Arturo Fuente Cigars Don Carlos Eye of the Shark

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark

Cigar Aficionado · Jan 1, 2018

Occasionally, a cigar comes along that is unique in every way—interesting blend, innovative shape, intriguing story—and, at the same time, can still maintain the classic standards of excellence. This is the case with the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark, Cigar Aficionado's 2017 Cigar of the Year.The blend is based on the original Don Carlos cigar (which was released in 1976), but altered a bit for this particular release. If you want to know exactly what makes the Eye of the Shark different from the regular Don Carlos line, you're going to have to use your imagination. The Fuentes are quite guarded as to the particulars of the blend. It's enough to know that the wrapper is from Cameroon and the interior tobaccos are well aged and grown in the Dominican Republic, which is the basic recipe for most Don Carlos cigars.One puff of the Eye of the Shark, however, and you'll know you're smoking an elevated blend—something comfortingly familiar to many Fuente fans, but with a slight twist. People who are familiar with brand owner (and now, company patriarch) Carlos Fuente Jr. know that he blends instinctively rather than by strict formula, especially when creating unorthodox cigars like this one.The shape adds to the intrigue. Eye of the Shark is neither box-pressed nor conventional. Rather, the bottom half is pressed and the upper half tapers into a regular, rounded belicoso—a demi-press. Fuente has used the shape before, so as quirky as it may seem, it's recurred in other lines, but only in limited quantities. As for why it's called the Eye of the Shark, it's most likely due to the overall form. If you look at the cigar horizontally, it resembles the body of great white shark.Once the four corners of the box-pressed foot are fully lit, the Shark begins to express itself immediately. In addition to the range of baking spices and citrus notes found in most Don Carlos cigars, each puff communicates additional layers of complexity, kind of like a bonus track to a favorite album or an unexpected epilogue at the end of a classic novel. More intonations of nuts and leather unfold before a warm, lingering finish of cedar and cider. Simply put: we did not want this cigar to end.In 2016, Fuente's father, Carlos Fuente Sr., passed away. He was the Don Carlos, and active with the company until the very end. You'll find the words "The Man's 80th" printed lovingly on the side and on the lid of each bright red box. Eye of the Shark was released in 2016 as a tribute to Sr. and his contributions over the years to the cigar world. The Eye of the Shark is Cigar Aficionado's No. 1 cigar of 2017. Sadly, Sr. is not here to see or receive the accolade, but his spirit is definitely alive in the smoke.

Figurado · 5.75″ × 52 · Medium-Full · Dominican Republic

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of The Shark

Holt's Staff Reviews · Apr 15, 2021

I am smoking the illustrious Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark. In 2017, the critics at Cigar Aficionado named Eye of the Shark their ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ a little more than a year after the passing of legendary cigarmaker Carlos Fuente Sr., the man who built Arturo Fuente into the iconic global brand we know and love today. Don Carlos cigars are named for Carlos Fuente Sr., who blended the cigar for his palate.

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark

Blind Man's Puff · May 26, 2016

This year Carlos Fuente Sr. turned 80-years-old. It also marked the 30th birthday for his eponymous brand, Don Carlos. To celebrate the occasion, Arturo Fuente is releasing two cigars: the Don Carlos Eye of the Shark and the Don Carlos Private Reserve. Eye of the Shark is a smaller version of the company’s popular Shark size measuring 5 3/4 x 52 instead of the normal 5 5/8 x 54 made famous by the Añejo size. The Shark is noted for its peculiar shape which starts with a rounded belicoso-like tip but transforms into a square box-pressed foot. It was shown off at the IPCPR Convention & Trade Show and part of Fuente’s show special. A special new blend from the Fuente Family, the Edición de Aniversario “The Man’s 80th,” “Personal Reserve,” and “ Eye of the Shark,” commemorates Carlos Fuente seniors 80th birthday and the 30th anniversary of the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos brand. Little has been released about the blend, but the Don Carlos line utilizes a sweet-spicy Cameroon wrapper and an all-Dominican filler blend grown at the famed Arturo Fuente farms in the Dominican Republic. The Don Carlos “Personal Reserve” & “ Eye of the Shark ” is believed to be a tweaked version of the regular Don Carlos line that was blended by Carlos Sr. for his own private use with a very special aged Cameroon wrapper. The “ Eye of the Shark,”cigars come box-pressed in the famous “Shark” Torpedo shape and the Personal Reserve is a round 5×50 Robusto. Country of Origin: Dominican Republic Factory: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia Wrapper: Cameroon Binder: undisclosed Filler: undisclosed Size: 5.75Inches Ring Gauge: 52 Vitola: Belicoso MSRP: $11.25 Release Date: Oct. 12 2015

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark

CigarsLover Magazine · Nov 29, 2016

The Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark celebrates the 80 anniversary of Carlos Fuente Sr. The Eye of the Shark is inspired by the famous Shark of the Añejo line, but it has a smaller size. The cigar is a Bellicoso. ▪ Country of Origin: Dominican Republic ▪ Size: 52 x 146 mm […]

Dominican Republic

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark

Stogies on the Rocks · Nov 8, 2017

Seriously, I can’t praise this cigar enough. So much flavor, perfect draw and just an incredible joy to smoke. If I still rated cigars I would easily give this a 10/10. I think it’s that good. If you can track one down, go find it right now.

5.75″ × 52

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark

Halfwheel · Apr 3, 2017 · Oct. 12 2015

The Eye of the Shark is harmonious. Fuente is known for its bigger, bolder blends—OpusX and an Añejo—but even some of its less potent blends, Magnum R, Chateau, even the regular Don Carlos, have an edge. This—albeit well over a year old—is different. It reminds me much more of Casa Fuente, a symphony of flavors all trying to work around one another. The Eye of the Shark is smoking fantastic right now and I’d highly recommend pulling one out and sitting back to enjoy a nice spring day.

Eye of the Shark · 5.75″ × 52 · Dominican Republic

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark

Cigar Coop · Mar 28, 2020

Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we […] Key flavors: Natural Tobacco, Cedar, Lemon Rind, Nut, Black Pepper, Dusty Earth.

Vitola · 5.75″ × 52 · Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (2nd Half) · Dominican Republic

Don Carlos Eye of the Shark

Cigar Dojo · Feb 5, 2016

The Don Carlos Eye of the Shark has had the entire craft cigar scene in a frenzy since its release. This is something Fuente is no stranger to. And most often, their premium smokes are worth every bit of the hype. This time, I must disagree. EOTS shines with expert craftsmanship and presentation, though the flavors never really meet their full potential. It feels off-balance and lacking in the complexity/fullness departments. Each puff's finish trails off just before you think it's about to amount to something, leaving you (or at least me) scratching your head.

Dominican Republic

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark

Developing Palates · Feb 3, 2017 · October 2015

The Eye of the Shark was not bad, but it was not great. For something like this, I expected something really special. In that sense you could say it was disappointing.

Torpedo · 5.75″ × 52 · Dominican Republic