I really wanted to get into the various AF cigars since they are so highly lauded but almost all of them are medium strength which, due to my less than sensitive taste buds, I wouldn't be able to fully appreciate. It is unfortunate. I did try a few AFs but I just couldn't get what every one else was describing. I am in an unfortunate spot in this sense. I envy you guys who get to enjoy them.

Fuentes arent strength bombs in general.
I’m somewhat in the same camp.
Opus X and such, just silly prices.
858 and the Chateau line, etc, good, but for the coin, for me, there are many better options.

Really like Hemingway maduros, but they are often htf.
Don Carlos are good, but again, for the coin, and my taste buds?……I’ll always buy something else.

I tried the Chateau Reserva this past winter and I realized I should have known better than to experiment with medium cigars.

And I had a box of Don Carlos on my wish list at Famous Smoke for nearly a year but I knew it would have been wasted on me so I removed them.

The Anejo is my favorite the MagR and Don Carlos also good but those are different cigars. Since Hemingway was brought up what about it? What's the difference between that tobacco and what is used in the Reserva and Chateau?

By the way, there's an AF family shop in Tampa that sells online and generally has most every AF including the Anejo and Hemingway MD and they ship free and don't charge sales tax for out of state sales.

Far be it for me to delve into the differences in all the Fuente lines but iffn ya think most are too mild for your tastes you might want to try an AF Cuban Belicosos.

I’ll weigh in as a registered Fuente Hoe…..

858 maduro is ok, Chateau (and double) maduro are ok. The SG versions are slightly better.

The 858 Rosado has to be “on” but can be fantastic though harder to find.

Best way to tell with Fuente is the boxes they come in, they help tell you which quality of rollers make them.

Hemingways are great in every wrapper, I’m different than many I do not care for the BTL, the Short Story or the Work of Art sizes. I prefer the Classic and the Signature. Sungrown>maduro>natural.

Opus are very mixed to me. XxX, 888 and Shark are my favorites, the Petite Lancero is also good. Never had a good #4 no matter the age.

Magnum R is wonderful, the 44 is special though.

On the lighter side with great flavor, try the Casa Cuba and the most overlooked Fuente of them all the King T Rosado tubo.

Don Carlos was something I didn’t like, until I did. But I don’t get them often I put them in the same category as an Ashton SG.

On the cheaper side what is good that hasn’t been mentioned?
AF Cuban Belicoso Sungrown
AF Queen B Sungrown

I don’t think they send you official authentication unless you spend stupid money on low production AF stuff that fan bois and oil barons in UAE go Gaga for…..

Registered when I also got my “Maddieheadedhoe” cert.

Thanks, found it. That's in the Chateau line. I haven't tried the Belicoso but the Chateau and Double Chateau SG are very good.

I don’t know if your question can be accurately answered as, I’m sure, Fuente keeps the blend recipes a secret.

Mebbe, once your research is done, you can report back with your findings?

The monkey has AF WOAM on sale for tenski Tuesday at a pretty good price. Just sayin

Which do you prefer? For me it's about the amount of time I have to enjoy.

we've overlooked the latest line released by Fuente: the Casa Fuente...priced at more than double the OpusX line. The Casa Fuente was once featured exclusively as a limited edition shop only line. I bought one, a corona gorda, when I was at Casa Fuente in Las Vegas with Palama and Whistlebritches several years ago...was good but not worth the $50 price tag then...they're selling for about $75 each now.


SMH

Totally agree.

I guess I should consider myself “lucky” when I bought my CFs for low to mid-high $20s back in 2015 and 2016…but, for what you get, they are overpriced. I’m amazed that there are people out there that don’t blink when they buy them.

Didja learn that in a van down by the river?

Oh my!

Opposites attract huh?

compared to Z's rough and tumble persona here, he was extremely civilized when he visited a couple years ago...he actually sipped bourbon from a glass...

he DID compel my wife to launder his tighty whiteys...

Delta is a kind host, I think having me back prompted the kind gesture of the tidy whiteys….pretty sure it was a no stinky BOTL policy. Smelly hobos were more of a thing in Santa Fe Springs than his neighborhood. Delta and MACS certainly made my time behind enemy lines a treat. Yes, my pinky was out but you have to guess which one.

To circle back to the original topic, my findings are as follows:

I'm pretty sure the Chateau, Reserva, and Hemingway Maduros do have slightly different fillers, binders, and wrappers but very close. It could be different mixes or maybe just different crops or vintages. What I noticed most but still not very different was the roll on each. I think rollers progress from Chateau to Reserva to Hemingway. They all have good roll but Reserva and Hemingway seem tighter and more consistently perfect, and Hemingway are Figurados so they must be more difficult to roll. My favorite go to cigars out of these are the 858, Corona Imperial, and Rothschild Maduro depending on time. The Hemingway are excellent but more for special occasion. What's your favorite?