Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark

[TheGiver]

[quote author=Taps86 link=topic=35392.msg152529#msg152529 date=1447976986]
@ the huge event in New Orleans it was said its the regular line Don Carlos blend. The one with the second label is Seniors personal blend.
[/quote]
Yea. ok. I guess I'll be the one guy that says fuck that....this tastes way different than a regular Don Carlos. But hey, it must all be in my head. :)

Just like the AF13. All versions have all the same blend. LOL :)

To each their own.

[TheGiver]

In fact I'd say it tastes closer to the Reserve/Sr. Blend than it does a regular DC. So much smoother.

[TheGiver]

[quote author=Taps86 link=topic=35392.msg152539#msg152539 date=1447979247]
See I thought the Seniors were always stronger then regular line
[/quote]
For sure. I'm talking [i]flavor[/i]. To me, it's got that Sr. flavor profile. But doesn't doesn't rip your head off on the retro-hale like those original Sr. Blends did. WOW things were wicked. LOL

[TheGiver]

From Halfwheel. "At the trade show, the Eye of the Shark was [b]described as a modified version of the Senior Blend[/b]. Whether or not that’s actually the blend, or the story the company is now saying, the wrapper appears to be Cameroon by look, feel and smell. It’s quite similar to the regular Don Carlos wrapper in appearance, but it seems to feature just a bit more oil and richness than what I typically find."

Fuente being Fuente. Or as Cohim likes to say...they are being coy. Never giving you all the scoop, but just enough to keep people talking. :)

Funny how they are like that. Yet other MFG's give all the details on the blends. Still today the blend of 2013 Unnamed Reserve(another favorite of mine) is unknown. I asked Scotty to ask Carlito and he said Carlito wouldn't tell. :)

[Pole Lock]

[quote author=TheGiver link=topic=35392.msg152542#msg152542 date=1447979874]
From Halfwheel.
[/quote]

There's your problem right there.

Tried a Personal Reserve tonight.  Great blend, great vitola, but they must've gotten the new guy to roll it - WAY off center and burn was as lopsided as a one-legged drunkard.  You hear a LOT about the legendary Fuente QC and while the tobacco is world-class, the construction is often not.  For a Fuente Gran Reserva or Chateau series, that's no problem.  For a pricey special edition released to commemorate the current patriarch of the operation, I was surprised it didn't match the excellent rolls i've experienced time and again in the DA, Anejo and Opus lines.  Still, it could have been a one-off.

Pretty much tasted as I expected - traditional Ashton VSG notes (which I am quite fond of) with some outstanding Cameroon mixed in.  Complex as all get out and a clear improvement on the standard Don Carlos (of which this is clearly different from).  Another win for Fuente.

Worth $20-30?  Nerp - it's a Hermoso #4 and Cuba makes several that are at least as good as this one.  Worth MSRP?  Sure, although I still gotta say the Don Arturos leave this in the dust.

[TheGiver]

[quote author=Pole Lock link=topic=35392.msg152557#msg152557 date=1447989398]
There's your problem right there.
[/quote]
Suggesting what? Halfwheel has a history of misinformation? The're known for not having credible sources? Wait...you just don't get the gyro flavor in that after gyro lunch cigar?

[quote author=Pole Lock link=topic=35392.msg152557#msg152557 date=1447989398]
Tried a Personal Reserve tonight.  Great blend, great vitola, but they must've gotten the new guy to roll it - WAY off center and burn was as lopsided as a one-legged drunkard.  You hear a LOT about the legendary Fuente QC and while the tobacco is world-class, [b]the construction is often not[/b].
[/quote]
?? Really? I can honestly say you are the first person I have ever heard say that.(other than Taps talking about sharks being tight, which I also have not experienced). I guess I am just lucky. Lucky a lot.

[quote author=Pole Lock link=topic=35392.msg152557#msg152557 date=1447989398]
Worth $20-30?  Nerp - it's a Hermoso #4 and Cuba makes several that are at least as good as this one.  Worth MSRP?  Sure, although I still gotta say the Don Arturos leave this in the dust.
[/quote]
$20-30? Insanity. $15 all day with some effort. I agree, the Don Arturo is the best of the Opus line, but not the Don Carlos line.  :nana:

[wabashcr]

[quote author=Taps86 link=topic=35392.msg152529#msg152529 date=1447976986]
@ the huge event in New Orleans it was said its the regular line Don Carlos blend. The one with the second label is Seniors personal blend.
[/quote]

Didn't the EOTS have the Personal Reserve second band at IPCPR?  I know it doesn't now.  But I thought it was initially touted as also being Sr's blend.  MSRP makes it pretty obvious it isn't, but it seems like they either ran a little misdirection at the show, or completely flipped the script in 2-3 months.

[Pole Lock]

[quote author=wabashcr link=topic=35392.msg152571#msg152571 date=1448029028]
Didn't the EOTS have the Personal Reserve second band at IPCPR?  I know it doesn't now.  But I thought it was initially touted as also being Sr's blend.  MSRP makes it pretty obvious it isn't, but it seems like they either ran a little misdirection at the show, or completely flipped the script in 2-3 months.
[/quote]

The EotS had the second band at the show, but the only folks who said it was also the Senior Blend are self-styled experts who try to be the first with the scoop (even if it is wrong). Other than some weird banana in the beginning and accentuated coconut at the end, it's standard DC through and through.

[Pole Lock]

[quote author=Taps86 link=topic=35392.msg153257#msg153257 date=1448842886]
Finally got around to finding a couple boxes of the Oscuro Oro. Can't wait for them to get here Tuesday/Wednesday. Some stores are getting 2-3 boxes.
[/quote]

Are they hitting like to 2 above-mentioned Don Carlos - well above MSRP?