Prelight

There’s always something about a trunk pressed stogie. My  Robusto looks positively mouth-watering; it's a beautiful cigar. First off, the almost dark tan wrapper is darker than the typical habano which is the first thing I noticed. It’s also very smooth, there’s barely any veins on this beauty. Construction is excellent with no soft spots and an impeccable double cap. I love the golden band at the foot, it’s yet another special touch depicting AJ Fernandez’s excellent attention to detail. Cold draw reveals dry fruit sweetness, cedar, and a perfect milkshake consistency.

First Third

With the first draw comes billows of smoke. Then, like clockwork, the AJ Fernandez signature pepper blast. If you’ve never had an AJ Fernandez before, this is the one thing you have to brace for. The sharp spice sting is on my tongue and at the back of the throat. Thankfully, none of it creeps up the retrohale. But even this early, I can tell this is going to be a Nic Bomb. The strength is quite present from the first draw which is a little scary. You know, maybe this is it, that final stick to vanquish the little sanity I purport to have.

A few draws in, a tacit sweetness the same one I picked on the cold draw takes center stage. Underneath crisp cedar nuances coupled with light pepper, and baking spice continue to build like a whirlwind in a storm. Even though the individual flavors aren’t many, there’s an unquestionable harmonious comingling of the notes resulting in a complex and interesting experience. By the close of the first third, I have a beautiful tower of salt and pepper ash and a razor sharp burn.

Mid Third

The first time I had this smoke I kept scratching my head wondering what is off? By the mid third I figured it out. It’s the flavor profile! This cigar smokes like a mild to medium stick but with the strength of a maduro plus!

Dainty notes of dried fruit sweetness, cedar, baking spice, coffee, and light pepper typically come with mild to medium smokes. Dark heavy notes of chocolate, leather, roasted coffee beans, earth, and black pepper is what usually accompanies strong smokes. But this baby is all upside down. It’s a truly new experience not just in the New World brand but I think in the industry.

Nicotine is calling all my names by the mid-mid third. A rich nutty base begins to form towards the end of the mid third. I literally can’t wait for the final third.

Final Third

No one will need to announce the beginning of the final third in this cigar. Like an orchestra, everything just picks up out of nowhere. Well, not exactly nowhere but from where they were.

In the final third, the notes seemed to add or multiply. For instance, cedar became richer with mesquite wood notes and subtle citrusy nuances. The rich nutty base became more like toasted almonds fused with earth and warm cinnamon-like baking spice. Retrohale began picking up sweet tobacco notes and subtle peanut-butter undertones. The strength came full circle; all I can say is, “Hold onto your hollyhocks!”

Even as I began to smell my own burning fingertips, the nub was as cool as can be. This cigar remained a gentleman all the way through. Smoking time was approximately an hour plus.

Final Thoughts

This is perhaps the best AJ Fernandez stogie yet. I plan to have many many more of this cigar in the near future. However, for our greenhorn BOTL and SOTL, you need a few more runs around the track before taking on this monster. The flavor profile may be up your alley but the nicotine demands to differ.

Not many people have reviewed the  New World Dorado online yet so go on and be among the first few. Tell us how this baby did for you in the comment section below.