AJ Fernandez New World Puro Especial Toro - Box of 20

The New World Puro Especial is a different kind of Nicaraguan puro. Not one farm, not two farms, but four Fernandez-owned farms each contributing a specific quality to a single cigar, with every leaf aged three to five years before it was ever blended. The result earned 93 points and Cigar Aficionado's #12 Cigar of the Year for 2017.

The New World line was AJ Fernandez's 2014 flagship release under his own name, a blend that established his reputation in the retail market beyond the contract work he had been doing for years. The Puro Especial came later, developed by AJ and his father Ismael Fernandez over the course of several years as an extension built around a more specific and deliberate approach to sourcing the tobacco.

Every leaf in the New World Puro Especial comes from a Fernandez-owned farm, and each farm was selected for what it uniquely contributes. The wrapper is Criollo '98 leaf from the San José farm. Filler tobacco from La Soledad was blended to develop flavor. La Providencia contributed its tobacco for aroma. The San Diego farm, valued for the mineral quality of its soil, rounds out the blend. This is not a puro built from whichever Nicaraguan tobacco was available. It is a puro where each element was grown in a specific location for a specific purpose and then aged three to five years before it was touched.

The result is medium to full-bodied and notably more refined than what the strength level might suggest. Cold draw delivers cocoa, earth, and pepper clearly. Once lit, almonds, dried fruit, and sweet caramel develop through the body of the smoke. The Criollo '98 wrapper contributes chocolate and woodiness rather than the aggressive pepper that heavier wrappers impose. "Rich, chocolatey and woody flavors. This is the perfect daily smoke," one buyer stated plainly. Another: "a delicious Nicaraguan puro, medium to full bodied depending on your palate, another reasonably priced gem from AJ." At the 6.5 x 52 Toro, the blend has enough length to develop fully across three distinct phases without overstaying.

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Flavor progression:

1. First third: Criollo '98 wrapper opens with cocoa, earth, and a gentle pepper, the Nicaraguan core adding mineral depth and subtle cedar
2. Second third: almonds, dried fruit, and sweet caramel emerge, the blend's complexity building as the multi-farm filler fully opens
3. Final third: rich, chocolatey and woody with a clean, balanced close and a sweet lingering finish

Key Features

1. Brand: AJ Fernandez
2. Line: New World
3. Sub-Line: Puro Especial
4. Blenders: AJ Fernandez and Ismael Fernandez
5. Factory: Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A., Estelí
6. Country of Origin: Nicaragua
7. Blend Type: 100% Nicaraguan Puro
8. Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo '98 (San José farm)
9. Binder: Nicaraguan (La Soledad farm)
10. Filler: Nicaraguan (La Soledad, La Providencia, San Diego farms)
11. Tobacco Age: 3 to 5 years
12. Vitola: Toro
13. Size: 6.5 inches x 52 ring gauge
14. Construction: Parejo (round, handmade)
15. Strength: Medium to Full
16. Flavor Profile: Cocoa, almonds, dried fruit, caramel, earth, pepper, cedar, chocolate
17. Rating: 93 points (Cigar Aficionado), #12 Cigar of the Year 2017
18. Box Count: 20 cigars
19. Price per Cigar: approximately $6.50