Fuente - Opus X - No. 5

Arturo Fuente - Opus X - The flagship of the Fuente line, the Opus X is hailed as a classic smoke by the cigar community.  With some vitolas receiving as high as a '94' rating by Cigar Aficianado, this is one of those cigars that every smoker has to try at some point.  Thought of as a powerhouse smoke, these cigars are not always an easy find in a lot of markets. 
Wrapped, bound and filled with the finest Dominican tobaccos from the Fuente's fabled Chateau de la Fuente, these cigars are a potrait of the tradition and experience of the Fuente brand.

Prelight - This is the first Opus X I have ever smoked.  For some reason, I've been inclined to smoking newer brands, which I suppose target a younger demographic than the more traditional brands, like Fuente.  So this meeting between me and this Opus X has been a long time coming.
The construction is great, everything I expected.  Firm throughout  with no soft spots, and an attractive wrapper.  The wrapper is a light-brown, almost Colorado hued leaf, with a few tiny veins visible.  The leaf looks very fragile and artisanly rolled.  The foot of the cigar smells of cedar and fresh tobacco.
I clip the cap and find the draw to be effortless.  I taste a little spice on the prelight draw.

Sparking it - This cigar opens up with pure power.  A lot of spice.  I'm not a huge fan of unbalanced spice, but something about the creaminess of the smoke keeps me satisfied early on.  About an inch into the smoke, the burn runs a tad uneven.  A quick touch-up burn fixes that. 
At about the same time, the flavor profile starts to open up.  I get a mix of aromas off the second-hand smoke that carries a rich sweetness in it.  The smoke gets creamier and the spice settles down while still maintaining its presence in the smoke.  I like where this is heading.

Smoking it -  This cigar has been burning for a long time.  The No. 5 is only a 4.88" x 40 gauge cigar and it has been burning for about 40 minutes.  I'm a fast smoker, and I'm still not done.  The burn never shows any more issues and stays even and steady throughout.  I think one of the reasons I've never smoked the Opus X is that I've heard it was a spicy smoke and extremely full-flavored.  While I like full-flavor, I dislike it without balance and complexity.  The Opus X  shows all of those qualities.  I may compare a larger vitola sometime to see if that balance comes with the smaller size.
Early on the power of the cigar had me a little worried it may not be for me.  I know a lot people love powerhouse smokes and that could be the reason for its popularity.  But as the smoked progressed, I was found myself tasting a variety of flavors with each 1/2" inch.  I hate to be overly descriptive with the profile, but I tasted cedar, sweet spice, a deep fruity flavor and more.  All while maintaining a balanced spice flavor throughout.
The last 10 minutes of the cigar were the best in my opinion.  The resting smoke was sweet and rich, and the flavors were intense.  I highly recommend the Opus X to all you medium to full smokers out there.  A smaller vitola like the No. 5, is a great introduction to the line.

Overall - A