Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva No. 888 6 5/8″ * 44

The Arturo Fuente Anejo owes its existence to Hurricane Georges, which wrecked the Chateau de la Fuente crop in 1998 and left the family short of Opus X wrapper. Carlos Fuente Jr. turned to an aged Connecticut Broadleaf instead, and the Anejo line came out of it. The No. 888 is the lonsdale of the line at 6 5/8 by 44, built on that same Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper aged five years in cognac barrels over Dominican binder and filler from Chateau de la Fuente. The barrel time leaves a dark, faintly sweet thread through cocoa, espresso, cedar, and dried fruit at a medium to full body, and the narrow ring gauge keeps those flavors focused and the burn slow. Anejo is released only in small runs around Christmas and Father’s Day, which is most of why it is hard to find. Pairs well with cognac, espresso, or port.