Tag Archives: A.J. Fernandez

by | February 26, 2023 · 10:39 am

Anonymous, New World and Adventura Cigars

This winter is flying by, it’s already the end of February.  By this time last year I had been to Vegas for the TPE, and a beach vacation to Puerto Rico.  It just doesn’t seem like there’s been time for any of that this year. Thankfully, the weather has cooperated here in PA, but there’s still a few more weeks of winter to go, so anything can happen. Anyway, I dug into the dwindling supply of Secret Santa cigars from Mitch (many thanks again!), and picked out this Anonymous, a perfecto which is one of the Smoke Inn Micro Blends, made by AJ Fernandez. The shape reminds me of the old Drew Estate Chateau Real Gran Cru Perfecto, or the Undercrown Shade Suprema.  It’s 6″ x 54, with a Cameroon wrapper, and binder and fillers from AJ’s farms in Nicaragua.  This was a delicious cigar.  It smoked a little darker in flavor than I expect from a Cameroon, but had that sweet, nuttiness that it should have.  I see that the box pressed version is still available at SI, this was the round, but I’m not clear if the format is the same or the box press is just a parejo, anyone know?

 

I had an ADVentura The Royal Return King’s Gold Robusto in the humidor for a little over a year, and Friday seemed like the right time to smoke it for some reason.  Oddly, I remember when and where this came into my possession. I was at the TPE show after hours at the bar in the Sahara, and a friend, who at the time was a broker who handled Adventura, and is now the VP of a cigar company. To be honest, I didn’t know he was a broker at the time, I figured he was just a fellow cigar media guy.  Anyway, I’ve smoked the Adventura King’s Gold before, in the toro format. On paper, I should love this cigar. It has a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, San Andrés binder and Dominican, nicaraguan and Pennsylvania fillers.  For some reason, I have yet to find a cigar from the Ventura factory that floats my boat.  There was nothing wrong with this cigar, it tasted good, burned well, and I liked it well enough, just didn’t really stand out to me.  There are certain factories that I don’t seem to gravitate to, this is one (oddly, Aganorsa is another). Weird, right? 

 

Speaking of AJ Fernandez, I had sent some cigars to my friend Phil over at Comedy, Cigars, Music, with the instruction that no reciprocation was necessary. Much like I would have done, he didn’t listen, and sent me a bunch of cigars I hadn’t smoked before.  One of them was the AJ Fernandez New World Dorado toro. This was my favorite cigar of the week, and I had some other great cigars this week.  I’ve enjoyed a lot of the New World line, but obviously this one is special, as it comes in a ten count box. This was a 6″ x 54 Toro (I see this also comes in a Figurado very similar to the Anonymous! Interested!). It’s a Nicagaruan puro, with the Habano wrapper grown on AJ’s Dorado farm, and Nicaraguan fillers and binder (obviously). This cigar had some spice to start and then had some really nice, tangy fruit and nuts sort of flavors. This was a really tasty smoke!

 

That’s all for today. I need to take a ride today and pick up a couple of the new Fratello cigars I didn’t get last weekend, a fairly local shop has them. Perhaps after I get some stuff around the house done. I’ve had a series of migraines the last couple of days that have sapped my energy, I suspect they are weather related, but might be Chinese Food related, now that I think of it. Anyway, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | April 17, 2022 · 9:42 am

Upmann, CAO and Black Label Trading Co. Cigars and a Rant

 

There seem to be few cigars in Altadis portfolio that fit my preferences. I probably say this every time I post about an Altadis cigar, and it probably doesn’t endear me to the marketing folks there! I do have some friends there that are aware of my feelings. I keep trying though. There are exceptions, and I can pretty much count on enjoying anything Altadis produces in conjunction with A.J. Fernandez. I smoked the z Nicaragua Heritage by A.J. Fernandez in the Toro size this week and was pretty surprised.  This is a 6″ x 54 toro with a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper. The binder and fillers are all Nicaraguan tobaccos grown by A.J. Fernandez. I found this to be a powerhouse cigar, much stronger than I expected. I likened to to the Gispert Intenso. I personally liked it a lot, but I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who enjoys the original H. Upmann by A.J. (which I also enjoy!). It’s a totally different cigar, the difference between a Latte and an espresso, I would imagine.

