Arturo Fuente did a nice job with the Chateau Fuente Maduro’s presentation. The cigar comes wrapped in a cedar sheath that conceals most of its body. A green band sits at the foot of the cigar, while a red and gold band near the head proudly displays the Fuente logo. The cigar appears to have solid construction, which is no surprise when you consider Fuente’s track record for producing quality sticks. After removing the sheath and green band, I notice that the wrapper is oily with only a few visible veins. It also has the typical dark Maduro color. The cigar feels firm to the touch, with zero soft spots. As I give it a quick whiff, I pick up a cedar aroma. The cold taste is of coffee. I’ve had enough inspecting, and now I’m ready to light up this little bad boy.

The Chateau Fuente Maduro exhibits a solid burn. The draw is good, and there’s a nice volume of smoke. The cigar also burns slowly. The gray ash is solid. No touch-ups or re-lights are needed, as the Maduro burns evenly from beginning to end. No maintenance, no worries, which is just how I like my stogies.

In terms of flavor, the Chateau Fuente Maduro gets a passing grade. It’s not complex, but I didn’t expect it to be. The cigar kicks off with sweetness. This lasts for a few minutes, until a slight kick of spicy pepper comes into play. When I say slight, I mean very slight. It’s not overpowering by any means. The second third continues with the pepper, until rich coffee appears. The final third offers more sweetness plus some very tasty cocoa.

I was impressed during my approximately 45 minute smoking time with the Chateau Fuente Maduro. The cigar was very smooth and pleasant, and I particularly enjoyed the coffee and cocoa aspects. The solid construction was another plus. You can find the Chateau Fuente Maduro in packs of five or boxes of 20. A single sells for around $4 each. When you combine that price point with the cigar’s smoothness and size, you have yourself a solid everyday smoke. I definitely recommend picking up a box, especially if you love Maduros and are a fan of the Fuente brand.

The Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente Maduro earns a rating of 3.75 out of four stars.