“Some people meditate; I smoke cigars..“
Ron Perlman
Company History:
- AJ Fernandez was born in Cuba, with his family deep-rooted within the Fernandez cigar history. Today, he crafts premium cigars in Estelí, Nicaragua. This is a family-oriented company based out of Miami, Florida.
- The tobacco is grown throughout Nicaragua’s regions of Condega, Jalapa, Estelí, Pueblo Nuevo, Quilalí, and the island of Ometepe. The process from seed to smoke is put through a careful and meticulous process. Before highly skilled artisans create premium-quality cigars, the process begins with careful harvesting, followed by drying, fermenting, and years of aging the tobacco leaves.
- AJ Fernandez operates two factories in Nicaragua. Together, they are able to produce over 100,000 handmade cigars daily using traditional techniques passed down through generations.
Enclave Cigar History
- AJ Fernandez is a well know in the cigar community but a few realize that its a farther-son team. Ismael, the father of AJ plays a big part in the operations as well as a big role in the blending process. Enclave is a brand of cigar created by Ismael, so it’s not surprising that the cigar is a little more old school, with less focus on strength, and more focus on flavors.
Industry Rating:
Cigar Details
- Size: 6″ x 52
- Wrapper: Ecuador
- Binder: Cameroon
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Origin: Nicaragua
- Smoke Time: 1 hour
- Strength: Medium-Full
- Price Paid: 10 EUR
- Store: @tallinntheoaklounge
Flavors and Tasting Notes
Beginning
- At the start of the cigar, it had a nice and clean draw with a rich blend of coffee, cream, and a little sweetness of cinnamon. Black pepper and roasted almonds arrive at the end, with additional flavor added. I was also getting a bit of earthy and cedar flavors when lit, along with a touch of caramel.
Middle
- The midpoint of the cigar sees the flavors become a mixture of cedar, cinnamon, and brown sugar, with increased sweetness and coffee notes. Roasted almonds remained significant at the end, with a little nutmeg and a chocolate flavors over the caramel. There is a balanced combination of pepper and cedar in the retrohale, and a little cinnamon in the resting aroma.
End
- The final section of the cigar remained constant with a combination of cedar and almonds, with a little additional cinnamon added. Pepper is present lightly in the aroma, contributing to complexity. Roasted almonds and a hint of dry wood flavor dominate at the conclusion. By the endpoint, the cigar maintains a medium-to-full character but loses some of its sweetness and butteriness.
Construction and Smoke
- The build and construction are impeccable, featuring a beautiful dark, silky, and oily wrapper. The draw is perfectly smooth with a punch cut, and the burn is excellent, requiring no maintenance. Smoke production is rich and creamy, filling the air with cedar and spice while providing a cool, soft mouthfeel that ties the entire experience together wonderfully.
Final Thoughts
The Enclave is another great cigar created by AJ Fernandez and his father Ismael. It has excellent construction, with a flawless burn throughout the entire session. Its medium brown wrapper is smooth and delivers an effortless draw. Smoke production is rich and creamy, with wonderful flavors and notes until the end. I will definitely be smoking this cigar in the years to come.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments, what do you think about cigar. Also please do leave feedback about the review, let me know if you like the format and layout or if there is anything I should add/remove.
Until next time, happy smoking.
Recommended – Solid cigar worth smoking
