Today, we review the Fuente Fuente OpusX Forbidden X Templo de Oro No 3 (Robusto) from Arturo Fuente Cigars. If you know Carlos “Carlito” Fuente, one thing you will know is that he loves to shroud cigars in mystery and loves the element of surprise. A couple of years ago, I heard about a “gold OpusX” circulating in Fuente’s factory in the Dominican Republic, but not much information was available at the time. Then, in late 2025, the “gold OpusX” started appearing at Fuente retailers, adding to the mystery and excitement surrounding these cigars. In fact, many retailers were unaware that these cigars were even arriving at their stores.
Carlito Fuente didn’t give much away in terms of details. We do know that this cigar has one of the lighter-colored wrappers among OpusX cigars. Templo de Oro means “Temple of Gold,” and this not only refers to the gold-colored packaging on this cigar, but also to the hue of the wrapper. It’s listed as an extension to the OpusX ForbiddenX line, but as far as any lineage or connection between Templo de Oro and ForbiddenX, this is very much an unknown.
Without further ado, let’s break down the Templo de Oro No 3 and see what this cigar brings to the table.
SPECIFICATIONS
Blend and Origin
Due to the limited information available about this cigar, there is a corresponding lack of detailed insights into its blend. The OpusX line has typically used wrapper grown on the Chateau de la Fuente in the Dominican Republic.
- Wrapper: Not Disclosed
- Binder: Not Disclosed
- Filler: No Disclosed
- Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
- Factory: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia
Vitolas Available
There are four sizes available at the Templo de Oro. Each is presented in 20-count boxes. Production is limited, but production quantities have not been disclosed.
- No 1: 6 1/8 x 50
- No 3: 5 1/2 x 52
- No 8: 6 1/8 x 55
- No 13: 6 x 58
Appearance (*)
The wrapper of the Templo de Oro No 3 is light brown. It’s easy to compare this wrapper to the lighter wrappers found on Connecticut Shade cigars, but I would also say it’s darker than those cigars. On the other hand, this is quite a thin wrapper. There was a slight amount of oil on the wrapper near the cap. The surface of the wrapper had some visible veins. There weren’t many visible seams.
PERFORMANCE
Pre-Light Draw (*)
Before lighting the Templo de Oro No 3, I carefully removed the ribbon and the gold sleeve. Since this cigar has a thin wrapper, it requires gentle handling. In each of the samples I smoked, I experienced no after-effects after removing the ribbon or sleeve.
From that point, it was time to place a straight cut and remove the cap with a straight cut. Again, I was cautious with the cut, and I didn’t experience any cracking. After removing the cap, it was time to commence with the pre-light draw. The cold draw had notes of sweet cream, classic wood, and natural tobacco. Overall, this was a satisfactory pre-light draw. At this point, it was time to toast up the footer of the Templo de’Oro No 3 and move into the smoking phase.
Tasting Notes
The Templo de Oro No 3 opened up with notes of honey, cream, cedar, and natural tobacco. Early on, the honey, cream, and natural tobacco notes moved into the forefront. Meanwhile, the cedar notes settled into the background. As the cigar moved through the first third, the natural tobacco notes eventually became the primary note. Meanwhile, the honey and cream settled in the background with the cedar notes. There was still a good amount of honey and cream, delivering both smoothness and sweetness. There was a mixed pepper note present on the retro-hale. The mixed pepper consisted of black and exotic peppers.
By the start of the second third of the Templo de Oro No 3, the mixed pepper (black and exotic pepper notes) surfaced on the tongue. The natural tobacco notes in the forefront had a good balance of sweet and bitter components. Meanwhile, there was an increase in both the cedar and pepper notes. Meanwhile,e the honey and creaminess subsided but still contributed to the overall flavor profile.
The final third saw the natural tobacco notes remain grounded in the forefront. The natural tobacco notes still had a good balance of sweet and bitter components. Meanwhile, the mixed pepper was now the more dominant of the secondary notes. There were still notes of cedar and honey. By this point, most of the creaminess had subsided. This is the way the Templo de Oro No 3 came to a close. The resulting nub was soft to the touch and cool in temperature.
Burn
Overall, the Templo de Oro No 3 maintained a straight burn path and kept a straight burn line. This cigar required minimal touchups to maintain the burn. As mentioned, this was a thin, fragile wrapper, so touchups had to be applied carefully to avoid scorching it. The resulting ash was light to medium gray. This was also an ash that was skewed toward the looser side. For a Fuente cigar, this was a bit of a looser ash than I was used to. As for the burn rate and burn temperature, both were ideal.
Draw
Overall, I found the draw of the Templo de Oro No 3 to perform quite well. There was a touch of resistance in the draw that I appreciated, which made this ideal. At the same time, this was a low-maintenance cigar to derive flavor from.
Strength and Body
The Templo de Oro No 3 started on the upper end of mild to medium for both strength and body. There was a slow, steady increase in both strength and body. By the second third, the Templo de Oro No 3 was in medium territory for both strength and body. The strength and body continued to increase. Toward the end, both attributes came close to medium to full, but didn’t quite reach it.
BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)
One thing I appreciate about a luxury brand like Fuente Fuente OpusX is the attention to packaging. Needless to say, Fuente pulled out all the stops with Templo de Oro.
The actual box is housed inside a velvet sleeve, which in turn is housed inside a pink colored outer box.
The box is in the style we have seen in the Fuente 20th and 25th releases. It’s sleek and very contemporary looking. There is plenty of gold emblazoned on the front and inside vista. Of course, the box features the iconic OpusX logo.
The primary band is the black OpusX band found on the ForbiddenX line. There is a red secondary band with gold lettering identifying the cigar as Templo de Oro. A gold sleeve covers the lower half of the cigar. The bottom of the cigar is finished with a red ribbon.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
Final Thoughts
This is definitely a case where I wish Fuente would pull the curtain and reveal the mystery of the Templo de Oro. The reason I say that is because the Templo de Oro No 3 is a spectacular cigar. It excels in the category that is most important – flavor. There is one drawback with this cigar – the thin and fragile wrapper. I had heard some reports of the wrapper cracking. I smoked five samples of the Templo de Oro No 3. On the final cigar I smoked for review, I encountered this problem pulling off the secondary band. I still deducted this from the overall score; however, it didn’t impact my overall enjoyment of this cigar. It just became more of a nuisance from the smoke.
This tear presented a slight dilemma for me, as I hate to deduct points on one of the best OpusX cigars I have ever had. Ultimately, the positives outweighed the negatives. I would recommend this cigar to any cigar enthusiast, whether novice or experienced. Despite the deduction, the Templo de Oro scored a very impressive 92 points (it could have reached 93). This still puts it above the threshold of the Cigar Coop Standard of Excellence. In the end, this cigar was still good enough to “Fight Chuck Norris for Them,” putting it in a very elite category.
Summary
- Key Flavors: Natural Tobacco, Honey, Cream, Cedar, Pepper
- Burn: Excellent
- Draw: Excellent
- Complexity: Medium
- Strength: Mild to Medium to Full (1st Half), Medium (2nd Half)
- Body: Mild to Medium (1st Half), Medium (2nd Half)
- Finish: Very Good
Rating
Value: Fight Chuck Norris for Them
Score: 92
Cigar Coop Standard of Excellence
REFERENCES
(*) Indicates this is not factored into the score or value rating
Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
