Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Arturo Fuente Curly Head Deluxe Natural is dark tan with some darker splotches and has a few decently raised veins. The seams are smooth and the tapered head is adequately finished. The band is red, bronze and white and denotes the company name as well as Special Selection. The aroma from the wrapper is a musty mix of cedar, hay and earth. The foot is covered with excess wrapper folded over and provides no other notes. The pre-light draw brings creamy cedar and dusty earth, along with a mild spiciness on my lips.

Arturo Fuente Curly Head Deluxe Natural

First Third

The cigar begins with toasted cedar, paper and mild black pepper. At a quarter inch in, a light creaminess joins the profile. The retrohale is a light mix of cedar and paper. At an inch and a half in, some earth joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the profile is toasted cedar up front, with paper and earth just ahead of the middle of the profile and some black pepper and creaminess in the background. The strength was mild.

Arturo Fuente Curly Head Deluxe Natural

Second Third

As the second third begins, the paper gains a bit of bitterness to it. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth and paper. At an inch in, the creaminess increases a bit. At an inch and a quarter, the earth increases a bit. At an inch and a half in, the bitterness of the paper increases a bit. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth, with bitter paper right behind, creaminess a bit behind the middle of the profile and some black pepper in the background. The strength bumped up to mild-medium.

Arturo Fuente Curly Head Deluxe Natural

Final Third

As the final third begins, the bitter paper increases a bit to become even with the earth again. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth and bitter paper. At an inch in, the earth increases to become even with the toasted cedar up front. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with the bitter paper just behind, some creaminess behind the middle of the profile and some black pepper in the background. The strength bumped up to slightly below medium.

Arturo Fuente Curly Head Deluxe Natural

Burn

The burn was straight throughout, and the ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Arturo Fuente Curly Head Deluxe Natural

Draw

The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The cigar began with toasted cedar, paper and mild black pepper. A light creaminess joined in fairly quickly. Some earth joined a bit later. The second third saw the paper gain a bitterness. Then, the creaminess, earth and bitterness of the paper all increased a bit. The final third saw the bitter paper increase and then the earth increased to become even with the cedar up front. The construction was absolutely perfect. The Arturo Fuente Curly Head Deluxe Natural had an average start and then dropped a level in the second third as the paper gained some bitterness. It remained at that level for the remainder of the cigar. This is a serviceable budget cigar, but the bitterness of the paper was a detriment, which is unfortunate. With the perfect construction, if it could have dodged the bitterness, it would be an attractive cheap smoking experience. Not a cigar I’d see coming back to.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

4.68

Cost/Point

$0.88

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Arturo Fuente Curly Head Deluxe Natural