Arturo Fuente Hemingway Natural Work of Art - BOX OF 25

Cameroon isn't the trendiest wrapper in the modern cigar world, and little perfectos aren't the trendiest shape, but neither of those facts has ever bothered Carlos Fuente Jr. Year after year he keeps rolling perfecto after perfecto in the Hemingway line, unapologetically wrapped in sweet, spicy Cameroon leaf, and Work of Art is the size Cigar Aficionado singled out with particular affection, naming it one of their Top 25 Cigars in 2018. It's one of the smaller models in the Hemingway family by name, though not by ring gauge, this is actually the widest cigar in the entire collection.

At 4⅞ x 60, the shape is the same traditional Cuban Perfecto found across every Hemingway size, two tapered, closed ends, a rounded head, a closed foot, and a distinctive bulge in the middle, but production remains deliberately limited to the factory's most experienced torcedores, and the cigars are left to age at Chateau Fuente until their release each year. The wrapper here is a natural Cameroon leaf, adding a touch of natural sweetness over Dominican binder and filler tobacco, and the resulting profile delivers cedar, cream, coffee, citrus, and sweetness from the first puff to the last, with an evolving character that gets more interesting as the burn works its way toward the narrower head.

Several buyers specifically call this their favorite in the entire Hemingway family, though at least one longtime fan of the narrower Short Story admits a personal fondness that keeps that smaller vitola in the top spot for nostalgic reasons rather than pure flavor comparison, a reasonable debate given how genuinely good both are. What most reviewers agree on is the way the flavor shifts as the cigar burns: earthy, spicy, and toasty at the wide bulge, with hints of chocolate and a little more mint emerging as the ring gauge narrows near the head, punctuated by unexpected bursts of pepper that seem to pop up throughout the smoke rather than building predictably. Construction runs close to flawless across most reviews, with the one common caveat being the closed foot, which takes a bit more care and patience to light properly than a standard cut cigar.

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Flavor progression:

1. Opening: cedar, cream, and earth lead the way at the wide bulge, a subtle spicy touch and toasty tobacco character setting the tone alongside citrus sweetness
2. Mid-smoke: cocoa and leather develop, with unexpected bursts of pepper surfacing periodically throughout rather than building steadily
3. Close: as the ring narrows near the head, creaminess takes on a hint of chocolate and mint, the pepper bursts intensifying before the final draws

Key Features:

1. Brand: Arturo Fuente
2. Line: Hemingway
3. Vitola: Work of Art (Perfecto)
4. Recognition: Top 25 Cigars of 2018, Cigar Aficionado
5. Founded: 1912, by Don Arturo Fuente
6. Factory: Tabacalera A. Fuente, Santiago, Dominican Republic
7. Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
8. Wrapper: African Cameroon
9. Binder: Dominican Republic (estate-grown)
10. Filler: Dominican Republic (estate-grown, long-filler)
11. Construction: Handmade, limited production, closed foot
12. Size: 4⅞ inches x 60 ring gauge
13. Strength: Medium
14. Flavor Profile: Cedar, cream, leather, cocoa, citrus, sweetness, pepper, mint
15. Smoke Time: Approximately 45 to 60 minutes
16. Box Count: 25 cigars
17. Price per Cigar: approximately $9.50