Well well well, look who is up to his old tricks again. Great reviews brother. Have had the Raegan when it was a pre release from a event here in Cali through catifsh, will definitely give it another run. The goldie I am intrigued by, the price tags on their special sticks are nothing to laught at though. thanks again for the reviews Brett.
Irishman 90+ you did it again. I think you hit on all levels of what the Goldie offers. I agree with the construction. It is the closest thing to a perfect roll that you will come across. It makes me want one right now. Thank you for your valuable thoughts.
Nice review Brett...I found some of the flavors you got but have too say I really liked the #2 better. Not saying it's a bad stick at all though! I might have to go humi diving and dig up one to revisit now though
Irishman 90+ you did it again. I think you hit on all levels of what the Goldie offers. I agree with the construction. It is the closest thing to a perfect roll that you will come across. It makes me want one right now. Thank you for your valuable thoughts.
Thanks Antonio, glad you enjoyed it so much, thought the Goldie was just phenomenal Glad you liked the read and thanks for the feedback
Nice review Brett...I found some of the flavors you got but have too say I really liked the #2 better. Not saying it's a bad stick at all though! I might have to go humi diving and dig up one to revisit now though
I've yet to smoke the No. 2 but I do have one ready to go I just haven't lit one yet. I keep hearing it's better but I still maintain that the No. 5 is just exceptional!
Well well well, look who is up to his old tricks again. Great reviews brother. Have had the Raegan when it was a pre release from a event here in Cali through catifsh, will definitely give it another run. The goldie I am intrigued by, the price tags on their special sticks are nothing to laught at though. thanks again for the reviews Brett.
Thanks brother, they are mighty pricey but at least in the experiences that I've had with them, La Palina is one of the best and one of my fav maracas that is non-cc, so at least for me, I'd buy em (and do) regardless of price, I just buy them when I can afford me is all.
Great review. I still wish I had got in on the Goldie laguito 2 mad rush of box buys. All reviews I read point to the newer fat marca a not even living in the shadows of the original. I hate 50 plus rings so I'm not interested in buying even though chances where there for the new palina. Just wish they would find the tobacco and desire to roll the laguito 2 again.
Great review. I still wish I had got in on the Goldie laguito 2 mad rush of box buys. All reviews I read point to the newer fat marca a not even living in the shadows of the original. I hate 50 plus rings so I'm not interested in buying even though chances where there for the new palina. Just wish they would find the tobacco and desire to roll the laguito 2 again.
And this is why I've had such a hard time bringing myself to light the only No. 2 I've got, is hearing just how spectacular it is. I absolutely fell in love with the no. 5, so if that one is just a shadows compared to the No. 2 then I will be in a bad spot when I determine that I MUST have a box of the no. 2's regardless of the cost lmao! Thanks for the response and read though Blurr, glad you enjoyed it and got something from it
Size/Vitola: 7.5” X 38 rg Lancero
Manufacturer: Arturo Fuente
Time in Humidor: 2.5 years
Blender: Carlito Fuente
Wrapper: Dominican Habano grown at Chateau De La Fuente (aged 5 years Summer harvest)
Binder/Filler: Dominican
Sent by: Birthday present from my wife, March 2012
Smoked: September 28th 2014
I received this gorgeous cigar as a birthday present from my wife over 2.5 years ago for my 24th birthday. Ever since then I have wanted to smoke it but just for the life of me haven’t been able to bring myself to put fire to it until now. This cigar has quite the interesting story behind it, the Actor and cigar lover Andy Garcia made a movie called The Lost City back in 2005 where he directed it as well as starred in it side by side with Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. A portion of the movie was filmed at Chateau De La Fuente, however when filming was taking place it was the off season and the main harvest had occurred shortly before so there was not going to be any tobacco fields that Garcia needed for his film. Since Garcia and Carlito are fairly close friends (from what I have read), Carlito planted a field in the off season of Summer so that the film could be made. When all was said and done Garcia helped to convince Carlito to use the unusual crop and after 5 years of aging the leaf, it became the Fuente Fuente Opus X Lost City. A portion of the proceeds of this cigar are sent to the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation that the Fuente family started and runs to better the Dominican Republic. Typically seen in only five vitolas; Robusto, Double Robusto, Toro, Piramide and Lancero. I have seen pictures of a Lost City Love Affair size but only pictures, never one in person.
