Opus X Forbidden X

Opus X Forbidden X is Fuente's own next step from the Fuente Fuente OpusX, made, in the company's words, from "the rarest selections of tobacco born from Chateau de la Fuente." The ForbiddenX 13 line traces to late 2011, when Fuente shipped six sizes to retailers ahead of its 100th anniversary with no press release. It returned in 2018 as an exclusive for Tobacconists' Association of America retailers. The four sizes Renegade carries, Deseos d'Amor, El Beso Prohibido, Pasion d'Amor and Amor Sensual, reached stores in December 2020, again unannounced. Cigar Aficionado rated Amor Sensual 92 in 2024 and El Beso Prohibido 91 in 2023. Fuente allocates it; availability varies, so call 972-231-6545 or check the variant list.

Fuente does not publish the blend. halfwheel lists wrapper, binder and filler as undisclosed. Cigar Aficionado lists all three as Dominican, which makes it a puro: one country's tobacco throughout. Fuente says Carlito Fuente ages the blend in Forbidden barrels in a secret area of the factory, Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cía in Santiago, Dominican Republic. halfwheel noted the 2020 Deseos d'Amor wrapper looked closer to regular OpusX than the darker, less red leaf on the 2011 ForbiddenX 13. The cigars ship in cedar sleeves, 20 to a box.

Cigar Aficionado's note on Amor Sensual reads like a holiday cake: gingerbread, molasses, brown sugar and cinnamon, with red pepper on the finish. El Beso Prohibido came through as chewy nougat and candied orange with persistent black pepper and a cedar finish. halfwheel's Charlie Minato compared Deseos d'Amor to a three- or four-year-old regular OpusX starting to mellow, its cedar, sweetness and strength intact. Regular OpusX is sweeter, peppier and stronger; Deseos d'Amor is nuttier and shows floral notes. Medium-full across the line.

Opus X Forbidden X Details:

• Wrapper: Dominican, Chateau de la Fuente (leaf undisclosed)
• Binder: Dominican (undisclosed)
• Filler: Dominican (undisclosed)
• Sizes: Deseos d'Amor 5 1/4x50, El Beso Prohibido 5 3/4x52, Pasion d'Amor 6 1/8x48, Amor Sensual 6 1/8x54
• Strength: Medium-Full
• Tasting Notes: Gingerbread, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Candied Orange, Cedar, Black Pepper
• Estimated Smoke Time: 55 - 90 minutes
• Made at Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cía, Santiago, Dominican Republic

🏆 2024 92 Rating — Cigar Aficionado (Amor Sensual)

🏆 2023 91 Rating — Cigar Aficionado (El Beso Prohibido)

Choosing Your Size

Deseos d'Amor (5 1/4x50) — The robusto, and the one halfwheel reviewed at 91. The name translates roughly to wishes of love. Cedar, sugar cookie and a nuttiness that takes over by the end, with a strawberry note in the middle; each sample needed a burn correction. 55 to 65 minutes. The same length and ring as the Opus X Robusto, which makes it the cleanest side-by-side.

El Beso Prohibido (5 3/4x52) — The toro. Cigar Aficionado's December 2023 rating of 91: chewy nougat, candied orange, persistent black pepper and a cedar finish, medium-full. 65 to 75 minutes. Same dimensions as the Opus X Double Robusto.

Pasion d'Amor (6 1/8x48) — The slim one, a 48 ring at just over six inches. No Cigar Aficionado or halfwheel review yet; the ring matches the Opus X Reserva d'Chateau, so expect the wrapper to carry more of the flavor than in the 52 and 54 ring sizes. 70 to 85 minutes.

Amor Sensual (6 1/8x54) — The figurado and the highest-rated size: Cigar Aficionado gave it 92 in October 2024 for gingerbread, molasses, brown sugar and cinnamon with a red pepper finish. The draw was open; the burn ran a bit uneven. 75 to 90 minutes. The size in Renegade's product photo.

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