Arturo Fuente Anejo S.S.S. Shark No. 77

A pleasure to smoke.

Well after waiting for almost six months to get some more of these, I was able to buy a box at MSRP last saturday!!! I was told by the salesman to age them for a bit, only because some say that these are a bit potent when fresh from the factory. I know that they age them for a while, but I guess they need more time. I couldn't wait any longer and lit one up last night. OH WOW! It was just fantastic! I do agree that it needed some humi time but thank god I had just ate a large dinner. I did feel a big nico. buzz but the taste was just like how i remebered it.... heaven on earth. I also purchased a cameroon wrapped anejo "shark". I wonder if that will be just as good?

A great looking and impressive smoke. Perfect draw with volumes of tasty smoke requiring a few touch ups. An expensive stick, but worth it if you can find them. This is one I nubbed, didn't want to put this puppy out.

I have been fortunate to buy a box a year for the past two years. I smoked half and aged the other half. I found them robust after the opening of the boxes and an effortless draw with mild flavor after they bloomed.

I just got back last night (6/3) from getting married in Miami. I smoked my second with my best man while he smoked an Opus X to celebrate what just happened. I was even more impressed with this cigar than the first one. The second one I smoked had an easier pre-lit draw that was just perfect. As soon as I lit it, everyone near me just admired the aroma that came out of this stoogie. The best way that I can describe the taste is... heaven on earth. It burned sooo evenly, I didn't want the ash to fall off till the nub and take a picture. This cigar had more plume on it than the last, hence the slightly better value rating. I called my BM and asked if i can buy a box as soon as they come in.

I bought 2 to commerate a special occasion and kinda got bent over on price but I was willing to spend it because of the reputation and the fact that I could get 2, well #1 was a monumental dissapointment, tough draw, uneven burn, I had to work so hard to get the smoke that I never tasted it, I ended up putting it down to an early death after an exhausting inch or so. I am going to let the other one age a while, I couldnt handle 2 monumental dissapointments this year!

I had the chance to purchase 2 from my BM. WOW oh WOW! When I pick out the last 2 from the box, I noticed some white spots on the cigar. I immediately informed the owner and he just laughed. IT WAS PLUME! WONDERFUL PLUME!!! He had stored the box away from direct eyesight and he hasn't sold one in about 4 months. The box was about 1 1/2 years old. I have never seen a cigar with so much plume before. As soon as I got home, I lit one up and was just overwhelmed with the taste, aroma, and not to mention the shape. I noticed that this cigar was highly packed and was heavy. At first, I had tasted hints of chocolate and coffee, but it quickly shifted to pepper and a woodsy taste. All in all, it kept a nice sweet taste too. I did run into a small burn issue right where it goes from box press to rounded. A small touch up and thats all. I got these at a steal...MSRP! I am looking to score some more if possible.

I wouldn't pay much over MSRP on these, but they are worth the price that reputable vendors charge. Burn is usually right on, flavor always amazing. Try these fresh or try these aged, you won't be disappointed. The one negative on this cigar is that they always have trouble staying lit during the last 1/3. Watch out for mold problems as the connecticut broadleaf wrapper is prone to issues.

tighly packed- but ok draw. incredible aroma with a woody/spice flavor. Very rich-full bodied and very slow burning. Nice ash. razor sharp burn. Cant get much better than this.

The Shark has a unique appearance, and taste to boot. The one I smoked (aged for 18 months) had a strong chocolate taste and hints of coffee-like flavors; the nicotine buzz is also very stout. A fine cigar...

Just Had my second shark of the year. Doesn't get any better than this cigar. Powerful from the first draw to the last. Looking to find some more maybe the best cigar I have had

The effort that goes into these is obvious. Great blend offers spice and understated elegance and the maduro wrapper provides the perfect counterpoint of subtle sweetness.

I have had this sitting for a year. It started out great. Taste of the liquor barrels was coming through. I was liking it alot. THen it got pretty bland and after an hour it was half done I pitched it.

Just purchased two of these as they only received one shipment off the shark at my cigar shop. what a smoke. full strength very flavorfull full bodied cigar

This is one of the best cigars on the planet. I just smoked one I had in the humidor for a little over a year. The smoothness, flavor and heaviness are unmatched. A true cigar for the full bodied smoker. When you find them buy what you can because they are never out for long. They are worth what you'll pay. A great gem to smoke on a special occasion, very complex. You won't be disappointed.

first thing about this cigar is the look.they are awesome.soonest you light them up all complexity start to dance on your palate.coffee flavors i never felt before on any cigars i had.what a piece of art.higly recommended

Smoked from a box of 20 from Xmas of '06. Tons of smoke and flavor, it's going to be impossible to try and age some of these.