Ok so backstory out of the way lets get this smoke under way already….
Pre-Light:
The nose on this is nearly nonexistent, very mild but I do pick up some hay, mild cedar and a hint of honey. The Cigar is flawlessly constructed and has a solid feel with no soft spots and a beautiful colorado shaded wrapper that has a smooth and velvety feel to my hands. The lick is salty with some red pepper spice on the tip of your tongue, same story on the dry draw.
Lit at 1pm MDT. drinking small amounts of Coke to wet the palate.
The Lost City lights easily and immediately starts billowing smoke, and from the first draw I can tell I’m on a special journey with this smoke. The flavors start out from the first light and they are intense coming on like a freight train with one blending seamlessly into the next. A sweet black licorice with this strong blending of a caramelized raisin, butter with this sweet cream to a white pepper finish that lingers on the roof of my mouth. Every new puff has a subtle new nuance, but raisin, mar mallow (toasted), caramel and a sweet tobacco undertone…. WOOF what a profile and cigar! A new note of cashew shows up just about 1” in that really balances out the sweet notes and a pepper with a tang nuttiness to it that hits me just right.
With the first quarter of the List City being now past, the raisin and marshmallow really comes to the front of the profile and stays there growing. I wouldn’t quite call it balanced at this point since it is such a dominating note, but in this case I don’t mind since I absolutely LOVE these notes. I’ve only ever gotten these notes in a few cigars, and specifically the toasted marshmallow which is turning into one of my favorite profiles I find in a cigar, has been found for me in the La Palina Goldie Laguito No. 5 cigar. At this point the Lost City is starting to mellow out a bit and I’d put it in terms of strength at medium to medium-full with the same amount of spice on the retrohale, but the white pepper has slipped way back and is almost not even noticeable anymore. The wrapper when the ash falls for the first time around 2” in starts to peel back a bit but not badly and I don’t believe it will affect the burn at all. I only need to do a minor touch up on the burn but it is not truly necessary just something that I wanted to do for my OCD nature to make it perfectly straight. The Lost City keeps mellowing further as I smoke and gets to this medium and spicy sweet meaty core that rocks! The amount of smoke it puts out is impressive, reminiscent of the Liga Privada lines. The marshmallow has also calmed down a the “brightest” note switches at this point back to the caramelized raisin which is extremely satisfying.
Over halfway in and the profile has shifted to this butter cream and sweet toasted note, we also see a resurgence of the cashew that pairs perfectly at this point and makes for an extremely balanced and complex smoke. The second ash falls just shy of the 2” mark again, the construction and consistency of the Lost City is spectacular and makes for a really relaxing and enjoyable experience even without the phenomenal profile and gobs of smoke this thing is putting out. With the approach of the final third the strength starts to pick back up and heads towards the full mark, I’ver really really enjoyed this smoke even more than I expected I would (which was remarkably high).
As it comes to a close the lingering notes are caramelized raisin, cashew and spice… wishing that I had an entire box of these bad boys instead of just this one smoke. Memorable…. that is what sticks with me throughout this and lingers in my mind, memorable and sweet raisin. Couldn’t ask for more in a cigar!
End time: 3:15pm
Total Smoking Time: 2 hrs 15 min
Final Thoughts and Rating:
I smoked this at one of my local lounges, and smoking inside let me focus entirely on the cigar and made the incredible amounts of smoke even more noticeable. Every few puffs I would just stop and stare at this stick wondering where all of this flavor, these unique notes and gobs and gobs of smoke were coming from. This had a tremendous X factor for me and was exactly what I was wanting and looking for in such a special and rare smoke.
Balance: 10/10 I’ve had Opus X’s that were too young and unbalanced with their strength and spice, this was NOT the case. The notes were not always balanced with the strength but the notes themselves were so unique and perfect for my tastes in a cigar that for ME it was perfectly balanced.
Development: 10/10 Every single puff was different even if only slightly, there was always something new to pick up if you paid close enough attention. Couldn’t have developed more nor would I have wanted it to.
