So these are apparently what everyone lusts over, and I haven't been able to find a real definitive answer on why. What's so special about them?

Is there anything significant about the names, or are they just different vitolas? (Shark, xXx, Fuente Fuente).

I've also seen people lusting over Anejo's - how are they different than the Opus X line?
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Jimmy, I am no Opus X expert or Anejo expert so I will just offer my :-).

I smoked my first Opus X a few weeks ago. It was a FF Opus X that had a couple of years rest time on it. The generalization on the Opus X is that is packs a mighty punch (strong nicotine) when smoked without any rest. From what I know when these sticks are given a few years to sit they are very good smokes and mellow out nicely. Some people may like to smoke them fresh because they like the nic punch they get, others may prefer to give them some time to sit first.

I have also recently smoked an Anejo that had a few years rest on it and it was fantastic! It tasted smooth, creamy, and a little nutty but had just the right amount of spice to it. I love cigars with that flavor profile. It seemed to have a more smooth taste than the FF Opus X which had a bit more spice and kick to it.

What it all boils down to is people just tend to smoke what they like and quite a few people like the Opus X and Anejo line. I am sure not everyone likes them so it goes back to the whole point of cigar smoking which is to smoke what you like and like what you smoke! :-)
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I am by no means an Opus whore but I have had my fair share of Opus and Anejo. Opus, from what I remember are Domincan Puro's. Meaning that filler, binder, WRAPPER are all from the dominican. They are also stronger and peppery in my opinion than anything else Opus makes (or what I have tried). I smoked my first opus back in 97-98. I liked them back then. My tastes have changed/evolved. I still smoke one occasionally but usually only when gifted.

As far as shape, any shape may taste a little different to someone's palate. The longer the cigar, the more smoke has been pulled thru it but the time you hit the end, so it's going to taste different. A 50 ring gauge will taste different then a 42 ring gauge as it has more tobacco in it. Thats true with any vitola, not just Opus.

Anejo are what I still really like. This and Hemingway Maduro's are still my favorites of the Fuente line. They are sweeter. If I remember right, the wrappers are still stored in sherry(?) caskets? I don't think those were just the OR. Anyways, completely different flavor profile then an Opus!

Hope this helps......
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I am an Opus whore (100 sticks) when it comes down to it. FFOX were hyped to high hell when they first came out and still garner some attention with the holiday release and new vitolas.

Personally I will take a 3-5 year old Opus over any cigar if placed in front of me. They can be very complex with some vitolas. They smoke pretty good ROTT but become stellar with age.

The one thing Opus has on any other cigar IMO is the smell of the wrapper. Nothing else smells like it. Raisins, cinnamon, and sometimes molasses. Such a great smell.

I tend to pick them up close to MSRP so they are not a bad deal. Some vitolas I seek out more than others. I tend to like the smaller Opus in general.

Anejos I like a lot too but do not smoke them as much as the FFOX.
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I guess my question is how are the OpusX/Anejo stuff different than all of the other Fuente stuff? Is it just better tobacco than the Hemmingway/858/etc stuff?
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different tobacco if anything. The wrapper on the Opus is from the DR which was and is difficult to produce in quantity. Anejos came about after a hurricane destroyed Opus wrapper stock, Fuente used a Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper that was aged 5 years in cognac barrels. Same Opus filler and binder though. totally different taste to me compared to the Opus.
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It doesn't matter what others lust for. Try everything, smoke what you like, like what you smoke. Don't get caught in the hype. :-)
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The wrapper was the first wrapper leaf specifically grown on Dominican soil, and it was grown at Chateau Fuente. Before this, Dominican soil had never produced a viable wrapper leaf. So, comes the great Fuente experiment with this new wrapper leaf. They think it to be exquisite and come up with a whole line based on this specific wrapper leaf and all Dominican filler.

Of course, they market the living snot out of it.

Truth to be told, it is unique in very many ways.

That's the story.

As to the goodness and value of the cigar, you will get as many varied answers as there are members on this board.

Don't smoke it because of the hype, but try it because you want to try something unique. I've had some right off the truck, and some that were aged 3+ years. I even had some of the original release back in 1996.

I'll let you make your own judgement on whether you like it or not.

Peace of the Lord be with you.
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The few I've had I liked right off the truck, but haven't had an aged to compare. I may buy a box in the future and stuff it away for a few years.
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Oh I know, I'm just wondering why everyone is so eager to pay >$20 for a smoke.

The cheapskate in me is baffled by this phenomenon :-)
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Opus are a good smoke at MSRP. There are plenty of other smokes that are just as good or better for less.....imho.
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You will find just as many that do not care for them as do. :-)

The Opus was explained but the Anejo's are a combo blend of the Opus, Heminway's and Don Carlos line with the Conn Broadleaf maduro wrapper that was aged in cognac barrels and are typically released twice per year. Less expensive and better than the Opus, imo.
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They're a good treat once in awhile, assuming they have age on em. They're good fresh, but not worth the money fresh. With at least 6 months on them they get to being worth it.

Anejos, on the other hand, are worth every last damn penny fresh, and worth twice as much with a year on em for some of the smaller ring gauges(I don't like the 48s and 49s with age on em for some reason, but looooove a 46 with a year on it)

It all comes down to personal preference.
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:-)
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You truly won't know until you've tried one......and then try another one after you've been smoking a while longer, because your tastes may have changed.......and if you can afford to buy a couple and let one sit, they taste different with more age......You may never like them, you may love them.....

And I'm not eager to buy them anymore, in fact, I don't buy them at all. I went from having FFOPUSX as my license plate 8 years ago, to not even looking at them if I go into a shop......to each his own......
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i have yet to smoke an Opus. everyone tells me that its a waste to smoke one without at least 3-5 years of age on them. I bought some at the first of the year. I'm doing my best to be patient. i hope they pay off. problem will be if I love them. i guess i should have put more down to rest just in case :-)
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So what do you look at now?
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I think you should smoke one, write about it, then write about it again when you smoke the others a few years from now!
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yeah, i think once they get a full year of age i will smoke one and take notes. then do that same the next year.

that would be a fun little experiment.
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