This is a very full flavored, full strength cigar. I have had them fresh, and with 4 years on them. They age extremely well. They round out. Very strong cocoa and coffee with hints of spice and cognac. Fresh, they are a very in-your-face smoke. Definately make sure you've had a big meal before one of these.

I totally agree with JT Smoker, stock up and enjoy this baby, it is a superb smoke!

Yes, this cigar is very hard to find and they can be pricey. Stock up on them if you can. The appearence is unique. The construction is very impressive. The aroma of the leaf is intoxicating. The flavor is delicious, filled with complexity. It's a truly special smoke. This is not for beginners. Ratings below a 6 are riduculous - even for someone who did not like it at all. The appearence and construction are worth the 6 alone. I think Kong should review the 'Fighting Cock' brand next.

Fuente sure knows how to create demand around a really great smoke. The SHARK is almost my favorite smoke, several Cubans claim that honor. But as an American who can only buy non-Cuban smokes, I have to say the SHARK is still a fantastic smoke. What I really enjoy about this stick is how it changes it's character from lightup (really nice first dozen puffs) thru the middle (increasing complexity) and the end (burn my fingers I am falling over stunned).

This is not a cigar for a new smoker, it will make your head spin and if you recover, it will spoil you.

If fuente would actually release this cigar it may be higher rated in my book. The availability sucks.

I work at a cigar bar (technically the restaurant connected to it, but it's all the same) and they happen to get these in around the Holidays (at $17, no less), so I always grab up as many as they will let me. Without fail I am blown away every time. They are simply wonderful

This cigar from the pre-light to the lip and finger burning end was a joy to smoke. I guess the worst part of smoking one of these is burning yourself trying to get the last puff of awesome tasty smoke.......ummm....ummmm....ummmmmmm.........OUCH!!!!!!!

What a difference a wrapper makes. This is allegedly an Opus X with maduro wrapper. Full body, excellent construction and even burn, with a good draw. Really cool looking, it is square on one side, and round at the tip. It has a strong, straight forward tobacco flavor, not very complex. I still believe it to be an over-priced, "hard to find" Fuente. Barely worth retail, don't even think about paying $20 to $40 that lots of web sites have the nerve to charge. You really aren't missing anything extraordinary, but if you should see one at retail, at least you can brag to your friends and fellow cigar enthusiasts that you smoked one. I will say this, they are much better than Opus X. I am also hoping they will improve with age. I smoked a very well aged Anejo #49 a while back, and it was quite a treat. I will keep my fingers crossed.

PERFECT, need I say more! Another gift from a good friend.

At more than $30 this is not an ordinary everyday cigar. When rating a cigar, I always ask myself, would I buy a box? The answer is probably not. I and two other guys each smoked one with cognac after dinner. We all agreed that we enjoyed the experience. What was interesting was, none of us were able to decipher exactly the components that made up the complex, subtle flavors. I think we were all expecting to be overwhelmed. This is a very interesting cigar. I am glad that I have one more left, another chance to solve the mystery.

You can never get back to your first time! This is the second Shark I have smoked and I was a little disappointed. Not the mellow buzz that I received after the first one. I agree with Ms. T that after smoking DC Maximus, this one just doesn't get me there. Still, super looking, great construction and good flavor. Just not a 10 this time.

I found this cigar at the Tinderbox in Atlantic City, NJ. The Reserva Shark 77 is a figurado with a box pressed foot! The taste was decent at first and grew more and more superb as I smoked this delicious cigar. Flavors of cocoa and fruit are strong.

Well, I like just about everything Fuente. However, compared to the Diamond Crown #1 and #4, this just doesn't start my motor. Some uneven burn, good layers of flavor, but just not my style. Gibe me 4 DCM #4s for the price of one of these.

This has to be one of the finest cigars on the market. A full and rich rollercoaster to say the least. Long gray-white ash, rick leathery and earthy flavors. My local B&M had them @10.00 per with a 2 stick limit. I went back for 5 straigt day till they where gone! I'm letting the other 9 nest for a while. A great special occ. smoke, Highly Recommened!

This is a cigar i will purchase in the future. One of the best i have ever had. Great burn and great flavor.

this is awesome...

This is that cat's balls as they say. There is simply no better cigar. Far out does Opus, Gurka, or for that matter Cubans. I love it.

this is an outstanding cigar! the unique shape and awesome flavor of this cigar knocked me off my feet. at msrp i would give it a 10 but the price's being paid and limited availability are a real drag on my ratings.

A very good smoke, to be sure. But, please, $25 a stick? Very good construction, nice prelight aroma, copious smoke, even draw.

WoW..I picked one of these up in my friends neighborhood on a recommendation by a shop owner. Very good construction,appearance,and design.Burned evenly, the smoke was very smooth, and I felt a good boost.Gurkha I love,but Fuente has left it's mark on me.

