Throwback review: Fuente Fuente Opus X Belicoso xXx

[Habana Mike]

FFOX Belicoso xXx aka "Power Ranger"

4 5/8" x 49RG Dominican Puro, Shade Grown Dominican Rosado Wrapper

I recall while in Chicago in mid-1999 I wandered in to the Iwan Reis shop in the loop and found these along with a few other sticks. This was my first Opus X cigar and what led me into the world of cigar forums.

Went back to the Hyatt Brass Bar around the corner, ordered a Chimay Reserve and put that puppy to flame. Fantastic I thought and went to seek out more info on the web. Found Cigar Family and have been on various forums since.

Anyway, back to the cigar. Solid construction though a bit tight at the band. Traditional FFOX band with a red ribbon at the foot. Beautiful aged cordovan leather-like reddish-brown wrapper with a couple of prominent veins.

Clipped about a quarter inch. Draw a little tight so another 1/8th inch or so got it just right.

Smells of dried apple, baking spice, cedar - raw draw about the same with a touch of pastry. It's actually unmistakable to me, this - apple pie. Recently had a Fuente Fuente (corona size) in the blind tastings I do for Cigar Sense and called it before lit.

At 8:40 I torch this one with some Remy XO riding alongside. Immediately takes to flame

with voluminous smoke production. Power, strength, pepper, leather, spice all jump

out in a cavalcade of intense flavors and sensations. Wow!

Retrohale is light cayenne and nuts though not as overwhelming as I've experienced in the

past. Not sure the age on this one, the cello did have a yellowish cast to it.

Medium-bodied mouthfeel, higher nicotine content apparent from the tingling on my tongue. I

attended the CFC event in Clearwater FL with the Fuentes and Newmans in 2000 and

recall smoking a couple of these late evening after several other smokes that day.

Went to bed and couldn't sleep. Always heard tobacco was a stimulant though it always

seems relaxing to me. Not that time - wired worse than a pint of Espresso would've done.

About a half inch in the pepper has subsided a bit though still quite present. Leather, nutmeg, raisin, toast.

These are a quite complex smoke and even one this short has some nice evolution.

I've gone through multiple boxes in the past though quit seeking these out over a decade ago - will still grab a couple from time to time if I come across them. Used to consider them expensive though, based on how HSA is pricing LE/RE sticks lately, these days they're a bargain.

9:20, half-way in, flawless burn, ash still holding a charm - amazing construction on these.

Smoke has become very oily, almost juicy. Flavors deepen and richen. What I believe

Rob would call Christmas Cake. Rum, raisin, brown sugar, some earthiness as a

backnote.

Wrapped it up around 10PM, about 80 minutes total. Only dropped the one ash.

This one definitely had a few years on it based on the smoothness, sweetness and lack of harshness or bitterness.

Top notch and well worth a revisit.

[cigarbreak]

Smoked this cigar in the AM with Turkish Coffee and it put me on my arse lol. I was bith dizzy and nauseous but it was good nonetheless.

[TheLiquidGator]

Nice review. These age very well and never fail to give me a buzz.

[raymond5737]

Your so lucky that you could find one aged ore age it yourself. Once I get them I can't keep my hands off.

[PuffDaddie]

Great review of a very good cigar.

[saintsmokealot]

You have me wanting to chase down some Perfeccion 4. Wish I had 1 for this challenge.

[dflan82]

Nice review Mike...might have to dig one out of the humidor this weekend

[planetary]

Nice review! As the Cubans are rapidly displacing non-Cubans in my humidor, I'm holding on to my Opuses...

[El Presidente]

Excellent review! I have a few aged Opus X in my humidor that I will revisit on the strength of it.

[sactochris]

I've got some those in my humidor. It's one of my favorite FFOX. It's a wonderful little hand grenade of a cigar.

[JustinThyme]

I finally ran out of my stash from two boxes I bought about 10 years ago in December. Extremely hard to find, at least for me. I finally found them on Ravi’s site of all places and while a bit inflated on a box of 42 still cheaper than other places I’ve seen that have been listing them as back ordered or out of stock rom $999 USD to $1200 USD. Ravi has them for $732 USD. These are not everyone’s cup of tea so to speak. I’ve found them to be full flavored complex sticks with spiciness that will slap you silly if you aren’t expecting it. There are many sticks with a peppery profile that are just pepper. These sticks are like taking a nice creamy cigar and dipping it in a vat of habanero extract. One of my personal favs.