 

I’ve had the occasion to smoke a couple of the new CAO Pilón Ańejo cigars over the past couple weeks, and the one I smoked yesterday was fairly impressive. The first one I smoked maybe wasn’t rested sufficiently from it’s travels. This 5½” x 54 robusto has an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper. The blend is rich and savory, consisting of Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers,  a Honduran Habano binder and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. Curiously, this is a different blend than the original Pilón, which has an Ecuador Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan binder. That kind of blows my plan of doing a back to back comparison between the two! I like Sumatra wrapped cigars, so this one works for me. It was a good, smooth cigar without any problems. I found it to be enjoyable, pleasing woody flavors without much sweetness. A good cigar. I may still pull out a Pilón from the original release and see how it stack up against this one, just for kicks. 

 

OK, here’s my rant of the week. I know it’s Easter Sunday, and happy Easter and passover for those of you who celebrate. Earlier this week the CRA posted this meme, and the subsequent apology, on their Facebook page, and it caused a bit of a kerfuffle.

There were those who defended it, thought it was funny, etc. While it might be funny in a Facebook group that is predominantly a men’s social group, it’s not the kind of thing I believe the folks at Cigar Rights of America should be devoting their resources to. Let’s set aside the misogynistic nature of the meme, make no mistake, the divisiveness of the message was no small part of the backlash that this caused. I take issue with the fact that I’m paying the CRA to advocate on behalf of the cigar industry, and I have been since 2009. It’ not a lot of money, but the point is that our money isn’t to pay for an entertaining Facebook group. Whoever is running things there, and I don’t think that’s clear since Glynn Loope left, should be posting legislative updates up the page, not funnies. The CRA complains about membership and wants to be taken seriously and fails to set a good example of why they should be in a public forum. I hold them to a higher standard. I think their apology missed this point. Anyway, that got my hackles up this week!

 

Last night I went over to Son’s Cigars where James and Angela Brown (and Levi) from Black Label Trading Co. were there holding an event. This was possibly the biggest event at the shop since they opened last summer. Angela Brown is rarely at events, and I had only met her at an IPCPR show several years ago, so it was nice to see her again. there was a contingent there from Mane Street Cigars in Woodbridge, NJ for the event, and I’ve known Alex, who manages the shop, for many years (here’s the story of when I met Alex). I selected and smoked a Lawless Churchill, 7″ x 48 (close enough), with an Ecuador Habano Rosado wrapper and Nicaraguan Binder and fillers. This was a delicious cigar, it’s really right in my wheelhouse. It has rich, dark fruit and cocoa flavors. I must grab a handful next week when I’m back at the shop. It might be one of my favorites in the line. Lovely cigar, lovely people, good times. 

 

That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig 

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by | October 4, 2020 · 10:52 am

A Few A.J. Fernandez Cigars, a Pancetta and STFU!!! Thoughts

I smoked a few more of the A.J. Fernandez cigars that I had picked up last week at CigarCigars in Downingtown. I’ve managed to smoke a great many more cigars that are made by AJF for other people than under his own name, but I imagine that’s just a function of scale. The San Lotano was a cigar that I really enjoyed several years ago. The first one was the New World Puro Especiale Robusto. This is a 5½ x 52 “robusto”, not a bad size, right in between a robusto and a toro really. I thought it was a pretty decent cigar, on the leathery side, which generally doesn’t excite me a whole lot. It has Nicaraguan Habano wrapper and binder, with Nicaraguan fillers. One wonders if they go to the trouble of identifying the wrapper and binder varietals, why skimp on naming the fillers? Anyway, it was a very good cigar if that’s your flavor preference, mine tends toward something sweeter.

 

Next up was the Enclave Broadleaf, a cigar that I had been hoping to pick up, but was disappointed that they didn’t have for sale. How is it that I came to acquire this cigar, you ask? Well. Tom, the new manager at CigarCigars in Downingtown, PA, happened to mention that he was smoking one that the rep, John, had given him to try, and he was going to recommend bringing them in, which I replied that I had hoped to find them there. He then gifted me one, which was mighty nice of him, I think he’s going to do alright there! 😀 Like I said, I had been looking forward to trying this cigar, so I lit up the 5” x 52 Robusto and took a walk. This is a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapped cigar with Nicaraguan binder and fillers, and it’s on the strong side. I actually found it to have a biting sensation, to the flavor. It had the bitter espresso thing going on to a pretty high level, in my opinion. There was nothing subtle or smooth about this cigar. When I come across these in the shop I’ll pick a few up and leave them rest for a while (six months to a year) and see if the rough edges smooth out. For me, this is a cigar to follow a heavy meal, it’s a full frontal assault on the palate.

