PCA 2022: Arturo Fuente

My intent was for this post to go up a lot sooner, but things got complicated. Oddly, not because of the Arturo Fuente and Padrón Legends collaboration, which was the most talked about cigar of any trade show I’ve ever been to. From the time I first visited the booth at the start of Day 1 to my final time walking through it on Day 4, the Legends cigar had a certain fanfare that is completely unique.

What’s crazy is that is hardly the end of Arturo Fuente’s other collaborations, there’s also the $80,000 Elie Bleu humidor and a plethora of new items for Manny Iriarte Enterprises’ The OpusX Society. But this post is about Fuente, the mothership, and it had plenty of new items. In traditional Arturo Fuente fashion, good luck finding details about just about any of the cigars, but if you wanted information about dog bowls, I found that wasn’t that difficult to come by. As you’ll read below, for some of these cigars, a lot remains unclear.

This year’s booth is an evolution of last year’s booth, which was a radical makeover for the Arturo Fuente/J.C. Newman booth. While Newman added a new red sign to its part of the booth area—the two companies now have different booth structures, but it’s one large area—Arturo Fuente added a coffee bar and a piano player, at least I think the piano was new. There was also new Arturo Fuente signage in the form of four large banners that hung overhead. One other subtle change, no umbrellas on the table this year. See, that’s the type of insight that brings you to halwheel.

Fuente Fuente OpusX Destino al Siglo Shark

The one new cigar that Arturo Fuente was willing to talk about is the Fuente Fuente OpusX Destino al Siglo Shark, which is included as part of the company’s traditional PCA Convention & Trade Show special. If retailers buy a certain number of regular production cigars—I believe the number is 20 boxes—they get the opportunity to purchase some special boxes. The Destino al Siglo Shark is the only new item, but other boxes included are the Casa Fuente Robusto, Arturo Fuente 8-5-8 Rosado Sun Grown and the Don Carlos Eye of the Shark.

I’m also told that the secondary band was mistakenly forgotten, so I’d expect one when the cigars ship to store this November.

Of note, the Casa Fuente Robusto is the only Casa Fuente size that will ship to stores nationwide this fall, or so I’m told.

• Wrapper: Undisclosed
• Binder: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed

• Fuente Fuente OpusX Destino al Siglo Shark (5 5/8 x 54) — $21.10 (Box of 20, $422)

Production: Undisclosed

Release Date: November 2022

Arturo Fuente The Impossible Collection

This was here but I’m not sure how many people got any explanation of why it was here. For those who aren’t super invested into Arturo Fuente news, this sampler debuted last month at a party at the Arturo Fuente Cigar Club in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It has since also appeared at the Cars & Cigars — Smoke Detroit event, where it was auctioned off for charity.

Inside are 13 cigars that are amongst the rarest Arturo Fuente cigars to find, particularly if you exclude the long list of cigars the company never sells. Some of these have never been sold other than for charitable purposes and others are only sold in special humidors or in other markets.

From left to right:

1. Fuente Fuente OpusX 20 Years Celebration Double Corona
2. Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Lancero
3. Fuente Fuente OpusX 20 Years Celebration Phantom
4. Fuente Fuente OpusX Angel’s Share 2016 Perfexcion X
5. Fuente Fuente OpusX Forbidden X 13 Perfexcion X
6. Fuente Fuente OpusX BBMF Natural
7. Fuente Fuente OpusX 25
8. Fuente Fuente OpusX BBMF Maduro
9. Fuente Fuente OpusX 2020 Sol d’Amor
10. Fuente Fuente OpusX 2020 Viento d’Amor
11. Fuente Fuente OpusX Perfexcion No. 77 Shark
12. Fuente Fuente OpusX PJ
13. Fuente Fuente OpusX Toy Maker

My understanding is that these will be coming to the U.S. but it will be in exchange for a significant charitable donation to the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation. Fuente seems like it is still trying to figure out how to deal with how to get them to consumers without retailers marking them up. It—and J.C. Newman—make a similar ask with the Toast Across America two-packs the companies sell annually, the cigars are given to retailers in exchange for a donation, retailers are asked to sell the cigars for the same price as a donation, i.e., not make any money off the cigars.

