Stogie Reviews: Arturo Fuente Double Chateau Sun Grown
20 Mar 2008
As the weather warms and that winter chill gives way to a cool evening breeze, many cigar enthusiasts start opting for longer, bigger cigars in lieu shorter sticks. So when better to review the six and ¾ inch by 50 ring gauge Arturo Fuente Double Chateau Sun Grown than the first day of spring?
This large, silky smoke comes wrapped in a cedar sleeve from foot to band. The sleeve slides off easily to reveal a neat Ecuadorian wrapper and a dark, sweet aroma that is characteristic of sungrown tobacco – no surprise thanks to Fuente’s signature black ribbon. You can buy a box of 20 Double Chateaus from CigarsDirect.com for $103.40 ($5.17 apiece).
After clipping the uniquely large cap and toasting the foot, the initial flavor is a tad salty, but evens out with some toffee undertones. Sweetened coffee rounds out the finish into the second third and, if you’re really paying attention, you might pick up on some citrus.
Spicy peppercorn, syrupy tobacco, and cedar tastes dominate down the stretch with a little bitterness coming into play at the very end. All in all, this cigar’s Dominican binder and filler tobaccos nicely complement the sungrown wrapper – a pleasant pairing that produces volumes of thin, flavorful smoke.
The burn performs well during the 90-120 minute smoke, but a few Double Chateaus required touch-ups in breezy conditions. The draw is just about right, if not slightly firm.
And the ash holds as well as you would expect from a Fuente.
Overall, this is an impressive mild- to medium-bodied cigar with a lot of interesting flavor to offer at a reasonable price. It is well-balanced, smooth, relaxing, and satisfying.
Sungrown enthusiasts who require long breaks would do well to work this into their regular rotation. We give the Arturo Fuente Double Chateau Sun Grown four out of five stogies.
[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. Cigars for this review were provided by CigarsDirect.com, and can be purchased here.]
photo credit: Stogie Guys
You guys have done an excellent job of describing one of my favorite smokes. These sungrowns are such a pleasure to smoke. Thanks for another great review.
I affirm that this stick smokes as well as at looks. A better excuse to sit down for two hours than most movies.