Construction: 8.5/10 I wanted to put this higher because the burn was stupendous and the draw was smooth and full with cool rich and dense smoke. But a small portion of the wrapper did start to separate and peel away about 1/3 in. It didn’t affect the smoke or the burn but its still not something I want to see in such an expensive cigar.
X-Factor: 10/10 Between the back story, the impressive looking bands, the gorgeous wrapper and knowing that I have been staring at this thing for over 2.5 years has built up an impressive expectation and this delivered on ALL fronts.
Pairing Recommendations: A complex and sweet dark rum I think would be best for something this spicy and sweet. Three personal recommendations I can offer would be Zaya, Ron Abuélo Centuria, Ron Zacapa 23 year. I also think that a milder bourbon could do well if done in moderation as to not overpower the Lost City. Something like Woodford Reserve, Angels Envy or some Old Weller Antique Reserve 107 proof.
Overall Cigar Score: 9.6/10 Strongly Recommend for a special and memorable smoke.
Great review Brett! I have not had a lost city but now really want to try one! I've had the marsh mellow taste from a couple cigars and it's a really nice profile in any cigar. Anyways thanks for the review and now the search for a lost city
Great review Brett! I have not had a lost city but now really want to try one! I've had the marsh mellow taste from a couple cigars and it's a really nice profile in any cigar. Anyways thanks for the review and now the search for a lost city
Thabks Lee really appreciate that and I agree that marshmallow profile is brilliant when you can find it. So far I've only gotten it in this one and the La Palina Goldie Laguito No. 5, though FTG Brett swears he got it in the Jericho Hill he smoked when we herded the other day.
I'm not sure, I could easily see it taking many paragraphs to properly describe the acrid funk and foulness that was the Raji and several more paragraphs relating to other heinous and disgusting substances I've come across over the years.
Comments
Size/Vitola: 7.5” X 38 rg Lancero
Manufacturer: Arturo Fuente
Time in Humidor: 2.5 years
Blender: Carlito Fuente
Wrapper: Dominican Habano grown at Chateau De La Fuente (aged 5 years Summer harvest)
Binder/Filler: Dominican
Sent by: Birthday present from my wife, March 2012
Smoked: September 28th 2014
I received this gorgeous cigar as a birthday present from my wife over 2.5 years ago for my 24th birthday. Ever since then I have wanted to smoke it but just for the life of me haven’t been able to bring myself to put fire to it until now. This cigar has quite the interesting story behind it, the Actor and cigar lover Andy Garcia made a movie called The Lost City back in 2005 where he directed it as well as starred in it side by side with Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. A portion of the movie was filmed at Chateau De La Fuente, however when filming was taking place it was the off season and the main harvest had occurred shortly before so there was not going to be any tobacco fields that Garcia needed for his film. Since Garcia and Carlito are fairly close friends (from what I have read), Carlito planted a field in the off season of Summer so that the film could be made. When all was said and done Garcia helped to convince Carlito to use the unusual crop and after 5 years of aging the leaf, it became the Fuente Fuente Opus X Lost City. A portion of the proceeds of this cigar are sent to the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation that the Fuente family started and runs to better the Dominican Republic. Typically seen in only five vitolas; Robusto, Double Robusto, Toro, Piramide and Lancero. I have seen pictures of a Lost City Love Affair size but only pictures, never one in person.
Ok so backstory out of the way lets get this smoke under way already….
Pre-Light:
The nose on this is nearly nonexistent, very mild but I do pick up some hay, mild cedar and a hint of honey. The Cigar is flawlessly constructed and has a solid feel with no soft spots and a beautiful colorado shaded wrapper that has a smooth and velvety feel to my hands. The lick is salty with some red pepper spice on the tip of your tongue, same story on the dry draw.
Lit at 1pm MDT. drinking small amounts of Coke to wet the palate.
The Lost City lights easily and immediately starts billowing smoke, and from the first draw I can tell I’m on a special journey with this smoke. The flavors start out from the first light and they are intense coming on like a freight train with one blending seamlessly into the next. A sweet black licorice with this strong blending of a caramelized raisin, butter with this sweet cream to a white pepper finish that lingers on the roof of my mouth. Every new puff has a subtle new nuance, but raisin, mar mallow (toasted), caramel and a sweet tobacco undertone…. WOOF what a profile and cigar! A new note of cashew shows up just about 1” in that really balances out the sweet notes and a pepper with a tang nuttiness to it that hits me just right.