Some retailers have already listed the Impossible Collection for sale—each with a $5,000 price point—my understanding is that is not the price Fuente intends on having people donate to the charity. I was also told no orders were being taken at the trade show, so I wouldn’t put too much stock in the listings you are seeing right now. I never asked about production numbers, but if I had to guess: fewer than what could be sold, even at a price point that will be significant to most.

Arturo Fuente Rare Pink Extensions

Two new sizes of Rare Pink remain in the pipeline. As someone that’s been to the Fuente factory multiple times this year, I can assure you that the boxes aren’t the reason for the delay, or at least the physical boxes. There are plenty of boxes being made. I’m told these should actually be on shelves this November. Here’s what I wrote last year about the two cigars:

The Rare Pink line is getting two new vitolas in October: Queen of Hearts and Sophisticated Hooker. Yes, the box says, “Sophisticated Hooker.” It’s a reference to a boat that was docked in Key West the night of a Cigar Family Charitable Foundation event. The boat’s name was “Sophisticated Hooker,” which made me think of this quote. These are regular production cigars but due to the limited supply Fuente puts into the market, it’s tough finding them on shelves.

As with the first four sizes, each is a perfecto. Furthermore, Fuente donates $13 for every box sold to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation as this project is being used to help promote breast cancer awareness and find a cure. The project is spearheaded by Liana Fuente, though Carlos “Carlito” Fuente Jr. has also used the project to harken back to his memories of the 1960s.

• Wrapper: Undisclosed (Sun Grown Rosado)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Domincian Republic

• Arturo Fuente Rare Pink Vintage 1960’s Queen of Hearts (3 3/4 x 54) — TBA
• Arturo Fuente Rare Pink Vintage 1960’s Sophisticated Hooker (7 1/4 x 53) — TBA

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: November 2022

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Bull

So here’s the deal, Arturo Fuente—including Carlos “Carlito” Fuente Jr.—asked me not to write about this. That’s really not an option given that this was on display at a trade show for four days, meaning hundreds of pictures of this probably exist. Once it’s out in public, I’m not sure what halfwheel not posting it would do. I’m told what was shown off is not the completed cigar.

Here’s a picture of the box, make of it what you want.

Arturo Fuente & Padrón Legends

You can read more about that here.

OpusX Crystal Two-Piece Ashtray

This is a two-piece ashtray that is offered in three colors: yellow, red/blue, and a red/white/green scheme similar to the OpusX 2020 that is sold in the Middle East. It can be used either with or without the OpusX logo placed on top.

Here’s what it looks like without the included X-piece.

MSRP: $613

Production: Limited

Release Date: July 2022

Arturo Fuente OpusX Carbon Fiber Cases

This is a bit confusing because some of these cases are already on sale while others are not. Furthermore, while most cases are sold in the U.S., the Green case is exclusive to Asia and the Middle East, the black ForbiddenX case is exclusive to the U.S. Notably, these are not the same designs as The OpusX Society cases sold by Manny Iriarte Enterprises.

MSRP: $100

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2022

Arturo Fuente Retro Can Summer Series

These come in some cool retro-style packaging as well. I’m more of a Teku guy myself, but some people like these types of glasses.

MSRP: $54

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2022

Arturo Fuente Espresso/Coffee Cups

There are two new models of Arturo Fuente coffee and espresso cups. I believe these are shipping now.

Arturo Fuente Dog Bowls

Yes, you read that correctly.

Liana Fuente handles Fuente’s merchandise—or at least the in-house merchandise department—and she is a noted dog-lover. That stuffed animal on the right? That’s a reference to her dog. There are two different dog bowls and I was told during the first half of the first day the company was already close to selling out of the first shipment.

MSRP: $55

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2022