Finally a Good Hemingway: Short Story

Had my second Fuente Hemingway "Short Story" (teeny mini-perfecto) since trying one about 2 years ago and being generally unimpressed. This time I had to admit it was a quality smoke. It's the first Hemingway I've had that's burned right and tasted good from beginning to end.

I might change my opinion on the Hemingway cigar hysteria if I start getting more experiences like this. One thing I did differently was snip a tiny bit off the tapered foot so it would light easier. I've never had to do that with other perfectos, but it really seemed to make a difference on this one. The burn was consistent and the flavor stayed rich and robust.

I got this one from Cigars Direct and they take obvious care in their warehousing and shipping.

A nice little 30-minute cigar if you can afford it.

The Hemingway Myth, Confirmed Again

Another chapter in my ongoing Fuente Hemingway story of vexation: Why do people buy into the myth of these overpriced, underperforming cigars?

Case in point: The Hemingway "Best Seller," a 4.5 by 43/55 ring perfecto that I happily obtained from Cigars Direct. This expensive little specimen is hard to light, burns unevenly, requires boatloads of touchup, is inconsistent in flavor (one puff excellent, next puff bitter) and can't be smoked to the nub. Tell me again why I would want to pay $8+ to have this experience, over and over again?

Thousands of Fuente Hemingway smokers can't be wrong, can they...?

Folks, buy yourselves a bundle of Rocky Patel Vintage 92 perfecto factory seconds for $45 and you'll get more out of them than the Hemingway Best Sellers. Heck, you can win the RPs on cigarbid for $35 or less.

If you absolutely refuse to spend less than $6 on a 4.5 inch cigar, try a Casa Magna Pikito. Get a little enjoyment while projecting your purchasing power and worldly sophistication. At least Casa Magna delivers quality for the price.

Every year I give a different Hemingway vitola a try, and every year I shake my head and sigh. Am I the only cigarhead in the world who thinks this emperor is wearing some mighty shabby clothes?

Giving Hemingway a Bad Name

I would have expected more from a Cameroon, and more from a name as fabled as Fuente Hemingway. The Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature, a long, narrow perfecto-shaped cigar, costs lots of money and looks awfully good in your humidor. It's got a nice brown hue and holds all the sweet and spicy promise of its Cameroon wrapper.

But light it up and you will find another boring, expensive cigar. There is no kick, nuance, fullness, or development. Just a rather wimpy, wistful, much-too subtle stick jutting out of your disappointed mouth. The burn is good and the cigar looks fashionable. It draws well and produces a decent, although not hearty, cloud of smoke. Is that enough to justify 13 dollars? No. Because the one thing missing was flavor.

Without flavor, you're just posing. Sports fans, that's not why I smoke a cigar. I'll step out of the ring now and leave the Arturo Hemingway series to fans who have an unshakeable belief in the brand, flavor be damned. The Fuente brand will survive my approbation. That's the power of a name.

Latest Samplings

Visited "Lovo Cigars" - interesting one-woman shop in downtown Las Vegas. Her robusto maduro was excellent, only $5.00. I bought several other varieties from her and will be commenting on them in the months ahead. Her website is mysteriously sketchy and half in Spanish. But the woman knows how to roll a cigar. In her shop, she's got picture of herself standing next to celebrities like Arnold Schwartzenegger and Bruce Willis, apparenty smoking her cigars. She said Arnold likes to order boxes of the huge bombastic corojo Churchills that I saw in her store humidor.

Fuente Hemingway Short Story: Disappointment. Would be a good 4-dollar cigar. Problem is, it costs $10. Way too much money for a mini-perfecto that's just as hot and one-dimensional as anybody elses. Mini perfectos suck, let's face it. There's nothing anyone can do about it. Even Rocky Patel comes out limp-wristed. Maybe the Cubans get it right. God knows, somebody needs to.

5-Vegas Limitada '06 torpedo: Good hearty crunchy smoke. Cereal, peppery, slight undertone of vanilla. Draw a little to tight for my liking. No big deal, some people like a medium draw. I prefer loose and puffy, with a dense fog of smoke slithering over my defenseless palate. The 5-Vegas 06 was more like a milk shake. You have to work at it, but the reward is ample, especially when it loosens up toward the end.

Java corona: Could do without the sweetened head. Otherwise a good strong mocha-like flavor. Nice square-press, easy draw. Honestly, get rid of the sweet tip, Mr. Drew. A cigar at this price and quality should be able to stand on its own merits.

Ashton Senorita: Decent "dry" cigar, not too hot or bitter. Must check on price. Great deal if they're cheap. I didn't seek this one out. A colleague of mine got a free box at an Ashton event, and gave me a stick. I wished he'd given me a Heritage Puro Sol instead. Guess I'll have to do what everyone else does, and go out and buy one...