Arturo Fuente Shark Cigars: What Makes Them So Special?
Today we’re giving you the rundown on a trio of sought-after Arturo Fuente cigars in one of the most coveted sizes master cigar-maker Carlito Fuente has ever created: The Shark – a fat, half-box-pressed, half-round Belicoso. The Fuente Shark, also called the No. 77, is named for its shape. The cigar’s contours resemble the fins of a shark, as does the number 77 – an epiphany that came to Carlito Fuente during a trip to Sea World in Orlando, Florida, when he was observing a pair of sharks with his children. The exact dimensions of the Fuente Shark cigars vary slightly depending on the blend.
Like other mythical Fuente smokes, the first Shark sightings likely poked from the pocket of Carlito Fuente’s guayabera shirt – for those lucky enough to bump into him at a Fuente event when he happened to have one of these elusive cigars on hand. And if you’re even luckier, Carlito may have gifted you one, as he’s well known for sharing rare cigars with his fans.
Today, Arturo Fuente Sharks invade the shores of store shelves in a handful of exclusive blends – Añejo, Don Carlos, and Opus X. Sharks command prices well over MSRP, too, so be prepared to spend some dough if you’re on the hunt. Believe it or not, there is one location where you can buy all three Shark cigars – when they’re in stock – the Ashton Cigar Bar in downtown Philadelphia.
Arturo Fuente Añejo No. 77 Shark: the Original Shark
When the legendary Arturo Fuente Añejo line debuted in 2000, the blend was intended as a temporary remedy to take the place of Fuente Fuente Opus X cigars, which couldn’t be made on account of the damage caused by Hurricane Georges in the Dominican Republic in 1998. The storm destroyed the barns housing precious Opus X cigar wrappers, and Opus production was suspended for a time. Carlito repurposed his reserves of Opus X binder and filler tobacco for Añejo, an ultra-rich cigar finished in a dark and oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, matured in a cognac barrel for added sweetness. The result speaks for itself in a deep profile of dark chocolate, anise, cedar, molasses, and black pepper punctuated with buttery hints of cognac and spice. Only five sizes of Añejo were produced to start, but the first commercially available Shark soon followed, and the cigar remains one of the most desirable in the entire Fuente portfolio today. Don’t hesitate to smoke an illustrious Arturo Fuente Añejo Shark No. 77. Its precise corners and curves are meticulously crafted in a 5.875-by-64 format you can savor for more than an hour.
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark: ‘Cigar of the Year’ Shark
Rated 97 points and crowned the ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ in Cigar Aficionado in 2017, the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark is based on the original Don Carlos blend – named for world-renowned cigar-maker Carlos Fuente Sr., who grew the small family-owned brand into a global success with his son, Carlito, over several decades. Sadly, Carlos Fuente Sr. passed away in 2016 before receiving ‘Cigar of the Year’ honors for Eye of the Shark, but the cigar remains a fitting tribute to a pioneer of modern cigar-making, whose passion for tobacco was unsurpassed. A toothy Cameroon wrapper leaf embraces the finest Dominican binder and filler tobaccos handcrafted in a gorgeous 5.75-by-52 format by the most accomplished cigar rollers at the Fuente factory. Intricate notes of cedar, baking spices, pepper, leather, and maple bless the palate before a long, mouthwatering finish.
Arturo Fuente Opus X Shark: the Rarest Shark
Carlito Fuente makes some of the hardest-to-find cigars in the world, so it only stands to reason a Shark is available in his hardest-to-find blend, Fuente Fuente Opus X. The Opus X Shark No. 77 is drawn from long-filler tobaccos harvested in the fertile soils of the Chateau de la Fuente estates in the Dominican Republic, a farm known for growing some of the finest cigar wrappers in the world. The Fuente Fuente Opus X Shark is finished in a Shade Grown Dominican wrapper that glistens with an oily tooth in a gently sloping 5.5-by-52 silhouette. Occasionally, Carlito includes the Opus X Shark in the rare Fuente Fuente Opus X samplers he produces to benefit his company’s Cigar Family Charitable Foundation. If you can catch this Shark, savor a supreme profile of coffee bean, cedar, Turkish fig, leather, molasses, and black pepper that culminates in a creamy and zesty finish.
