If you’re familiar with master cigar blender A. J. Fernandez, you’ll be glad to hear that M.A.’s Smoke House is carrying three of his newest cigars.
And if you’re not familiar with A. J. Fernandez, you should be. As a master cigar blender, he’s one of the most sought-out in the industry.
Abdel J. Fernandez, known as “A.J.,” is a third generation cigar maker who not only runs his own company, A.J. Fernandez Cigars, but partners with other cigar makers to make specialty blends for their lines.
Fernandez’s roots go back to Cuba where his grandfather founded the San Lotano brand. From the age of 13, Fernandez would leave school and spend afternoons working on his grandfather’s tobacco farm. In 2003, at the age of 24, he moved to Nicaragua and started his own company in an old facility in Estelí. There, he established his reputation by manufacturing cigars for companies including Rocky Patel and Cigars International.
Today, Fernandez’s expertise in blending earns him invitations to collaborate with some of the largest cigar makers in the industry.
“We’re now stocking three of A.J. Fernandez’s most recent cigars, two of which are collaborations with some of the most recognized names in the industry,” says Buddy Williams, manager of M.A.’s Smoke House in Shreveport-Bossier. “Those include the H. Upmann A.J. Fernandez, the Monte Cristo Nic Series A. J. Fernandez blend, and the Bellas Artes by A.J. Fernandez.”
The H. Upmann AJ Fernandez
Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium/Full
One might think that a 170-year-old cigar manufacturer like H. Upmann doesn’t need to collaborate with anyone. But associating your brand with a name like A.J. Fernandez is a smart move for even the most prestigious cigar maker.
H. Upmann and A.J. Fernandez have created a classic yet bold blend that’s universal to all palates. Featuring an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper around Criollo ’91 and Piloto Cubano fillers, this medium to full-bodied cigar offers a sweet balanced flavor with hints of cocoa, spice and roasted nuts.
A reviewer with Cigars International wrote, “This well-made robusto has an even draw that offers notes of black cherry and nuts with a sweet vanilla oakiness.”
The Monte by Montecristo by A. J. Fernandez
Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium/Full
You might forget the very long official name of this cigar (Monte by Montecristo Crafter by A.J. Fernandez), but you won’t forget the powerhouse punch of flavor packed by this medium to full-bodied stick.
The flavor is embodied in the Dominican Criollo binder and long-filler Nicaraguan tobacco, completed by an Ecuador Habano wrapper. The memorable flavor profile features coffee, dark chocolate, roasted nuts and a thick caramel sweetness.
Wrote one reviewer: “Enrobed in a pristine, chocolate-brown cover leaf, this cigar burns and draws evenly, delivering big notes of coffee, fruit and toast with touches of dark chocolate.”
AJ Fernandez Bellas Artes
Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Brazilian, Honduran, Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium/Full
The crowning feature of AJ Fernandez’s Bellas Artes is a “Rojita” leaf, a hybrid creation that made its debut with this cigar. Each smooth draw delivers a balanced flavor profile of cinnamon, cedar, sweet tobacco, citrus, and slight black pepper.
The rare proprietary wrapper and Nicaraguan binder paired with a three-nation blend of perfectly-aged filler tobaccos provides a complex smoke and refined flavors of cinnamon, orange zest, pepper, and cream.
Some say it’s Fernandez’s finest creation to date.
Which one of these new cigars by A.J. Fernandez appeals to you? Maybe even all three? Come see us and let us help you find the perfect new cigar to add to your collection!
M.A.’s Smoke House serves customers in two locations: Towne Oaks Shopping Center at 855 Pierremont Rd in Shreveport or at 2917 Old Minden Rd in Bossier City.