Each: $14.00
Capa: Brazil Mata Fina
Capote: Nicaragua
Tripa: Nicaragua
La Fuerza: Medium to Full
Forma: 6 ½ x 44
Fabricante: Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A.
A shout out to my fellow Floridians, who along with folks in North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia, find themselves in a struggle of a lifetime because of Hurricane Helene. God bless.
First Half:
The previous incarnations still on the market run $6-$9 each. Why is this version $5-$9 more? Its wrapper is from Brazil. And because AJ can.
Everyone likes a corona. Sleek. One doesn’t need to invest 2 hours. On average, this is a 70 minute smoke. As your palate becomes more refined, you tend to cast aside the giant cigars for the smaller sizes. The moment you light up, the game is on. No waiting for the second third to see what the blend is designed to deliver.
Cedar wrapped cigars remind me of Tootsie Rolls. Coincidentally, the Brazil smells like chocolate. And of course, a healthy dose of barnyard.
I love to retrohale an unlit stick in preparation for its sacrifice to the fire gods. The Katman showed me this. Technically, it is impossible. Which may explain why his sinuses went the way of the Dodo Bird after 60 years of cigar smoking. Bright cinnamon. Dried peaches that are unmistakable. Raisins and cantaloupe.
A box press feels right on a corona or a lonsdale. It gives the presentation some class.
And there is ignition. Immediate thump of black pepper and cinnamon. Welcome to AJ World. The Nicaraguan fillers exude muscle. When the dust settles, the dark chocolate kicks in. So does a layer of caramel as in Milky Way symbiosis. Robust fruitiness that I doubt is a subjective read.
A blind test would read AJ all day long. No mistaking his footprint. You can buy his wares for $8-$10 all day long too. Is this blend worth $14-$16? What did Katman always say? “Dunno.” This is my fourth stick. So, I actually do know.
In 2019, I spent a weekend with Phil. I never smoked so many cigars in one sitting in my life. But I got to sit at the feet of a man who had glorious stories about the heyday of rock and roll. There was no shutting him up. Over the last six years, I was privileged to have 5 more weekends. Never told the same story twice.
Early Summary:
Strength is easier than my early dictation. Strong flavor points of chocolate, caramel, coffee, tree fruit, nuts, and cinnamon.
We can always rely on an AJ cigar. I reliably know what will take place. Gunpowder and fireworks; and easily accessed flavors. In 2016, Kohn turned me on to Southern Draw. A collaboration of Robert Holt and AJ. Some stunning blends. My favorite, same as Phil’s, is the Manzanita. If you look in the right place, you can purchase this multi sized blend for up to $10 less than the Dias de Gloria Brazil.
First Half Summary:
I can’t listen to music and write like Phil. I tried. I find it impossible to use the muscle in my skull while my foot is tapping and I’m mouthing lyrics. I’m not a multitasker.
Caramel sweetness moves ahead of the hot cocoa. A milky coating of the palate does wonders. It also can hide important notes of balance and complexity.
Second Half Summary:
I saw feedback asserting this to be a candy bar smoke. With only 3 months of home aging, the cigar signals that another 3-4 months will shape this blend nicely.
Sweetness brings it home. This is the key feature to Brazilian tobacco. It’s natural sugariness. And distinct notes of coffee. With newly added aged whiskey barrel perfumes and flavor. Great Nicaraguan puro blends, such as a Padron, are chock full of richness, but missing sweetness.
The last couple of inches are smooth. This is the must factor for a cigar to get the nod. The spiciness is mild throughout. I’m a fan of the term “richness.” It is either in the blend, or it isn’t. The strength is a mild creep. By the end of the cigar, you know you are in the grasp of AJ Fernandez.
Is this cigar worth its 2024 price tag? I recommend starting with a fiver. Let them rest at least three months. Of course, submit to the “Let’s see” smoke the same week you receive the cigars. The blend does much better with rest. Then decide if the cigar is box worthy.
I have been asked to make my reviews more personal. While I doubt that the cigar industry reviewers are asked that question, there is validity to that appeal. Reviewing in front of a crowd is new to me. I shall try to find a more accessible voice in future reviews. Many thanks for the feedback. -Daniel
Scoring System 1-100 averaged and rounded up as follows:
Appearance: 90
Construction: 93
Aroma, Draw, & Burn: 95
Complexity: 92
Balance: 93
Final Score: 93
An Introduction:
I first met the Katman in 2006. I was visiting relatives in Chicago. Phil had not yet become the cigar bon vivant we’ve all come to love, but we shared a passion for good cigars. We became fast friends over these last 18 years. He joyfully shared his wealth of knowledge with me. I will try to follow his lead in providing entertaining cigar reviews.
I’ve been a cigar smoker for 19 years. I reside in Florida. I am descended from immigrants from Cuba. I am married with three children. I enjoy playing golf. I am an avid fitness trainer. I am a great cook. I am a Big Brother. I have opinions about good cigars and bad cigars. I will offer up both in this and future reports. Like my predecessor’s creed, I believe that brutal honesty is vital in winning a reader’s trust.
All hail the Katman. Call me Kittenman. Daniel Pérez for short.
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Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
thanks for the review. I do miss the Katman.
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Thank you, brother.
-Daniel
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Nice review Daniel, you’re finding your voice. This is a cigar I’ve been very anxious to try, as an unashamed AJ fan, and especially the OG Dias De Gloria (one of my all time top-10 sticks). Glad to hear it doesn’t disappoint other than on price; I wanted to mention on that note however, as I’ve been watching, CP recently got these in stock, and their prices fluctuate as always depending on their constant sales, but have been running around $7-9 a stick in boxes of 20. Significantly more reasonable, and I expect we’ll see prices settle further. Hard to find the OG DDG for less than $6-7 a stick though, so a dollar or two more considering the wrapper, doesn’t seem unexpected. I agree however that retail pricing is crazy.
As far as the exemplary SD Manzanita, I’ve gotten them from CP as inexpensively as $3.5 a stick recently. Perhaps we should consider an ongoing “deal spotting” type post/thread here somewhere? I’d be happy to lend a hand, it’s something Phil would do occasionally, but I had planned to ask him if he wanted some help for a more regular/continuous version. I’m too poor to pay retail for cigars except on special occasions, so me and a few friends are always on the lookout for the occasional insane discount.
Lastly; I live far out in the woods, near the peak of a mountain surrounded by national forest in Western NC, an hour or so outside of Asheville.. Cell tower just finally back up this morning, whole area still without power (I live off-grid anyway), took 14 hours of sawing to cut a path down the mountain. Hundreds of trees bowled over, many simply snapped in half 5 or 6 feet off the ground, the rest ripped up by their roots.. Tons of damage; but feeling very fortunate, our cabin was spared, even though many trees would have taken us out if they had fallen in a different direction, and we’re accustomed to not having the grid resources. Most importantly, though the winds exceeded 100mph and we got record rainfall, flooding was not much of a concern at this altitude (approx 4k ft), and the mountain is used to extreme conditions. Unfortunately the valleys, towns and communities in them are all destroyed, or nearly. Rampant destruction, and death everywhere along the line cut across the South by Helene.
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Thank you for your comment. I will be in touch.
-Daniel
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