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Cigar name: Don Arturo Gran AniverXario cigars
aka: "AniverXario's", "DAGA cigars", "AF13s"
Vitola: various (see below)
Wrapper: Aged Opus X Rosado & Chateau de Fuente sungrown (AF13) (see below)
Binder: ?? unknown
Filler: AF 13 blend for both cigars
Released: December, 2008
Quantity: 96 humidors of 96 cigars (48 natural, 48 sun grown) per humidor
Rarity: 5/10
MSRP: $7,500.00 for the humidor, 96 cigars (48 natural, 48 sun grown)
Notes: Sold only with the 2008 "Fuente Story" humidors, 96 cigars (48 natural, 48 sun grown) per humidor, 96 humidors ever made, the price of these cigars includes the "humidor tax," since in order to purchase the cigars, you have to purchase the humidor as well. These cigars were originally created to commemorate Fuente's 90th anniversary in 2002, but the release was delayed for various packaging and release considerations.
Ascribing a value of approximately $1,800 to the humidor, that values the cigars at approximately $60.00 each, depending on the vitola/wrapper.
From top to bottom:
1. Natural Don Arturo Gran AniverXario (6 3/8" x 48) ........ [48x] MSRP = ~$60
2. Sun Grown Don Arturo Gran AniverXario (6 ΒΌ" x 46) ..... [48x] MSRP = ~$60
MSRP does not include state sales tax, nor state tobacco tax, the latter of which can be quite significant.
Note that these two cigars are not the same vitola; the Natural cigar is 1/8" longer than the Sun Grown cigar, and it has a slightly larger ring gauge. These cigars were not rolled at the same time, the Natural cigar was rolled a year later.
The Natural cigar has a red ribbon on the foot, while the Sun Grown cigar has cedar and a black ribbon on the foot; both cigars have a slight box press to them. The Natural cigar appears to use an aged Opus X Rosado wrapper (as with the Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario cigars), and is the same vitola as the Opus X Perfecxion X cigar, except it is 1/8" longer.
The 48 Sun Grown Don Arturo Gran AniverXario cigars are in fact Don Arturo Destino al Siglo "13" cigars, the long rumored Fuente 90th anniversary cigars. Fuente's 90th anniversary was in 2002, but as per this Cigar Aficionado article, the release of these cigars was delayed.
Have a look at them compared; on the top is the Sun Grown Don Arturo Gran AniverXario cigar; on the bottom is an AF 13 cigar:
Note the color and texture of the wrapper; the vitola is also identical in terms of length and ring gauge (ignore the slightly different cap on each cigar pictured above, this is just variance from cigar to cigar). Here's a close-up view of the two wrappers compared. Without knowing which was which, you'd be hard pressed to say these are not identical cigars:
In addition, the Prometheus marketing materials* state that the Don Arturo Gran AniverXario cigars have been aged for 7 years... meaning they were rolled in 2001, the same year the Don Arturo Destino al Siglo "13" cigars were rolled.
The wrapper the Natural cigar is an aged Opus X Rosado wrapper similar to the CigarFamily 10th Anniversary cigar. Despite being a slightly different size than the Sun Grown cigar, the Natural cigar actually is the same AF13 blend, but with an aged Opus X Rosado wrapper. The Natural cigars were rolled a year later than the Sun Grown cigars.
The Natural cigar is actually somewhat of a mystery, as even the Prometheus marketing materials seem to refer to this as one cigar, which suggests that the inclusion of this Natural wrapper cigar may have been an ad hoc decision.
Prometheus has this to say about these cigars:
Carlito Fuente has created a new cigar, Don Arturo Gran AniverXario, in tribute to his grandfather, Arturo Fuente.
These cigars are made with the legendary wrapper leaves from Chateau de la Fuente, the birthplace of a dream.
Carlito Fuente made Don Arturo Gran AniverXario cigars in 2001 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Arturo Fuente Cigar Company, which was founded by his grandfather in 1912. He planned to release Don Arturo Gran AniverXario cigars every year, starting in 2002, to celebrate the 100th Anniversary. However, these cigars were never released.
Don Arturo Gran AniverXario cigars have been aging in the Fuente aging room since 2001. These 7-year-old cigars will finally be presented in the Limited Edition Fuente Story Humidors produced by Prometheus.
2008 is the 96th Anniversary of Arturo Fuente Cigar Company, and each Fuente Story Humidor will come with 96 Don Arturo Gran AniverXario cigars.
* FuenteAgedSelection.com is an enterprise run by Prometheus.
