[Review] Opus X Super Belicoso

So last Friday I received my new flash in the mail for my D40. With the Mega Review underway, I figured it was time I bought myself a flash. So I decided on a Nikon SB-400 w/ a Sto-fen Omni-bounce diffuser and decided to do a review of a "nice" stick, to sorta celebrate for the hell of it. :smiley20:

Opus X Super Belicoso

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7045/6...a2fb1cfb52.jpg

Where: Basement
Movie: How to Train Your Dragon on Blu-ray :smiley20::smiley20:
Drink: Diet Coke
Cigar Info: Bought on 12/23/2011 and stored at ~68% RH.


Pre-Light
- Easy Cut, Firm
- Perfect draw
- Slightly sweet taste w/a hint of hay maybe?



1st Third
- Another classic Opus light for me => Not good. :smiley26:
- Thick creamy smoke with an initial blast of strong pepper.
- Bad burn; due to my inability to light a dang Opus. :smiley7:
- After a while, the pepper has mellowed out quite a bit.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7037/6...460f37e923.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7200/6...c5421c24e8.jpg

As you can see, I couldn't get the entire foot lit. That part of the foot just would not light and I didn't want to keep the flame to it, for too long. And this happens with almost every Opus I smoke.

2nd Third
- Still creamy with hints of pepper.
- A smoothness to the smoke has developed at this point.
- Other than the creaminess and pepper, there really is not much else.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7176/6...c22e649d4f.jpg


Final Third
- I had to correct the burn a few times and do a few purges.
- Nothing changed from the 2nd Third.
- I had to relight the cigar once, around the 1.5 in. mark.
- The ash was flaky and loose, but a nice light greyish color.
- Towards the end, I was constantly fighting the uneven burn and trying to keep the cigar lit.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/6...7c5a2a5274.jpg


Conclusion
This cigar started out good, but turned to mediocre after a bit, due to the bad light. I have been struggling to figure out what I am doing wrong with Opuses. I originally kept all my Opus in my 65% RH cooler. But I have moved a few to my 68%-70% cooler for testing, to see if that changed anything. But it didn't. I still have trouble lighting an Opus. At this point, about the only thing I can think of is to try dry boxing them.

On the plus side.....How to Train Your Dragon!!!:smiley20:
In Blu-ray!

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/6...c13026b34b.jpg

All in all I was happy with the performance of the flash. I still have to do testing to get a grasp of what settings work the best.

Thanks for the review, I'd try dry-boxing one. Eratic burns to me are far less annoying than tight draws.

Your pictures are fantastic, looking forward to seeing the ones for MR5!

Thanks for the review, Michael. Great pix.

Will

I hate Fuente cigars to begin with.
I only read the review to see your pictures. Very, Very nice !

Thanks, glad you guys like the pictures.

Well, that's two things then from Friday that did not disappoint! The addition of the flash for the camera and the movie.

Thanks for the review.

Yeah, I would try letting one rest a bit outside of a humidor before smoking it. If I were to get that problem constantly the last thing I would do is raise the RH.

Great review.:smiley20:

I also encounter uneven burns with Opus X but only about 10 to 20% of the time and that's usually due to either a bad light (because I can't see up close :smiley19: and screw up the light more often than not) or as others have said, the cigar is too moist or too new (not aged). Try storing your Opus X at 60%RH, that's what I keep my humis and coolerdors set to.

Unlike paddy, I love these cigars so I just work through the bad times and still wind up with an overall good experience in spite of the trouble. Once in a great while, I get those annoying stem/veins that cause a horrible uneven burn but that's less than 5% of the time. From your description here, I don't think that was your problem. All these observations apply to Añejos too.

Davidoffs on the other hand (I think paddy will agree) almost never have uneven burn problems, even when a half-blind guy like me screws up the light. I love Davidoffs, ALL of them!

Today I smoked a Davidoff Gran Cru No. 4 which was perfect and an Añejo 46 which was darn good too. Since I tend to smoke cigars too fast, the 46s burn a little too hot for me, the 60s (48 ring) are my ideal Añejo with the 50s being a close second. For me the 55s and the 77s (Sharks) are too damn fat and the 48s and 49s are a bit much, I'll only smoke those if I have about an hour and a half to kill.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CoventryCat86

Great review.:smiley20:

I also encounter uneven burns with Opus X but only about 10 to 20% of the time and that's usually due to either a bad light (because I can't see up close :smiley19: and screw up the light more often than not) or as others have said, the cigar is too moist or too new (not aged). Try storing your Opus X at 60%RH, that's what I keep my humis and coolerdors set to.

Unlike paddy, I love these cigars so I just work through the bad times and still wind up with an overall good experience in spite of the trouble. Once in a great while, I get those annoying stem/veins that cause a horrible uneven burn but that's less than 5% of the time. From your description here, I don't think that was your problem. All these observations apply to Añejos too.

Davidoffs on the other hand (I think paddy will agree) almost never have uneven burn problems, even when a half-blind guy like me screws up the light. I love Davidoffs, ALL of them!

Today I smoked a Davidoff Gran Cru No. 4 which was perfect and an Añejo 46 which was darn good too. Since I tend to smoke cigars too fast, the 46s burn a little too hot for me, the 60s (48 ring) are my ideal Añejo with the 50s being a close second. For me the 55s and the 77s (Sharks) are too damn fat and the 48s and 49s are a bit much, I'll only smoke those if I have about an hour and a half to kill.

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10-20% from bad lights? Don't get me wrong, I love Opus' but that sounds to me like a different problem if you can light other sticks fine.
I have had no trouble with Anejos, but I have witnessed one dud out of a box. I say witnessed because unfortunately it was one a gave a friend to smoke with.
Your situation with stem/veins is so true! Whenever I see one I can pretty much guarantee myself a wonky burn.
King Bs on the other hand burn like shit for me, but I just love them so much I put up with it...I don't care, the flavor is too good.
I haven't had a Davidoff but I'm starting to get into Padrons and I've heard their consistent construction is unmatched.

I've got a bunch of "Power Rangers", so I'll try dry boxing one of those. Maybe Saturday; with a follow up review?

By way, how long for dry boxing? Several hours or overnight?