Stogie Reviews: A. Fuente Rosado Sungrown Magnum R 52
11 Jan 2010
Fuente fans can be a ravenous bunch. Between Opus X, Hemingway, Anejo, and others, Fuente has a loyal following for its expertly-blended, full-flavored smokes.
For that reason I was somewhat surprised by the lack of buzz surrounding the launch of Fuente’s new Rosado Sungrown Magum R line. Maybe the blend’s billing as a more medium-bodied smoke left it a few notches below what many hardcore Fuente fans like best.
Rosado Sungrown Magum R debuted in early December with three sizes: 52 (5 x 52), the 54 (6.25 x 54) and the 56 (5.6 x 56). Carlos Fuente Jr. said these cigars were rolled over a year ago and have been aging ever since.
According to Fuente, the Ecuadorian wrapper was grown 8-10 years ago by John Oliva when Fuente first created their Sun Grown line. The Magunm R’s wrappers, however, are from much lower on the plant, which accounts for its milder character.
The wrappers on the thick, robusto-sized 52s I sampled for this review had a reddish hue, but were not particularly shiny or oily. Curiously, I noticed a smear of glue on the bottom of both , though the construction was otherwise excellent. Of particular note was a perfectly solid snow-white ash that accompanied a flawless burn.
Much as advertised, I found the Magnum R to be very balanced. It began as a mild-medium smoke with light cedar, roasted nuts, and cream flavors. There were also some slightly less enjoyable damp earth notes.
There wasn’t much evolution as the cigar progresses. But as the burn inched closer to the ornate, gold-trimmed band, it did become a bit more medium-bodied, as a subtle pepper spice kicked in along with some tannic flavors.
All in all, while the Sungrown Magnum R is not the most interesting smoke from Fuente, it does provide a pleasant flavor profile—albeit not as lively as some of my favorite Fuente smokes. And it does so at the very reasonable price of under $7 per stick. That combination earns the Arturo Fuente Rosado Sungrown Magnum R 52 a rating of three and a half stogies out of five.
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photo credit: Stogie Guys
I smoked an R52 and an R56. I found the R52 to be overall better-tasting than the R56, but I had major construction issues with both. Starting with the extra glue smeared on the wrapper that you saw, I also had the wrapper crack on one cigar when I cut it, plus the band took off a large chunk when I removed it. On the second stick, it started canoeing about half an inch in and got worse as it progressed. It never would go straight…and the band took off a chunk of wrapper on that one, too.
I know, I know…hand-made products…mistakes happen…etc, etc, etc. But to pick two sticks from two boxes and both have construction problems that prevent the full enjoyment of said cigars? Disappointing. From a company like Fuente? Inexcusable.
I talked to the manager at my local B&M and he said I bought them the day they came in, so they might have been a little dried out. Also not much of an excuse since I had them in my own humi for a week or more before smoking them and no other sticks have any signs of drying.
That all being said, I did like the flavor of the R52 and would like to try it again…maybe from a different box or batch. I think the wrappers on these are ultra-thin and super-delicate, so something to watch out for.
I know most Fuente boxes ship with a humi pack as well. Dried out is a BS know nothing excuse from a B&M! I liked the Queen B I smoked, have not seen these yet.
Good point on the humi pack. When I try these again, I'm going to make sure I smoke it right there in the store and if there's a problem I can address it with whoever's working.
Strictly speaking, a heavy hand with the band glue that causes the wrapper to tear when attempting to remove a band is not a construction problem; it's annoying, and combined with the wayward glue smeared elsewhere on the cigar, a sign of lax QC for sure…
I just purchased a box of R54s. I am in love with the Rosado wrapper, the taste being great. But, I, too, have had 2 sticks from that box begin to unravel about half-way through the stick. Something is definitely going on with these 10-yr old wrappers. Not up to Fuente's construction standards.
I'm smoking one of these right now, probably my 10th one or so to try. I really like these Rosados alot. They are lighter in character but very rich in taste and a very approachable cigar for those that don't smoke that often, something I can share with friends and not have to worry about it. While I enjoy OpusX and Hemingways quite a bit, these R52's are definatey a keeper and will always be in my humidor. I just wish they would make them a tad smaller. A 44 Magnum would be a dream smoke for me!