OpusX is an institution at this point, an homage to perfectly aged Dominican tobacco. And if you thought it was hard to get a hold of the original blend, wait until you meet the Arturo Fuente Aged Selection FFOX Heaven and Earth Tauros the Bull Maduro.

(That is, if you get a chance. These things sell out faster than you can say “Fuente.”)

You can just call this one “Tauros Maduro.” He’s built for people who want to know what the OpusX of OpusX blends would taste like.

He’s a one-percenter, so to speak.

In the Fuente family vaults, they’re always aging tobacco. Much of it is spoken for, but some of the very best stuff is reserved for limited edition blends. The finest leaf makes it into OpusX cigars. And the very best of that bunch goes into special blends in the Aged Selection Heaven and Earth series. This includes Purple Rain, BBMF, Rare Black, and Scorpio. We’ll forgive you if it gets confusing. We have trouble ourselves sometimes just making sure we’re stocking and labeling everything properly.

This is a very select blend, rolled up to suit the tastes of those for whom a normal OpusX just isn’t enough. For them, we have the Arturo Fuente Aged Selection FFOX Heaven and Earth Tauros the Bull Maduro. It’s a taste of the very best from the fields of Chateau Fuente.

Tauros cigars have come a long way from the original OpusX that won Cigar Aficionado’s Cigar of the Year award in 2005. Back then, the modern cigar market was but a gleam in the eye of a Nicaraguan tobacco farmer, and Dominican wrapper leaf was something of a pipe dream. But the Fuentes worked hard to produce tobacco worthy of serving as a cigar cover leaf. And to say they succeeded would be to understate things ridiculously. They created a smash cult hit that instantly began flying off the shelves and still won’t stay in stock to this day, no matter which edition you’re talking about.

Arturo Fuente Aged Selection FFOX Heaven and Earth Tauros the Bull Maduro cigars are a bit of a different take on the classic OpusX format. You’re still getting a delicious Dominican puro, but the outer leaf is fermented to deep, dark perfection. The traditional flavor is altered and made more mature, earthy, and complex. For those who find that classic leather note to be a bit too much, this is a touch sweeter and more well-developed. Toast it up and take in the luxurious flavors of toasted peppercorn, dry dark cocoa, and lush creamy espresso. It’s silky smooth and everything you want in a Dominican cigar.

There’s just nothing quite like OpusX.

To complete the picture, Tauros the Bull cigars are sold in premium boxes of 10. The glossy wood veneers and gold-colored inlaid lettering are all crafted by Prometheus artisans in France to offer an appropriate vessel for Fuente’s best blends. This handsome packaging helps make Heaven and Earth cigars the perfect gift for a special occasion for the cigar lover in your life. For Father’s Day, birthdays, or just any day you want to celebrate a successful project or milestone, Arturo Fuente Aged Selection FFOX Heaven and Earth Tauros the Bull Maduro cigars make an outstanding choice.

Quantities are extremely limited, but if you manage to get one, savor it from beginning to end. It’s about as good as OpusX gets.

(Please note that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Arturo Fuente Aged Selection FFOX Heaven and Earth Tauros the Bull Maduro is donated to the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, which strives to improve the lives of children in need in the Bonao region of the Dominican Republic.)

- What are the flavors like? Toasted peppercorn, dry dark cocoa, lush creamy espresso.

- What’s the strength level? Full.

- Who is this cigar for? Arturo Fuente Aged Selection FFOX Heaven and Earth Tauros the Bull Maduro cigars are for those who want a fully fermented OpusX special blend.

- Will I want to smoke it to the nub? There’s no other option with OpusX.

- What’s a good pairing with it? These are just made for scotch. Get hold of Oban 18 Years, if you can, and enjoy two rare treasures together.

- What’s the best time/place to smoke this cigar? On your birthday, if you’re a Taurus like Don Carlos and Carlito Fuente both!

- Any flaws/downsides? The cost! And it’s hard to find.