Cigar Review: Alfonso Anejo #3

Introduced at the 2022 PCA Trade show was Alfonso Anejo from Nelson Alfonso’s Selected Tobacco. The Alfonso Añejos line ages in a separate room. This was an experiment Nelson was testing after learning the complexity French Oak could offer. Some of the most famous wines in the world use French Oak barrels and this became an obsession to incorporate a new wood into the aging rooms for Nelson. The results after five(5) years of post-roll age in Cedar and French Oak aging rooms are the Alfonso Añejos.

Available in six sizes, the Alfonso is limited for 2022 with only 5,000 cigars made in each size.

Cigar Review: Alfonso Anejo #3
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Filler: Peruvian & Nicaraguan Ligero
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 54
Vitola: #3 (Toro)

The Look: The cigar comes two ways for its initial release with the first being a dress box with a humidor like finish and a push button lock. The other release is a wood box similar in style to that of the Bandolero line. Inside the cigar sits with a luxurious looking cigar band denoting Alfonso in gold on a pearl background. The band also has a “false” secondary blue band (its connected to the main band in the back) that denotes produccion limitada and a foot band with the Selected Tobacco motif. The Alfonso features a flawless oily looking Ecuador Connecticut wrapper that is smooth to the touch with a well packed foot featuring a swirl of Ligero tobaccos. In the hand the cigar has an average weight with no voids of tobacco.

The Notes: The cold draw features notes of cedar with a subtle raisin and molasses. Off the foot of the cigar the molasses is ramped up with a touch of cinnamon and raisin. Once the cigar is toasted and lit the initial notes are cedar and oak which is expected and a wonderful rich molasses that encapsulates the palate along with a subtle pepper component. As we smoke this velvet smooth cigar there are notes of molasses, rye, raisin, blackberry and the aforementioned cedar and oak. It’s incredibly complex and exquisite before we even reach the halfway point.

In the second half a subtle honey, brown sugar and graham cracker develop with a rich finish. The firm ash holds on for nearly both halves of the smoke. The retrohale has some continued notes of blackberries, raisin and molasses. The Alfonso Anejo #3 remains exceptionally smooth until I put it down with about a 1/4 inch to go doing my best to prolong the experience as long as I can.

The Finish: This is probably one of my most anticipated reviews, and I wonder how many people only looked at the score. I’ve caught slack for scoring high, and I’ve caught slack for working in retail. I score high, yes. If I was your professor you would love me. If I was your appraiser in selling a house, you would love me. But it’s cigars and some people want to see them scored lower, why I do not know. Ask them.

As far as working in retail, yes I do. But if I say a cigar is great and it isn’t I lost the trust in the consumer and I do more harm than good. I know some people look to my reviews because they know my palate is in line with theirs. It’s all preference. If we all saw cigars the same way, the review blogosphere would be a pretty boring place.

So with that said, I have joked around that I would score a cigar a 102 one day mostly to set off a small group of people who are really bent over my scoring. But this cigar is simply put the best cigar I have ever smoked. Is it a 102? I’ll leave that for you to decide. But as a man of his word, I have followed through on giving a cigar a 102.

Score: 102
Price: $40.00 / $999.99 (Box of 25)