Tasting Note

As a sentimental nod to the past, Casa Cuba evokes the early era in Arturo Fuente Cigar Co.’s timeline when the family was producing cigars with Cuban tobacco on the back porch of their home in Tampa. That’s the memory of the late Carlos Fuente Sr., the second-generation Fuente cigarmaker. And this was the idea behind Casa Cuba, which was the last blend he created before his death in 2016. A few things have changed since those humble days in Tampa. Fuente has established a handmade cigar empire and now operates out of the Dominican Republic where Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia. produces more than 30 million cigars a year. The patriarch is now Carlos “Carlito” Fuente Jr., who runs the company with limitless energy. But while Carlito was busy with brands like the Fuente Fuente OpusX and Rosado Sungrown Magnum R, his father wanted to return to a cigar that reflected the elegance of simplicity. “Traditional” is a word that’s often used to describe Casa Cuba, as it stresses balance over strength. The names in the line are a reference to the Cuban game of dominoes, and the Doble Cuatro tempers each subtle, spicy note with sweet intonations of molasses and licorice. It’s a bow to the past as Carlos Fuente Sr. saw it, and a lovely cigar no matter your family history.