OK, I finally had my first Opus. I have a few resting in the humi that I don't want to touch until they've gotten a little age and possibly only for special occasions. However, my local B&M got some in and I decided I'd try a perfection #5 since I didn't have all that much time. Well, that little cigar ended up taking quite a bit longer than expected. Here's the low down...

Size: 4 7/8 x 40
Cigar Shape: Petit Corona
Cigar Filler: Dominican Republic
Cigar Binder: Dominican Republic
Cigar Wrapper: Dominican Republic
Price: $10.95 with tax

Pre-light, this cigar looked and smelled gorgeous and my anticipation was getting the best of me. I clipped the cap and took a few pre-light draws. There was ample spice and a sweet fig or raisin-like note that dominated. This was definitely a first for me. It lit nice and off we went.

Once again, I made the stupid mistake of smoking a strong cigar on an empty stomach and this little firecracker was not one to be messed with and it was going to show me. It didn't take much before my head was absolutely swimming and I got that empty tingling feeling in the pit of my stomach. The flavor, however was very nice. Spice danced around on different spots of the tongue, joined by that fig/raisin flavor found in the pre-light, only more subtle. Clean tobacco and some leather joined in the fun. On a side note, my mouth would water every time I took a puff on this cigar - that's never happened to me while smoking a cigar.

One thing I noticed, aside from the immense strength of this tiny cigar was the fact that it burned extremely slow (which is good, considering the price of these cigars), making for quite a drawn out experience (no pun intended). Nearing the middle of the cigar, a strong cocoa flavor was picked up and dominated the majority of what was left of the smoke.

While I strongly believe you get what you pay for (I understand it's all preference and to each his own), I honestly felt this cigar was worth the cash paid for it. I've spent much more on cigars I've enjoyed much less and spent slightly less on cigars I've enjoyed just as much or even more. All in all, it was a very good experience and I picked up at least one new flavor that I've never experienced in a cigar before, so my pallet has learned from it. In the end, I'd highly recommend this cigar to anyone interested in finding out what all the hype is about, but eat something first!

yes, they are powerhouses. I often wondered before i smoked my first OpusX if it was all hype.

i assure you it is not all hype. in the first post of my catalog here i have a link to my catalog before cataloging here. on page six there i have my review for an Opus. the point isnt so much the review as the skepticism that i point out. the first paragraph reads:

kuzi16:

I went into this cigar/review with much skepticism. This is my first OpusX I have smoked ever. (I have a few, but I was waiting for a good reason. A promotion is a good enough reason for me.) This cigar comes with a lot of hype. It was hard for me to find things out about this cigar (its history, what the name is since it isn’t printed on the cello) without being bombarded with how awesome it supposedly is. That being said, I went out of my way to be hyper critical about this cigar. Usually I look for the best. This time I was determined to look for the worst and give it a fair, hype-free review. In a way I had hopes of giving it a bad review just so I could say it wasn’t all it’s said to be, and my tastes were better than other well known reviewers. Yes, I’m that kind of jerk.

i then go on to describe the best cigar experience of my life.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

seems like you had an incredible experience with this stick. im not sure why would want to dive into this stick hoping to give it a bad review though like you said there is sooo much hype about the opus x and if it wasnt a great stick ( yes it is stronger than a mother fucker) than there wouldnt be so much great hype about it. im curious to hear what taste you got from this other than spicy and full bodied did anything really stand out?

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-living the good life-

BigDan.:

im not sure why would want to dive into this stick hoping to give it a bad review

there was an obscene amount of hype behind this cigar. i was trying to compensate for that. If i walked into that review thinking "this is gunna be the best cigar ever" one of two things would happen:
1) it wouldn't be the best cigar ever and i would be very dissappointed that i bought into the hype and spent money and time on it. I would give it a lower score than it deserved and my credibility would be gone.
B) i WOULD be the best cigar that i have ever had and i would give it a very high score, but people would look at the review and then see other reviews and think that i just bought into the hype ...this, too, would ruin my credibility.

if you wanna see the tastes that i got out of it go read the review. this isnt my review page. im not gunna rain on his parade.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

kuzi16:

if you wanna see the tastes that i got out of it go read the review. this isnt my review page. im not gunna rain on his parade.

Feel free to post your own review here. I'd be interested to see what you have, as well as other member's reviews of this stick.

I totally understand what you're saying Kuz, about the whole hype thing. I took a similar approach, but tried to stay more middle ground. I've read so much about it, but the only person I really know that has had one didn't like it. I think it was more of a preference thing as he kept saying the cigar tasted cheap and harsh. I think he just confused strength and spice with cheap and harsh. Undeveloped pallet, and preference toward non-spicy cigars ruined the experience for him, but the hype was what made him want to try it.