 

I posted the news release last week about Drew Estate’s re-release of the Liga Privada Lounge exclusive Liga Privada Serie Unico Pancetta. This is a shop exclusive that is exclusive to only two shops, the Wooden Indian, which is near me, and one of my favorites, and Barristers In New Jersey. Last year Dave, the proprietor of the Wooden Indian, gave me one out of his private stock, long after I had missed out on getting one. Now that they are available again, or maybe they sold out of the latest batch, I’m not sure, I figured I’d smoke it. It’s a smaller cigar, at least for my tastes, a 4 ¾” x 50 belicoso. I got a late start last night, and the size worked well for me.  This cigar has the T52 wrapper, around a variation on the Feral Flying Pig blend. The combination resulted in an excellent cigar, although I was hard pressed to make any connection to either the T52 or the FFP. To be fair, the last FFP seemed different from the previous FFP I smoked, so who knows, right? Anyway, it was an outstanding cigar that I savored until I couldn’t savor any more, it certainly is a cigar that Dave at the WI is proud to have representing his wonderful lounge, which I look forward to visiting once it reopens! I’ve actually only been there once since the remodeled, and it was at Christmas. Between lack of employment and pandemic, I haven’t had a chance to get there. Call them and see if they still have some available!

 

Saka had his big reveal show for his STFU!!! Brûlée Sampler, hosted by Kevin at CigarProp and the I’d Tap That Cigar show. I don’t normally watch live streams, but this one was a must see. Kevin did a great job moderating this one with Steve and Dave Lafferty, although someone should tell Steve that his signature black shirt against the dark background made him look like a disembodied head on my screen, which was a little disturbing. I lit up a Mi Querida Firecracker because it was supposed to be an hour,  I should have gone with a Sobremesa Short Churchill, because it went an hour and  20 minutes. It’s Saka, I should know better. Anyway, The announcement was that the S and !!! were regular Brûlée, T was double sweet and F and U were sweetened. My assessment was close, although I struggled with F and U, missing U altogether I think. The way Steve explained the sweetening process, they make all the cigars the same, then wipe the sugar solution on after the fact, and the sugar solution is concentrated differently to achieve the sweetness level. The F and U samples I received must have had the cloth with the sweetener on it waved over them, because they either were ever so slightly sweetened, or I don’t taste sweet very well. I have quite. A sweet tooth, so I don’t think that’s the case. Anyway, I rather enjoyed the T actually, it was an interesting change of pace, and I do enjoy a sweetened cigar once in a while, although the saccharine is a little much, but Steve explained why that is used instead of sugar in a lot of cases to. Go to the CigarProp YouTube channelCigarProp YouTube channel if you missed the show, there’s a lot of good information there.

 

That’s about all for today, until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

 

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by | September 27, 2020 · 10:34 am

Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua and Bellas Artes Maduro Cigars

I mentioned that I picked up some new-to-me cigars recently, and one of those was the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua in the 6″ x 54 toro size. I can’t say as I’ve really taken to a great many Romeo y Julieta cigars, although I do recall enjoying the Reserva Real line the most. I have enjoyed a few of the newer RoMEo blends, although none were particularly mind-blowing for me. As with many cigars in the Altadis portfolio, it seems that the ones I’m drawn to are the ones that come out of the A.J. Fernandez partnership. There are some exceptions in the Montecristo line, but the only H. Upmanns I really like are the A.J variety, and this new Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real, blended by Rafael Nodal and Abdel Fernandez really hit my palate right. This is a Nicaraguan puro, made with tobaccos grown on A.J. Fernandez farms. It’s a beautiful looking cigar, milk chocolate colored wrapper, perfect draw and a solid ash. It was a pleasure to smoke. It kind of has a bready, sweet flavor, with some spice. It’s reminiscent of the Reserva Real, with a Nicaraguan spin, and I like it a lot. It’s a $9 cigar, and it wasn’t that long ago that I’d bristle at spending that much on a cigar, now I do it without much thought. Weird, huh?

 

