Blind Review: AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado
In June 2022, AJ Fernandez teased a new version of New World featuring a golden-colored wrapper. Later in the year, he introduces the Nicaraguan puro blend as New World Dorado. The majority of the tobacco for this new blend is from AJ Fernandez’s new Dorado Farm. It is also to showcase the first yield from his new farm.
Per AJ, the soil in his Dorado farm has a golden hue, which is unusual; combining that with the name of his new farm and the literal meaning in Spanish for “golden” birth Dorado.
Blend Specifics
- Cigar Reviewed: AJ Fernandez: New World Dorado
- Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Sun Grown
- Binder: Nicaraguan Criollo ’98
- Filler: Nicaraguan
- Size: Figurado (6″x56)
Appearance & Construction
This box-pressed figurado shaped cigar has a dark maple syrup color wrapper, which becomes lighter when I place it right underneath the light, almost mustard yellow. The wrapper is smooth, with very few visible veins. It’s soft and grainy to the touch, almost like soft leather. The tobacco under the wrapper feels lumpy as if it’s the Devil’s Snare (nodding at my Harry Potters fan out there).
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
There is a sweet and tart scene off the wrapper. And since it’s in a figurado shape, I don’t get anything off the foot of the cigar. I then use my Xikar XO cutter and make a small triangle by cutting off the cap. To my surprise, the draw is pretty loose, and I get raisins.
Figurado is one of the cigar shapes where it tests everyone’s patience when it comes to lighting. Because if I rush this process, I might risk canoeing, if not worse. Luckily, I’ve had my fair share of figurados and did not have any issue lighting.
The initial flavor is grassy with roasted chestnut and damp wood. With a little delay, white pepper spice makes its presence known at the back of my tongue. Half an inch in, when the burn line expanded to the widest part of the cigar, the smoke becomes creamy with roasted chestnut, oakwood, bitter espresso beans, and white pepper spice. I follow up with a retrohale and instantly regret it. My nasal path flooded with an overwhelming amount of white pepper spice, which lingers for a while. After the spice dissipates, I can taste maple syrup and cedarwood.
This cigar has a long finish with a flavor of roasted peanuts and a constant spice around my tongue. The construction of this cigar is on point. The burn line is even, the airflow is perfect at 7 out of 10 restrictiveness, and the layer of ashes continues to stack with each passing puff.
I arrive at the second third, and the ash is still attached! The cigar becomes sweeter at this point: the maple syrup and roasted chestnut shine here, with cedarwood and white pepper spice supporting in the background. The retrohale is just as sweet with syrup, roasted peanuts shell, and white pepper spice.
As I approach the final third, the ash finally decides to let go, making a thud as it hits the ashtray.
The cigar keeps smoking great. It is earthier than before, with cedarwood, honey, leather, and only a hint of spice. The retrohale also has a similar shift to the profile: cedarwood, leather, and white pepper spice. The last couple of puffs is creamy with roasted peanuts, which remind me of peanut butter.
Conclusion
The New World Dorado is a great addition to AJ’s portfolio. The cigar has a nice build-up that prepares my palate for each following puff. The first third set the stage with a tease of the flavors, minus the retrohale. Once my palate got acquainted with the profiles, it then intensified. The creamy and sweet roasted chestnut leads the way with a satisfying amount of spice on the retrohale. The flavor is well-balanced, but what impressed me was the progression in the nuance. There is a slight shift in flavors every other puff. It kept me at the edge of my seat, guessing where the next puff might take me, and kept me going back for more.