Expert: James Yee - 5/7/2007

Question
I've heard that these "opus X" cigars are very good.  The place near my house sells these cigars for 25$ each.  Does this price sound right for this type of cigar?  Also, I've recently had some Motecristo #2's from Cuba and I found the cigar to be very good, what do you know about these in terms of quality and availibility in the States?

Answer
Hi Matt,

Fuente Opus X is made by Arturo Fuente and it is their flagship cigar.  The cigar is produced in limited numbers and is considered a "puro" (pure) non-Cuban cigar as the filler, binder and wrapper tobacco are all from the Dominican Republic (most non-Cuban cigars use various tobaccos from different countries).  The price sounds about right.  Opus X has a suggested retail price of $12 to $25 USD depending on the size of the cigar but most places do sell Opus X at a higher price simply because these cigars are in limited supply and in very high demand.  Supply is so limited that stores will even restrict you to purchase only a couple of Opus X per visit.  Opus X is one of the best non-Cuban cigars ever made and their quality is even comparable to a premium Cuban cigar.

In regards to the Montecristo #2 that you smoked in Cuba, that is a Cuban cigar and unfortunately, the Cuban Trade Embargo prevents Cuban cigars from being commercially sold in the United States.  Cuban cigars can be found in the US (illegally) but there is no guarantee that the cigars are genuine Cuban cigars.  In most cases, they're counterfeit and there is a huge counterfeit Cuban cigar market in the United States.  Your best bet of getting genuine Cuban cigars is either by mailorder (BUYER BEWARE though. Make sure you order from a legitimate and reputable company!) or visit other countries where Cuban cigars are legally available and stock up on cigars.

P.S. - Though the Arturo Fuente company is trying hard to crack down on counterfeit cigars, there are still counterfeit Opus X cigars in the market so be sure to shop at legitimate cigar shops.  Avoid small or questionable cigar shops if possible.  Opus X has one of the most ornate and impressive looking cigar bands in the market and there's even a lot of quality and detail in that band. If you see Opus X cigars with cheap bands that appear to have no textured detailing, then it's most likely the cigars will be fake.  Counterfeiting cigars has been so sophisticated the past few years that your only chance of avoiding it is by shopping at reputable cigar stores/chains.

Hopes this answers your question.  If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask.

Regards,
James