Yesterday I had the occasion to visit one of the several local CigarCigars stores, this time the one in Downingtown, PA. Beer fans will know that name as the home of Victory Brewery. It’s the town I lived in when CigarCraig.com launched in 2009. Anyway, my friend Kevin,  who had been the manager of that store, was celebrating his retirement, passing the reins to Tom, and they were having a little celebration. I stopped to pay my respects. They also had an A.J. Fernandez event, ironically, so I bought so more AJF cigars. I finally, after many years, met Art Toll, who is one of the owners of the CigarCigars empire, and we had a nice chat, I even got some inside info. More on that as it develops. We’ve “known” one another for many years, but hadn’t met in person. This is not uncommon in the virtual world, I “know” people for 20 years that I haven’t met yet. Anyway, one of the cigars I picked up was the Bellas Artes Maduro in the Short Churchill size. Saka’s Short Churchill is a Robusto or Hermoso sized cigar, where this one is a 6″ x 48 thin toro, or fat lonsdale. Maybe it’s a long, fat gorona gorda, heck, I don’t know what it is, Saka has a 6″ x 48 in the Umbagog line he calls a Corona Gorda. It’s a good size whatever you call it and this one was delicious. Brazilian Matafina wrapper over a San Andrés binder with Nicaraguan fillers. This is my kind of cigar, deep, rich chocolate flavors, with some pepper. Delicious cigar. Of course I’ll miss hanging out with Kevin at the shop, and I’m sure he’ll have a wonderful retirement travelling the country. 

 

Have you ever lit a cigar and struggled to get smoke, but when you blow through it smoke billow though it like a california wildfire? That pisses me off. That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | June 13, 2019 · 8:56 pm

News: Altadis Celebrates H. Upmann’s 175th Anniversary With Limited Edition Cigar

I think I was just saying a few posts ago how much I liked the A.J. Fernandez H. Hupmann cigar, now Altadis is partnering with A.J. Fernandez again for the 175th Anniversary cigar. I’m looking forward to this one! 

                                                                    

CELEBRATING AN ICONIC BRAND: UPMANN 175thANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION

 

A.J. Fernandez uses the rare medio tiempo wrapper  for limited edition H. Upmann 175th Anniversary

 

Altadis U.S.A. is celebrating a special milestone as the H. Upmann cigar brand turns 175 years old. The limited-edition H. Upmann 175th Anniversary will commemorate one of the oldest and most renowned cigars brands. This limited edition will only be expressed in the iconic Churchill size, in 10 count boxes that will number to 14,750. Fifty special-edition humidors containing 50 cigars will also be offered. The story of H. Upmann cigars is one of adventure, family, and passion for tobacco.

 

It all began in 1843, when German banker Herman Upmann took a leap of faith and moved to Havana, Cuba, to open a branch for his family bank. He created a small batch of cigars for his best clients, but quickly became impassioned with tobacco. A passion that led him to found his own cigar brand in 1844, joined by his younger brother August. The brothers purchased a small cigar factory and diligently learned to combine tobacco artistry and German ingenuity. 175 years later, H. Upmann is still known the world over.

For this special project, H. Upmann tapped A.J. Fernandez who brought forward the extremely elusive “Medio Tiempo” wrapper – grown on 1 out of every 12 tobacco plants above the ligero leaves -, to add complexity and flavor as the final dressing of this Nicaraguan puro.  A.J. and his team carefully harvested this special leaf and utilized very intricate fermentation processes for over 3 years which, while extremely time consuming, bring out the very best in the medio tiempo leaf.

The H. Upmann 175th Anniversary boasts unparalleled flavors for a unique sophisticated smoking experience. This medium to full body cigar starts with elements of coffee and some earthiness. As the cigar develops, the flavors intensify with caramel and salt notes together with roasted espresso bean overtones. The spectacular clean finish delivers a creamy and uncommonly velvet smoke with a rich and resonant balance of spices, dark chocolate and nuts.

From Rafael Nodal, Head of Product Capability for Tabacalera USA: “One of the things that I love about creating new blends, is the constant learning about tobacco. Working with AJ Fernández and the rarest wrapper in the world, Medio Tiempo, has definitely been a unique and rewarding experience. There are great cigars and then there is the H. Upmann 175th Anniversary blend. An unforgettable cigar.”.

 

Candela Diaz, Brand Manager for H. Upmann: “H. Upmann is one of the most storied cigar brands. It was impossible to pass up an opportunity to commemorate this brand that embodies brotherhood and love of tobacco. We look forward to unveiling the H. Upmann 175 at the 2019 IPCPR in Las Vegas.”

 

The H. Upmann 175thAnniversary will ship to retailers in July 2019.

 

Vitola: Churchill 50 x 7

MSRP: $18.00 per cigar

MSRP for the 50 count H. Upmann Special Edition Humidor: $1,250.

About Altadis U.S.A.

Altadis U.S.A. has been crafting fine premium cigars since 1918 and is responsible for many of the world’s most renowned brands, including Henry Clay, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, H. Upmann and Trinidad. If you have ever enjoyed a premium cigar, there’s a good chance you’ve enjoyed a cigar crafted by Altadis U.S.A. Visit www.altadisusa.com for more information.

 

 

 

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