I went into it knowing that I may absolutely love it or be very disappointed for the money spent. I can't say I was at all disappointed, but I can't say it was the absolute best cigar I've ever had. I would be lying if I said it wasn't up there with the best though. I'd go so far as saying maybe top 3. Worth the money, even if just to know you've tried it once. Now I have some GOF's resting for a special occasion (probably my cruise in November).

kuzi16:

yes, they are powerhouses. I often wondered before i smoked my first OpusX if it was all hype.

i assure you it is not all hype. in the first post of my catalog here i have a link to my catalog before cataloging here. on page six there i have my review for an Opus. the point isnt so much the review as the skepticism that i point out. the first paragraph reads:

kuzi16:

I went into this cigar/review with much skepticism. This is my first OpusX I have smoked ever. (I have a few, but I was waiting for a good reason. A promotion is a good enough reason for me.) This cigar comes with a lot of hype. It was hard for me to find things out about this cigar (its history, what the name is since it isn’t printed on the cello) without being bombarded with how awesome it supposedly is. That being said, I went out of my way to be hyper critical about this cigar. Usually I look for the best. This time I was determined to look for the worst and give it a fair, hype-free review. In a way I had hopes of giving it a bad review just so I could say it wasn’t all it’s said to be, and my tastes were better than other well known reviewers. Yes, I’m that kind of jerk.

i then go on to describe the best cigar experience of my life.

This is exactly how I went into the illusione cg:4 and the Tatuaje Black. Arguably two cgars that are even more hyped than the Opus X at this point. The cg:4 blew me away(but unfortunately has become, in my expereince and that of a few others I know(kuzi), an inconsistent stick) and the Tat Black had me goign ehh.

I think going into something with a negative but open minded attitude can be a very good thing. If it turns out to be a good then you are even more impressed where if you went into it optimistically then all it did was meet your expectations.

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I don't wanna hold a job down if its just to make ends meet. I prefer rapid rise and faster falls, I wanna die the American dream.
~~ Josh Martinez

I agree Maddy.
I haven't tried anything by Tatuaje, but I'm always intrigued when walking by them at the local shop. You're giving them the "ehh"? Eventually I'm sure I'll try them, but I don't think I'll be diving at them anytime soon.

Rob, its a pretty good cigar. It just isn't a $13 stick nor is it one thats you should be bending over backwards to get. It'd be a great $6-8 smoke.

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I don't wanna hold a job down if its just to make ends meet. I prefer rapid rise and faster falls, I wanna die the American dream.
~~ Josh Martinez

kk
I prefer a mild/medium; meduim or a most a medium/full body cigar. That being said, is this Opus X full all the way?
I had a full body cigar that blew me away this week and know that my pallet or my gut cannot handle these full body babies at this point. Im working up to it though.

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Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

Thanks Maddy.

Four: The opus in my opinion is full. This was definitely the strongest cigar I've ever had. I try to separate the terms "full bodied" with "strong." I believe you can have a very full flavored (what I consider the body) cigar without it being a total powerhouse. Just the same, you can have a very strong cigar that will make your head spin, but will be one dimensional in the flavor department.

I'm just north of Boston in Beverly if you need suggestion on good local places or ever want to do a hand off trade, rather than bothering with mail.

Thanks Rob,
I actually mixed those two up also.
I think that typically a strong cigar will just blow me away, but I can handle full flavor

Im live just outside boston and work out in Framingham, so we could definately hook up for a handoff.

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Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

i would also say that the OpusX is a full body cigar. It isnt the strongest i have ever had, but again, i like the full bodied cigars.
the OpusX xXx is actually nicknamed "the power ranger" because of the combination of the size, the power, and one of the fuentes's daughters. ...for those who dont know it was a kids show.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

Rob1110:

Thanks Maddy.

Four: The opus in my opinion is full. This was definitely the strongest cigar I've ever had. I try to separate the terms "full bodied" with "strong." I believe you can have a very full flavored (what I consider the body) cigar without it being a total powerhouse. Just the same, you can have a very strong cigar that will make your head spin, but will be one dimensional in the flavor department.

I'm just north of Boston in Beverly if you need suggestion on good local places or ever want to do a hand off trade, rather than bothering with mail.

Woah Rob let me correct myself, I'm giving the Tatuaje BLACK an 'ehh', the rest of the Tatuaje line is GREAT. The Tatuaje Cojonu 2003 or 2006 are both in my top 5 cigars ALL TIME. Aside from the Black I haven't smoked a Tatuaje that wasn't very good - great IMO. Now the La Riqueza(made by Pete Johnson of Tatuaje) is just good IMO its not a Tat but that was the point, I believe.

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I don't wanna hold a job down if its just to make ends meet. I prefer rapid rise and faster falls, I wanna die the American dream.
~~ Josh Martinez

kuzi16:

i would also say that the OpusX is a full body cigar. It isnt the strongest i have ever had, but again, i like the full bodied cigars.
the OpusX xXx is actually nicknamed "the power ranger" because of the combination of the size, the power, and one of the fuentes's daughters. ...for those who dont know it was a kids show.

Everytime I smoke an Opus X, it kicks my ass! The ones I just bought are going to be aged for years before I smoke them!

madurofan:

Woah Rob let me correct myself, I'm giving the Tatuaje BLACK an 'ehh', the rest of the Tatuaje line is GREAT. The Tatuaje Cojonu 2003 or 2006 are both in my top 5 cigars ALL TIME. Aside from the Black I haven't smoked a Tatuaje that wasn't very good - great IMO. Now the La Riqueza(made by Pete Johnson of Tatuaje) is just good IMO its not a Tat but that was the point, I believe.

Now ya tell me. Looks like I have an excuse to hit up that shop again for something in the Tat lineup. Like I needed an excuse.
I tried the Alec Bradley Genesis last night. Nice, woody, slightly spicy, slightly cocoa flavor to it, but I don't think it was worth the 8 bucks I paid for it. Not saying it was bad, maybe I was just spoiled by the Opus the night before.