
The Spanish Lonsdale Maduro is part of the company’s Gran Reserva line. It is a slender Lonsdale vitola featuring a 6 1/2 x 42 ring gauge, with a characterful US Broadleaf wrapper.
In this article, you will discover the Arturo Fuente Spanish Lonsdale Maduro as we review it according to the following considerations:
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Overview
- Brand: Arturo Fuente
- Range: Gran Reserva
- Reviewed Vitolas: 6 1/2 x 42 Lonsdale
- Wrapper: USA Connecticut Broadleaf
- Binder: Dominican Republic
- Filler: Dominican Republic
- Factory: Tabacalera Arturo Fuente, Dominican Republic
- Handmade: Yes
- Body: Medium – Full
- Estimated Smoking Time: 80 Minutes
- Pricing: $6 / Single [Buy Now]
Though I’m not entirely sure where the expression “Spanish” in the name of this cigar stems from, it’s intriguing to see the traditional Lonsdale vitola so prominently featured in a company’s core portfolio. While the Spanish Lonsdale is offered in a natural version with a Meerapfel Cameroon wrapper, the Maduro version offers a rich, chocolaty interpretation with the USA Connecticut Broadleaf.

Arturo Fuente Spanish Lonsdale Maduro Look & Feel
- Wrapper Hue: Espresso brown
- Rolling Consistency: Even
- Spring: Firm with a few bumps
- Aromas: Chocolate, roasted hay, quince
The dark, chocolatey espresso brown USA Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper shows a few minor bumps, minimal veins, and a toothy, grainy texture.
Even though the first impression is just a bit rustic, it nevertheless has a very appealing and inviting feel to it, shimmering with lots of oils on a firm grip.
The cigar is very well made which becomes even more obvious during the smoking experience. Let’s not forget, that slim, long vitolas are always challenging to roll and this one just performs perfectly every single time.
Arturo Fuente Spanish Lonsdale Maduro Review
Since this is one of my daily go-to cigars and almost always part of my rotation, I’ve smoked entire boxes of the Spanish Lonsdale, both natural and maduro wrapped versions. They have been stored in my coolidor with 69% Boveda humidity packs for at least half a year.
Pre-Lighting Experience
- Draw: Ideal
- Aromas: Sour cherry, wet leather, burnt mint
The cold draw gives me just the right amount of resistance with a very interesting mix of chocolate, roasted hay, and a fruit-like connotation underneath.
Whilst the wrapper and foot have a lively quince aroma, almost leaning towards an unripe, juicy pear, the cold draw has sour cherry, wet leather, and burnt mint.
1st Third Smoking Experience
- Notes: Toffee cardamom, sweet leather, jasmin
- Retrohale: pink pepper
As one might expect from a dark, oily maduro wrapper, in particular a rich US Connecticut Broadleaf, the cigar starts with sweet chocolate, in combination with distinct bitter qualities, counterbalancing the initial sugary impact.
I detect toffee and cardamom, challenged by a musky profile of sweet leather, reminding me of the cold draw.
Interestingly enough, there is a jasmine-like, floral scent in the mix as well, graciously enlightening and brightening up the aromatic profile. The retrohale in particular sets the stage for a gentle accord of pink pepper, chocolate sweetness, and earthen minerality.
Whilst the experience overall is rich and dense, with a full body and creamy mouthfeel, the strength level is just between mild and medium. Overall, right from the beginning, the cigar’s complexity becomes obvious, with velvety nuances but just enough spice to balance it all off.
2nd Third Smoking Experience
- Notes: Sweet earth, bitter chocolate, roasted star anise, burnt mint
What I initially perceived as wet leather now has shifted into more earthiness, again sweet with a touch of bitter cocoa and almost burnt caramel. The chocolate from the beginning has faded into crispy bits of bitter cocoa with roasted star anise on top.
Hence, the combination of spice, fruity acidity intermingled with floral undertones creates a most intriguing, lively profile that elevates the underlying sweet and earthy layers. The colorful array of sensory triggers gives the cigar complexity, freshness, and richness.
Final Third Smoking Experience
- Notes: Roasted cumin, Pedro Ximénez sherry, date syrup
- Retrohale: pink pepper
The crescendo of the final third has a distinct note of roasted cumin, elegantly accompanied by drizzles of Pedro Ximenez sherry and decade-old Oloroso. It’s that combination of dried fruits, nuttiness with a charming sweetness underneath, which the cigar so proudly features throughout the entire smoke – a certain quality that can only stem from years of aging and gentle maturation.
The sweetness finally culminates in form of juicy dates and date syrup, again, a sweet component that has lots of earthy, bitter and sour components as well.
With every single puff, the cigar not only becomes slightly darker, richer, and earthier but also transcends into an ethereal elegance, resembled by bitter spice, layers of depth and a long finish.
Overall Burn
- Ash Backbone: Strong
- Burn Angle: Perfectly straight
- Temperature: Cool
- Draw: Ideal
- Final Smoking Time: 80 Minutes
Having smoked boxes worth of this cigar, I can strongly testify that the technical performance is excellent. Pretty much every single Spanish Lonsdale I had lit up in the past showed the same quality in construction and combustion. The burn is perfectly even, leaving firm, stable ash.
Even though this is a small ring gauge with a tall and slender body, the execution by the rollers is impressive. Since the smoke is cool, clean and almost refreshing, the cigar never wears old and makes you come back for more.
On average, the final smoking time seems to perfectly settle around 80 to 85 minutes for me.
Overall Experience
The Spanish Lonsdale is in my daily rotation, not just because it’s a most affordable cigar, but because the combination of excellent value for money and the intriguing flavor profile come together quite nicely.
Being presented in boxes of 25, the slim, traditional Lonsdale intrigues the senses long before lightening them up.
The boxes look neat and tidy with a little bit of gold, white and black drizzled on the wood and cardboard combo. There are various cedar inlays as well as a personal note from Carlito Fuente himself within the box.
Finally, the cigar ring is simple and minimalistic, offering the typical Arturo Fuente Gran Reserve design with red and green color-coding.
As I mentioned before, this feels like an everyday cigar to me. One could enjoy this in the morning with a cup of espresso, during an extended lunch break, or even as an after-dinner smoke. Never going out of style, a Fuente Lonsdale, particularly with an oily, glossy maduro wrapper, is always a perfect pick.
Pairing Recommendations With A Spanish Lonsdale Maduro Cigar
As experimental as it might sound, I love to smoke this cigar with a shot of beef broth or a steaming-hot pot of miso soup on the side. Salted pretzels or a similarly crunchy snack are also excellent pairings with the Spanish Lonsdale Maduro.
After Eight, an old chocolate treat with mint filling is a great alternative for those with a sweet tooth. It beautifully engages with the cigar’s lively green herbaceousness, in combination with rich, dark chocolate and prickly spice.
The absolute highlight for me though is pairing this Lonsdale with a glass of old, perfectly matured Oloroso Sherry. I went for Bodegas Tradicion V.O.R.S Oloroso, which is aged for more than 30 years on average. It is the quintessential expression of Andalusian fortified wine’s greatness.
Closing Thoughts
Again, overall, this is a most enjoyable cigar, offering just the right levels of complexity and intricacy, whilst at the same time being very affordable and approachable. It delivers on all different levels, both from a sensory perspective as well as technical performance and presentation.
It’s a great value for money smoke with intriguing aromatic depth, elegant and creamy mouthfeel, encompassing a lot of different nuances and components to be unearthed, layer by layer.
"A very versatile classic smoke that can be enjoyed for most occasions and any time of the day."
Further Reading
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