Smoke Inn Blog
Carlito Fuente Jr. of Arturo Fuente cigars is a 3rd generation cigar maker and President of the Fuente companies. He is one of the tobacco industry’s most prominent figures. A passionate manufacturer of exceptional smokes, he has a flair for breaking new grounds in the cigar business.
The affinity for tobacco was inspired by his father, who revived the perfect shape with their famous Hemingway series of cigars. This was made in the classic, Cuban style; one he fondly remembered his grandfather (Arturo) rolling during his childhood. Using a secret blend of Dominican tobaccos, topped with a golden-brown Cameroon wrapper, the Hemingway cigar offers a classic, distinctly “Fuente” smoking experience. Other popular Arturo Fuente cigars include:
- Don Carlos – This blend is one of the Fuente family’s finest, showcasing tremendous depth and balance. The cigars are medium-bodied, providing layered complexities of oak, cinnamon, maple, citrus, leather, and toasted nuts.
- Chateau – Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente cigars are named for the family’s world-renowned Chateau de la Fuente tobacco farm, located in the Dominican Republic. The flavor is toasty and sweet with notes of spice and nutmeg.
- Gran Reserva – Medium in strength, this cigar is one of the most recognizable cigars in the world. Each stick is aged in the Fuente’s specially crafted Spanish cedar vaults. The flavor starts spicy but then turns to coffee with notes of creamy pepper and spice. It then gives way to sweeter notes with tastes of caramel.
Carlito is a fantastic businessman and has taken time to sit for some cigar talk with Abe Dababneh of Smoke Inn Cigars and discuss his Passions, experiences, and plans. Catch the full interview here.
Arturo Fuente Cigars – The Carlito Fuente, Jr. Interview
Abe Dababneh: I want to ask you something, Carlito: you talked about family, and that’s where I want to go with this question. Your daughter, Leanna, you could tell she genuinely loved the business and legacy.
What does it mean for you to see your daughter express interest in the premium cigar industry and take the legacy as far as she can?
Carlito Fuente: She’s a chip off the old block, just like her grandfather. The things my daughter has done; she’s inspired me; the emotion; the energy to keep creating. She understands that in life when you reach a certain point, you have to give back to others. Well, she did; what she inspired me to do with the rare pinks and everything; she’s exceptional.
Q: I have never smoked an Opus because they’re mostly for sale and not consumption; however, you sent two cigars with a Maduro wrapper that has a natural pointing tip – a BBMF. Also, you sent a natural wrapped one with the Maduro pointing tip, and it was called the Abe and Brandy.
They’re still in my humidor; I haven’t smoked them yet because special products like that are truly difficult to smoke.
A: Well, that’s what it’s all about – people. I remember this man sitting next to me in Boston he had just graduated from school and begin playing the drums. We were doing an event for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and I can see this young man has a passion for cigars.
I remember giving him one of my exclusive products and watched sparkles appear in his eyes as he enjoyed the cigar and played differently than all the musicians. I had a conversation with him and he did express his love for cigars, so I have him one of my other rare cigars, which resulted in a bond that can never be broken.
Q: Can you tell us something about what inspired the Carlitos blend because it seems like a milestone moment.
A: It’s so different from anything we’ve ever done, and I have to give COVID credit as it changes many things in our lives. Anyway, I knew how important this event was to you, and I have some items stocked in my aging room. That will be released when I die, and it’ll be memorable.
In that aging room, I had a cigar that I made two and a half or three years ago; we’re going to do an event in Dubai with this product being launched exclusively since we couldn’t do it in the United States because of the FDA.
This cigar blended with my heart, but there were only a thousand five hundred cigars, so we changed the format. Nevertheless, I’m so proud and relieved that I took them out of my aging room after two years, and I’m going to share with the people who could enjoy the best in the world.
Q: You talked about family and love, and one of the things since I’ve gotten
in this business is the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation that you do so much work. You help with the schools, education, and health of the people who live down in the Dominican Republic.
We as a company have been involved every year with Toast Across America, doing whatever we can to support. For this reason, the Smoke Inn wants to present you with a check for five thousand dollars, please take it for the children of the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation.
A: Thank you. I also want to say that Smoke Inn and Abe have always been there, year after year, supporting the children of the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation and other non-profit organizations. My brother and my family appreciated you and your family for your excellent contributions.
You’re amazing because in life, once you’ve achieved something, it would change the world and make it a better place if we gave back to it. One child at a time, the world would be much better.
Q: There’s a story that I think you can verify; you’ve been doing a lot of work with St. Jude’s and at one point, they refused to accept your donation to the company. Eventually, you guys came out with coffee as a way for you to continue donating to St. Jude’s, is that correct?
A: That’s correct. We did a lot of work for St. Jude’s, and somebody figured out that it was coming from a family who made cigars. They didn’t want our money anymore, and we’ve given hundreds of thousands of dollars. So, we came out with a coffee but St. Jude’s refused to endorse it because they could not accept the money since it is coffee made by a cigar family. Nevertheless, we’ve been giving to St. Jude’s privately to support their cause.
About Arturo Fuente Cigars:
A family tradition since 1912, Arturo Fuente cigars are known and highly-rated across the globe. These hand-crafted premium sticks offer tastes that range from light and mild to strong and spicy.
Order your Arturo Fuente cigars online now and get them delivered right to your doorstep.
