, cool and slow.

This cigar paired well with a single malt, and it certainly had a lot going for it, although in the final analysis the robusto lacked the wow factor of the super belicoso.