I've been lucky enough to find a box of these for the MSRP price of $176 more than once. After smoking several, my opinion is that the "shark" is more flavorful than the other anejos. The blend is absolutely brilliant, and smokes incredibly well. The smoke is smooth and rich with coffee and cocoa flavors undertoning the classic anejo taste. Although I'd agree that the cigar surpasses opusX blends in character, this cigar does not deserve by any stretch of the imagination a perfect 10. The price is high due to hype and the smoking experience is often impaired by the occasional (inevitable) burn problem. Worth the MSRP of $9.60.

Sat on the porch to enjoy this Christmas smoke.

Volumes of smoke. Dense ash. Great construction.

Definately worth the coin

...it's a great white. And this shark had a bite. A great coffee, espresso flavor with just a hint of sweetness. Drew well, smoked well and looked great. It's pricey, rare but it's worth it around XMAS & New years. FULL bodied, complex and the price was $9.50, not bad considering that there are worse at much higher prices. If you can get it even at double the price I think you'll enjoy it.

I was lucky enough to finally find a few of these on my last trip to CA. I have heard alot about these, but haven't had the pleasure of trying one till last night. The cigars construction is unique it goes from a factory press to a toro, and is a rich dark chocolate color. Nice smoke, even burn, complex flavors, and light gray ash that held on well over an inch. I have to say that this cigar is well worth its hype, a great smoke for a special occasion.

I had this while watching the sun set in maui with a glass of Doorly's XO on the rocks and my best bros herfing it up.
All settings aside this stick absolutely kicks ass. Perfect construction that embodies power. Going from box press to round torpedo. Maduro wrapper that feels like black velvet. Cut perfectly at pencil size...perfect preliight draw. Strong pepper bang at the light! THis stick is strong...drink some rum. Everything pairs up perfectly and creamy expresso develops. So much tranquility i can't remember the second half- sorry but words can't describe. After 5 mins of finishing all cigar taste bitterness was gone, couldn't smell it on my clothes, i'm not kidding, this was amazing.

Looks nice but really bad smoking experience.....just hype and hot air...but no good smoke.
Prefer a Padron or Ashton.

Picked up the remains of a box of these hiden in a smoke shop. Got a sweet deal (13.00) a stick!
Lit up on my bachelore party. Nice open draw. Tons of smoke. pretty smooth. Great flavor though. Lots of leather and coffee. Too bad it was my 5 or 6th stick my pallet was trashed. may have been better.

This is one of my favorite smokes. I always let my anejos age for at least three months in my humidor and the reward is amazing. This stick displayed a perfect burn with a white ash. The draw was perfect and the flavor was out of this world. This is a full bodied cigar for seasoned smokers. The anejo is a little pricey, but worth every penny. Perfect for a special occasion.

Wasn't sure what to expect, but what a nice surprise. Excellent flavor, and great 'burn'.

I tried my first Shark recently and was disappointed. It has a hollow, clunky feel to it and a loose draw. Low smoke production. The flavor is very good, but there just isn't enough of it. I think the shape of the cigar causes the burn/draw problems. The Anejo 55 is far superior.

I lit up one yesterday after having this stick rest for 2 weeks in my humi. beautiful cigar firm with a gentle give to touch. nice dark maduro wrapper and a cedar smell when held up to the nose. lighting was a breeze the foot toasted nicely and by the time i puff it a nice even fiery glow can be seen.

The tast right out of the cage was phenomenal. very light spice with hints of sweetness and a very smooth creamy finish. I had this paired up with a breve' latte and what a combo! The burn was perfect and the ash stayed very nicely giving me a nice cool draw every puff. I was smoking in a near nirvana state then the shark showed up. the last quarter i started noticing a buzz--gentle at first then a buzz that was reminiscent of my smoking that little fuente fuente opus. I was not able to nub this one because I was gonna be driving.

I absolutely love the Sharks - I have smoked many from 2004 - they have all rated 10s. I was disappointed in this one because like the previous review - the draw was tight on this one which I purchased about three weeks ago. After becomming frustrated with the draw, I clipped another 1/4 inch off and it opened up - The flavor was great - full bodied and about the smoothest smoke I've had - Black cherry, coffee and a delicious sweet raisin quality that are the trade mark of Anejo - lets hope contruction is better on others I have.

Man I can't get enough of the taste of Anejo's and this is the best one yet. Some trouble with a tight draw and burn wasn't perfect,jimmy cracked corn and I could give a rats arse, this smoke is fantastic. Once past that I was blown away with the flavor. The bestest tastin NC peoples IMHO.

