Fiat Lux Tenebrus Review — Fiat Lux Tenebrus by Luciano Cigars

Today, we are reviewing the Fiat Lux Tenebrus Limited Edition by Luciano Cigars. This cigar made its debut in 2024, continuing the story of Luciano’s Fiat Lux line. Just as light paves the way for enlightenment, Fiat Lux reveals a journey of discovery through the cigar experience. Tenebrus captures the philosophical transition from “darkness into light,” reflecting the Latin phrase ‘Fiat Lux’ (let there be light). According to Luciano Cigars, this connection emphasizes the rich complexity of the blend and the illuminating experience it promises. Additionally, the name draws inspiration from the dark wrapper that adorns the blend, which is one of two wrappers utilized in its creation.

The original Fiat Lux, a regular production cigar, made its debut in 2021. In 2024, Luciano Cigars announced that production of Fiat Lux would shift out of Nicaragua to Placencia’s Tabacos de Oriente factory located in Danlí, Honduras. At the time the move was announced, the Tenebrus was also announced as the first extension to the Fiat Lux brand.

Let’s break down the Fiat Lux Tenebrus without further ado and see what this cigar offers.

Fiat Lux Tenebrus by Luciano Cigars – Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

As mentioned, Tenebrus uses two wrappers. It’s not a barber pole, but one that uses an inner and outer wrapper. The outer wrapper is a dark Honduran Habano Azuacua from the Olancho region in Honduras. The inner wrapper is Ecuadorian Sumatra (which is the wrapper used on the core line). The binder and filler use all Nicaraguan tobacco.

Wrapper: Habano Azuacualpa- Olancho, (Honduras), Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Fillers: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Honduras
Factory: Tabacos de Oriente

Vitolas Offered

Fiat Lux Tenebrus comes in one vitola measuring 6 1/2 x 52, known as “No 1”. A total of 1,500 ten-count boxes were produced.

Appearance (*)

The Honduran wrapper of the Tenebrus is the star of the show. It has a rich milk/dark chocolate color that really pops. This wrapper had a light amount of oil. There was some very subtle mottling and a slight amount of toothiness on the surface. Although there were some visible veins, the surface remained smooth. Additionally, there were a few thin seams that were noticeable.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw (*)

A straight cut was used to commence the cigar experience of the Tenebrus. Once the cap was removed, it was time to commence with the pre-light draw ritual. The pre-light draw had notes of chocolate, coffee, and dark fruit. Sometimes, I get a “fusion” between chocolate and coffee notes, but with the Tenebrus, they were separate and distinct. After the excellent pre-light draw experience, it was time to remove the footer ribbon, toast up the Tenebrus, and head into the smoking phase.

Tasting Notes

The Tenebrus opened with more notes of coffee, chocolate, and fruit. In addition, notes of black pepper and earth were present. The coffee and chocolate notes moved into the forefront quickly. Much like the pre-light draw, the coffee and chocolate notes were separate and distinct. The fruit, earth, and pepper settled in the background. Meanwhile, on the retro-hale, there was an additional layer of black pepper.

As the Tenebrus moved into the second third, the coffee and pepper notes gradually increased. By the midway point, the coffee notes took over as the sole primary note. Meanwhile, the chocolate settled into the background with the fruit, earth, and pepper notes. However, the pepper notes continued to increase gradually.

The final third opened with the coffee notes still in the forefront, but the black pepper soon joined it. At the same time, the fruit, earth, and chocolate rounded off the flavor profile. As the cigar experience of the Tenebrus came to a close, the cigar finished up with a slightly soft and cool nub.

Burn

The burn of the Tenebrus needed some adjustments to ensure a straight burn line and path. Although the touch-ups were effective, I found myself needing to make more adjustments than I would like. The ash produced was predominantly on the firmer side. It displayed a light to medium gray hue. Regarding the burn rate and temperature, both were perfect.

Draw

The draw of the Tenebrus performed excellently. It had a touch of resistance, which, if you have followed my cigar assessments, is the sweet spot for me. At the same time, this was a low-maintenance cigar to derive flavor from.

Strength and Body

The Tenebrus opened with medium strength and medium-bodied flavors. As the cigar progressed, the body gradually increased. By the second half, the Tenebrus was delivering medium to full-bodied notes. The body also leveled off in the second half. Meanwhile, the strength also increased, but even more gradually. As a result, the strength never got out of the medium range of the spectrum.

The body maintained a slight edge throughout the smoking experience in terms of strength versus body.

BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)

When it comes to contemporary vs. classic style, I normally am a fan of classic packaging. However, when the original Fiat Lux came out, I was immediately drawn to its sleek, contemporary-style packaging. In the case of the Tenebrus, I like this packaging even better. The black and silver combination works on the box and the band—and it contrasts very nicely with the dark wrapper.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

Tenebrus is a fantastic release from Luciano Cigars. While this cigar doesn’t have a radically different flavor profile, the flavors it does deliver are completely on point. The beginning third was the strongest portion of the smoke, but this cigar definitely continues to perform well throughout.

Tenebrus is the kind of cigar I would not hesitate to recommend to an experienced cigar enthusiast. It’s also a cigar I would recommend to a novice looking to graduate to something “medium plus”. Regarding limited editions, the flavors will make you want to hunt this one down. At the same time, it would be sad to see if this is the first and only time Tenebrus will be made available. The $22.00 price point might be a little high, but it delivers a cigar experience worthy of being in that ultra-premium category. As for myself, this is a cigar I would smoke again – and it garners box-worthy consideration.

Summary

Key Flavors: Coffee, Chocolate, Fruit, Earth, Pepper
Burn: Very Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (2nd Half)
Finish: Very Good