One of the hottest manufacturers on the market today is without a doubt AJ Fernandez. So much so that companies are tapping him to make cigars for their own portfolio. While this helps get your name out there, it can also work against you as people tend to overlook your core lines. One of those core lines is the AJ Fernandez New World which is a Nicaraguan puro. The company describes the cigar as, “a true work of art blended with the finest tobaccos found in the four main tobacco regions of Nicaragua. Hand selected wrapper and fillers from Esteli, Ometepe, Condega and Jalapa are showcased in a beautiful medium to full-bodied box pressed cigar.”
Cigar Review: AJ Fernandez New World
Wrapper: Nicaragua Oscuro
Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
Filler: Nicaragua (Condega, Estelí and Ometepe)
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 55
Size: Robusto
The Look: Packaged in a wooden flip top box that features the New World Logo, and gold text in front denoting New World, the cigars have an old world feel. Inside are 21 box pressed cigars that feature a pristine Oscuro wrapper that is oily and toothy in the form of little magnesium spots from the magnesium rich soils of Nicaragua. These little bumps give a Braille like appearance and are a sign of perfectly grown tobacco. The New World band is a Columbus inspired piece of art and the foot of the cigar features a red ribbon. In the hand the cigar is hefty with no soft spots and a well packed foot.
The Notes: Once the cap is clipped the initial notes are of dark cacao, toffee with a hint of coffee bean, while the aroma off the foot of the cigar has notes of mocha, earth and touch of spice with hints of citrus.
Once the cigar is toasted and lit there is a nice sweetness to it that coats the palate with hints of pepper on the retrohale that ignite the senses. Moving into the half-inch mark the sweetness remains in the form of chocolate notes with a hint of jelly giving the cigar a flavor profile similar to that of a jelly ring (thank you, Captain Obvious). The finish of the cigar is slightly earthy and the retrohale introduces hints of orange citrus.
As we move into the second third of the cigar the orange citrus notes become more of a marshmallow component before transcending back to citrus at the halfway point. There is a hearty wood note with notes of white and black pepper that reminds me of the encrusted portion of a pepper encrusted Filet Mignon. The chocolate light sweetness remains but its more in the background then anything else.
The last third sees the pepper notes intensify with a woody finish with nuances of leather and earth. The retrohale enhances the woody components and the cigar has a long smooth finish.
The Finish: If you smoke AJ Fernandez cigars and are a fan of Nicaraguan tobacco it easy to see why he has become such a prominent player in the cigar industry. While the cigar has some familiar Nicaraguan aspects, it is blended to perfection with sweet and bitter notes creating an excellent Yin-Yang effect. Meaty, Savory, Sweet and Spicy the AJ Fernandez New World is right in my wheel house.
Score: 91
Price: $6.59 / $119.99
AJ Fernandez New World
AJ Fernandez New World Foot
AJ Fernandez New World Burn
