Arturo Fuente Seleccion d'Oro Staff Review
Arturo Fuente Seleccion d’Oro is a pillar in the world-famous portfolio of Arturo Fuente cigars, and I’m smoking it in a classic Churchill that’s just past 7 inches long with a 48 ring gauge. This superb smoke sells for an amazing price and fits into my summer rotation without question. If you’ve ever overlooked Seleccion d’Oro cigars, it’s only understandable because this brand keeps prestigious company with the best Fuente cigars, including Arturo Fuente Hemingway, Chateau, Don Carlos, Gran Reserva, and, of course, coveted gems like Fuente Fuente Opus X and Anejo.
Arturo Fuente Seleccion d’Oro cigars have been around for decades and are considered staples in nearly every fine cigar store. A golden-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf conceals a mellow amalgam of premium Dominican binder and filler tobaccos aged to the uncompromising standards of legendary cigar-maker Carlito Fuente. Seleccion d’Oro cigars are handmade in traditional sizes, including the Corona Imperial, Privada #1, and the Churchill I’m about to fire up. The foot of each cigar is adorned with a green ribbon that matches the iconic red, green, and gold Fuente cigar bands found on the Seleccion d’Oro line, and the brand’s simple white boxes have been the same for years.
Arturo Fuente Seleccion d’Oro cigars retail for around $6-7 apiece, and when you open a fresh box, you know quality is a foregone conclusion. No cigars leave the Fuente factory before the tobaccos are fully aged and flawlessly assembled to reflect Fuente family’s historic reputation for consistency. The seamless wrapper is a touch oily when I slide a fresh cigar from the top row of a new box.
As soon as I remove the green band and clip the cap, it’s clear why Fuente cigars are so beloved by aficionados. The combination of an authentic Connecticut Shade wrapper blended over a creamy blend of vintage Dominican long-fillers is impossible to mistake. The cigars harbor a natural sweetness you only taste from Fuente, and other brands produced at the Fuente factory like Ashton Classic and Ashton Cabinet Selection. Notes of cedar, cashew, and almond mingle in the cold draw with hints of vanilla bean and honey around the edges.
The Churchill fires up like a charm as spin the cigar over a burning cedar spill, a method for lighting a cigar that preserves its natural taste because there is no butane or fuel to interfere with the flavor of the tobacco. A pleasant sequence of cedar, coffee bean, nuts, and black pepper materializes in silky streams of smoke as they cross my palate, occupy my nasal cavity, and drift into the air. Fuente cigars are unbelievably smooth, and Seleccion d’Oro is no exception. I often prefer a Churchill when I’m smoking an approachable cigar from Fuente because they’re so creamy and luscious, you want the experience to last as long as possible.
After twenty minutes of smoking, I’ve tapped a firm ash from the foot of the cigar a few times. Seleccion d’Oro surpasses expectations with its flavor and performance. Hints of nutmeg and baking spices contribute to the cigar’s warm and complex character while its easy, razor-sharp burn make experiencing the taste a pure joy. Cedar and black pepper build throughout the second half before a luscious crescendo of fresh-ground coffee and nougat lingers, tempting me to reach for a second cigar even though I’ve been enjoying this one for close to an hour.
Pour yourself a pilsner or a lager on a hot day to complement the creamy Dominican flavor and finish of Seleccion d’Oro. This blend will have the greatest appeal for fans of the Fuente Chateau Series and Gran Reserva cigars, especially those interested in smoking slightly narrower ring gauges. If you enjoy mild to medium-bodied Dominican cigars in general, Seleccion d’Oro will not disappoint. It’s another impressive Fuente smoke you should bookmark for the next bachelor party, poker night, or tee time on your calendar.
