Vitola: Robusto (Double Robusto)- 5.5” x 54 ring gauge
- MSPR ~$5.50
- Purchased at Burns Tobacconist
Background
Hard to believe it was all the way back in 2014 that the A.J. Fernandez Cigar company released the New World. At the time it was a revelation in the cigar industry, a Nicaraguan puro with plenty of body and flavor for a bargain price starting in the $5 range. Time has moved on and the price has crept up, but I can tell you from my years of working in a cigar retail shop, the demand for the blend rarely waned. Additions of the New World Connecticut and New World Puro Especial only added to the demand, really.
In late 2018 AJF Cigars shipped the fourth installment in the New World series: New World Cameroon. This one was a little more “under the radar” in that it didn’t get the publicity push of some of the earlier versions…I can remember being surprised by it when it showed up in the store for the first time as I hadn’t even heard about it. In the last year-plus, it has become another mainstay of the brand, though, selling steadily and often selling out.
This latest New World uses Nicaraguan filler and binder leaves, along with a Cameroon wrapper. Six sizes are available and they retail for between $5 and $7 per stick. I bought my review sample at Burns Tobacconist. If you can’t find them at your local B&M, Leaf Enthusiast sponsor, Small Batch Cigar, does carry them.
Prelight
The boxes are a pretty simple color change from the other New World lines (except Puro Especial); they are moderately attractive and much better than you might expect from a bargain-priced long-filler stick. The box and band both use the the “Columbus arriving” art, this time with green trim color. There’s also a secondary band here that has gold foil trim with a green line through the center and red type reading “Cameroon Selection.” The red type on green is hard to read, but that’s about the extent of my criticism.
The wrapper leaf was a medium brown with a slight grayish or greenish tint that is common with Cameroon leaf. It had a smooth feel with a slight bit of oil. The box-press of the cigar had softly rounded corners. The aroma from the wrapper was hay and earth with a sharp cedar note. The foot was a more generic “Nicaraguan earthiness” with a touch of chocolate sweetness.
I clipped with my trusty Xi cutter and got a very good test draw. The cold draw had flavors of cedar and hay, with a touch of something sweet
Flavor
Firing up the New World Cameroon, I got immediate sweet honey and pepper spice notes that are characteristic of this varietal of wrapper. There was cedar and earth just beneath, and a bit of a mineral note on the finish. Also characteristic of Cameroon leaf is the searing wasabi heat of the retrohale, which also had touches of cedar and honey.
As the first third burned into the second, I found cedar taking on the leading role in the flavor profile, with pepper spice and honey sweetness just behind. Earthier notes were just behind that and the retrohale continued to be very peppery.
The final third had a nice mix of sweet and woody notes with earth and pepper taking a back seat.
Construction
I had a great draw, very even burn line and solid ash.
Value
Solidly good cigar with a great price tag equals great value.
Conclusions
As with other installments in the New World series, the Cameroon Selection wasn’t the most complex cigar I’ve smoked recently. It was, however, very tasty the whole way, with a medium-bodied mix of honey, cedar, and pepper, along with enough earthiness to betray its Nicaraguan roots. All-in-all a very nice mid-afternoon interlude, especially for a relatively bargain price.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10