With the first quarter of the List City being now past, the raisin and marshmallow really comes to the front of the profile and stays there growing. I wouldn’t quite call it balanced at this point since it is such a dominating note, but in this case I don’t mind since I absolutely LOVE these notes. I’ve only ever gotten these notes in a few cigars, and specifically the toasted marshmallow which is turning into one of my favorite profiles I find in a cigar, has been found for me in the La Palina Goldie Laguito No. 5 cigar. At this point the Lost City is starting to mellow out a bit and I’d put it in terms of strength at medium to medium-full with the same amount of spice on the retrohale, but the white pepper has slipped way back and is almost not even noticeable anymore. The wrapper when the ash falls for the first time around 2” in starts to peel back a bit but not badly and I don’t believe it will affect the burn at all. I only need to do a minor touch up on the burn but it is not truly necessary just something that I wanted to do for my OCD nature to make it perfectly straight. The Lost City keeps mellowing further as I smoke and gets to this medium and spicy sweet meaty core that rocks! The amount of smoke it puts out is impressive, reminiscent of the Liga Privada lines. The marshmallow has also calmed down a the “brightest” note switches at this point back to the caramelized raisin which is extremely satisfying.
Over halfway in and the profile has shifted to this butter cream and sweet toasted note, we also see a resurgence of the cashew that pairs perfectly at this point and makes for an extremely balanced and complex smoke. The second ash falls just shy of the 2” mark again, the construction and consistency of the Lost City is spectacular and makes for a really relaxing and enjoyable experience even without the phenomenal profile and gobs of smoke this thing is putting out. With the approach of the final third the strength starts to pick back up and heads towards the full mark, I’ver really really enjoyed this smoke even more than I expected I would (which was remarkably high).
As it comes to a close the lingering notes are caramelized raisin, cashew and spice… wishing that I had an entire box of these bad boys instead of just this one smoke. Memorable…. that is what sticks with me throughout this and lingers in my mind, memorable and sweet raisin. Couldn’t ask for more in a cigar!
End time: 3:15pm
Total Smoking Time: 2 hrs 15 min
Final Thoughts and Rating:
I smoked this at one of my local lounges, and smoking inside let me focus entirely on the cigar and made the incredible amounts of smoke even more noticeable. Every few puffs I would just stop and stare at this stick wondering where all of this flavor, these unique notes and gobs and gobs of smoke were coming from. This had a tremendous X factor for me and was exactly what I was wanting and looking for in such a special and rare smoke.
Balance: 10/10 I’ve had Opus X’s that were too young and unbalanced with their strength and spice, this was NOT the case. The notes were not always balanced with the strength but the notes themselves were so unique and perfect for my tastes in a cigar that for ME it was perfectly balanced.
Development: 10/10 Every single puff was different even if only slightly, there was always something new to pick up if you paid close enough attention. Couldn’t have developed more nor would I have wanted it to.
Construction: 8.5/10 I wanted to put this higher because the burn was stupendous and the draw was smooth and full with cool rich and dense smoke. But a small portion of the wrapper did start to separate and peel away about 1/3 in. It didn’t affect the smoke or the burn but its still not something I want to see in such an expensive cigar.
X-Factor: 10/10 Between the back story, the impressive looking bands, the gorgeous wrapper and knowing that I have been staring at this thing for over 2.5 years has built up an impressive expectation and this delivered on ALL fronts.
Pairing Recommendations: A complex and sweet dark rum I think would be best for something this spicy and sweet. Three personal recommendations I can offer would be Zaya, Ron Abuélo Centuria, Ron Zacapa 23 year. I also think that a milder bourbon could do well if done in moderation as to not overpower the Lost City. Something like Woodford Reserve, Angels Envy or some Old Weller Antique Reserve 107 proof.
Overall Cigar Score: 9.6/10 Strongly Recommend for a special and memorable smoke.