Arturo Fuente Rare Pink Vintage 1960's Work of Art - Cigar Reviews by HB Cigars
- HB Cigars
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
One in the pink two in the.. wait where was I? Oh right, reviewing Fuente's charitable perfecto that supports breast cancer research while simultaneously being harder to find than a parking spot at Costco on a Saturday. The Rare Pink line launched in 2020 when Carlos "Carlito" Fuente Jr. decided to honor his daughter Liana's passion for breast cancer awareness after losing both her grandmother and aunt to the disease. Originally proceeds went to the American Cancer Society until they decided Fuente's tobacco money was too dirty, so now it goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The hypocrisy of a cancer charity rejecting donations from a tobacco company while presumably accepting money from pharmaceutical companies that market opioids is a philosophical rabbit hole we don't have time for today. What we do have time for is this gorgeous little figurado that costs more per inch than a Manhattan studio apartment.
🔥 THE VITALS 🔥
Cigar: Rare Pink Vintage 1960's Work of Art
Master Blender: Carlos "Carlito" Fuente Jr.
Size: 4 7/8" x 46/60 (Perfecto)
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano (from Oliva's La Mecca farm)
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Nicaraguan (Fuente's Estelí farms) & Dominican Republic
Price: $10.35 - $11.30 MSRP (if you can find it)
Strength: Medium
🚀 WE ARE LIT!
Draw: Perfect with just enough resistance
Burn: Razor straight
Smoke Output: Billowing clouds worthy of a papal announcement
Ash: Firm with a salt and pepper complexion
The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper presents in a gorgeous colorado shade - milk chocolate brown with hints of crimson that catch light like a mahogany desk in a corner office you'll never afford. Construction is flawless. The perfecto shape tapers at both ends, a Hemingway-line signature that makes lighting feel like a ceremonial occasion. The double band setup - pink accents on gold and cream - takes up roughly 75% of this small cigar's real estate, which is aggressive branding energy but forgivable given the charitable cause.
🎢 FLAVOR JOURNEY
FIRST HALF: The Charitable Opening
The perfecto foot burns through its taper delivering earth and undergrowth right out of the gate, with a peppery undercurrent and roasted coffee notes that develop as the ring gauge expands. Natural tobacco sweetness emerges alongside cedar on the retrohale, while white pepper dances across the palate. There's cream, oak, and cocoa creating a foundation of complexity that justifies the Fuente premium - notes of citrus and nuts weave through like unexpected guests who actually improve the party. The strength sits comfortably at medium, letting the flavors speak without shouting. This is old-school Fuente craftsmanship channeled through the Hemingway perfecto tradition, and it delivers exactly what the pedigree promises.
SECOND HALF: The Accelerated Finale
As the cigar tapers toward the head, it appears to burn faster - this is physics, not a flaw. Earth and natural tobacco take command while pepper notes intensify into legitimate spice territory. Cedar increases in presence with a slight woody bite, while touches of citrus, nuts, and coffee continue playing supporting roles. The profile shifts from the brighter opening into darker, earthier territory with leather emerging in the background. Some vegetal notes appear alongside the intensifying pepper, and the finish stretches long with that characteristic Fuente complexity. The body holds at medium throughout, never punishing but demanding attention - a diplomatic cigar that knows when to assert itself.
🏆 THE VERDICT:
A- TIER
Flavor: A-
Construction: A
Availability: D
Price: C+
Final Rating: A- TIER
The Work of Art delivers genuine complexity and impeccable construction, earning its lofty name through execution rather than just marketing.
📊 BOTTOM LINE
The Arturo Fuente Rare Pink Work of Art proves that Carlito Fuente can create a charitable cigar without sacrificing quality at the altar of feel-good marketing. The Ecuadorian wrapper over Fuente's estate-grown tobaccos produces layered complexity that rewards attention, and the perfecto format - while brief - packs legitimate flavor into every draw. The D availability rating is the real tragedy here; finding these requires either knowing a guy or refreshing Neptune Cigar's website like it's a Supreme drop. At $10-11 MSRP (when you can find them at retail), the price-per-minute ratio stings, but you're partially funding cancer research so the guilt is built into the value proposition.
TLDR: Fuente's charitable perfecto delivers old-school complexity and flawless construction - if only finding one didn't require a treasure map and a bribe.
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