At a recent AJ Fernandez event, the rep gave me a couple Dias de Gloria Brazil Coronas as part of my extra cigars with purchase. I smoked one of them right away and knew I had to save the other to write about. I have been an AJ Fernandez fan for nearly 20 years, starting with his original Man O War and Ruination blends, and continuing on through Oval, New World, and other great blends. I wasn’t sure what to expect from an AJ blend of Nicaraguan filler and binder wrapped in a Brazilian Mata Fina leaf, but the experience made me take notice.
The wrapper leaf was a dark brown color, but with a dullness to it, instead of the shiny oiliness you might normally see in a Maduro. It did have a smooth feel and left a little oil on my finger tips. The aroma was a mix of anise, earth, and dark chocolate from the wrapper, along with earth and bell pepper on the foot. The cold draw had a chemical note, but left a spicy tingle on my lips.
Once I lit up the AJF Dias de Gloria Brazil, I got tons of spicy sweetness right up front…dark chocolate and red pepper flake, leaving a residual buzzing on my lips and tongue, not to mention a total punch in the nose when I retrohaled. As I continued to smoke, I got sharp notes of cedar, more subdued notes of earth, all mixing with the ever present pepper spice and sweet foundation. This time was as good as the first time I had this…and I would love to get my hands on these on a regular basis. One of the best new things I’ve had from the AJF factory in a long time.