Worth the hype. The attractive, uniquely shaped box foot to round head cigar boasts a dark, rough wrapper with minimal veins. Solid construction, as you would expect from a Fuente, with no soft spots. Easy light. Smooth draw. Even burn without the need for corrections or relights. Dense whitish ash. Tons of billowy white smoke. Started immediately with bold pepper, which eased into a medley of earth, game, and a haunting smokey flavor in the first third. I believe I may also have tasted a nuance of wild peppermint, as well?! The second third brought a smoother flavor with notes of cocoa and dark chocolate. The complexity grew in the last third, with a meaty, earthy flavor that was extremely enjoyable. Overall, this 90 minute full-bodied smoke is worth the hype. I would not overpay for it, but it is worth MSRP. Glad I have many around!

A perfect cigar well constructed with tantalizing aromas and flavors.

The best Maduro on the market.

One of the finest cigars ever made.

This is one of the few fuentes that is worth seeking out around nov-dec . This smoke is such a delightful way to spend an hour or two. The shape is just awsome , the construction magnificent and the burn is flawless. The taste comes on from first light to finger tips burning . This may be a classic , thats why I have a stash of a hundred or so from the last four or five years. : }

Maybe the most beautiful NC I've ever seen, and the smoke certainly did not disappoint. Great draw and burn, a powerful taste with undertones of anise, gobs of smoke and lasts forever. Ranks right up among the Padron Annys and Opus Xs.

Extremely good flavor considering it is Opus X tobacco with a different wrapper. Easy on the eyes with a obvious taste of rasins and leather. Excellent cigar at a price more reasonable than the opus X

I'm lucky enough to live in an area surrounded by three of the top Fuente dealers and I happen to be a good customer so I get my fair share of the rare finds. Hands down the best Maduro on the market, and I'm not even an Opus fan.

Picked a few up at MSRP and had to smoke one OTT. The flavors are astounding, with a raisony flavor very much in the forefront. Will continue to improve with age......I can't wait to smoke the others in about a year.

I hate hype. I absolutely hate it. Some places charge more than 30 bucks for one of these. So I was hoping I would not like the cigar. Boy, was I wrong, I loved this cigar. The price was simply ridiculous, but it is the best NC I have ever had - by far. I just love the complex flavors. If they were cheaper I would happily smoke nothing else.

I jsmoked my first Shark today, and now I know what the fuss is all about. It is as good as any maduro I have ever had, including Padron 1964 and 1926, and perhaps as good as any cigar including Cubans. Perfect construction, draw and burn. Lasted me a full 90 minutes. First third bittersweet chocolate, progressing to expresso, with more spice all the way past the band. Incredible!

one of the best cigars i ever smoked

Possibly the most superbly constructed cigar I've ever smoked. Smoked it to the ring without ashing, burned in a perfect line. The first third confused me, I couldn't get into it. But shortly thereafter it progressed into something wonderful. I never smoked a cigar before with such a constantly shifting expression of flavor, it truly was like an adventure. I couldn't see smoking this cigar often - price tag aside. Usually I'm in the mood for a certain strength and aroma, and this was a really hard cigar for me to nail down.

The Shark is a great cigar. No, an epic. The power and grace are very rare in a Dominican cigar. The unusual shape and fine presentation, coupled with the rarity, make this a cigar that is greatly sought after, but the flavor is enough on its own to make this one you should watch for.

I just can't say enough about this gar!
Please, do not! I repeat do not purchase them!
They are mine...All Mine!
Bad thing is that the are only available during the Holiday's.Stocked up on 4 and have had 2, can't keep my mind off them! one word. "UNBELIVEABLE SMOKE"

This cigar may be the best Fuente on the market currently, this is like the Opus X of the past. Very oily wrapper with great spice and hints of coffee.

What a great smoke! Beautiful physical appearance, so oily it looks like it was dipped in used motor oil. Deep, rich and smooth. I'm not a huge fan of Fuente products, but I'm sold on this one. I usually don't score cigars on this page until I've had a few of them, but I don't figure I'll get many more of this one. I'd buy a box in a heartbeat if I could get them. If anything, this cigar is underpriced.

I have reached a high level of scepticisim with fuente's Opus/Anejo performance versus market hype. Most just don't bring home the bacon like other less expensive fuentes.

After saying this the 77 was one of the best in the scare overmarketed line. Smooth from start to finish, fantastic construction, and a great flavour.

The Only round to square I know of. I had to rate it high just because how it's rolled (Kidding). Great draw, even burn!, nice white ash. The flavor is great. Creamy cocoa, with some fruit. Starated off good and continued flavor and even picked up about 1/3 of the way down. Great Cigar, and this time not just hype.

Beautiful dark wrapper with a red foot that made it look all the darker. With Rich robust leathery & peppery flavors. This smoke was a blockbuster!

This cigar has a half box pressed look that is really working it for me. And this baby tasted as good as she looked.

I've only smoked two, the remainder are resting for special occasions. These are some of the best cigars that I've smoked. Strong, yet mellow, great performance. The only drawbacks are their scarcity and brutal price.

A good cigar, but not great. A little over priced. However I wouldn't turn one down.