New World Cigars

Cigar Aficionado Rating 96

Cigar Aficionado’s 2019 Cigar of the Year

The story of Aging Room revolves around a central character who had no idea he was headed for the cigar business: Rafael Nodal. It’s a timeline of transitions, partnerships and collaborations that ultimately lead to the creation of the Aging Room Quattro  Nicaragua Maestro, Cigar Aficionado’s 2019 Cigar of the Year.

But first we rewind back almost 40 years ago to 1980, when Nodal came to the U.S. from Cuba as a refugee on the infamous Mariel boatlift. With no background in cigars, Nodal sought a career in music that brought him to New York City, then to Miami where he embarked on a more practical career in healthcare. There, he met his future business partners Hank Bischoff and Dr. Alina Cordoves (now his wife).

Nodal’s foray into the cigar world was slow. In 1998, he and his partners began selling cigars online, and in 2002 they took over the Habana Cuba Cigar Co., a struggling company with a mediocre portfolio of forgettable cigars. For a while, the business situation was looking quite grim.

Not one to be easily discouraged, Nodal explored the concept of producing cigars in small batches. In 2011 he came out with a new brand called Aging Room Small Batch M356. He also changed the name of his company from Habana Cuba Cigar Co. to Boutique Blends. The first Aging Rooms were made by José “Jochy” Blanco in the Dominican Republic. (Blanco is also a partner in the brand.) The cigars scored well in Cigar Aficionado, and the Presto size was named to the 2011 Top 25. Nodal got his first taste of critical success – and he kept going.

Today, you’d be forgiven if the name Aging Room creates a bit of confusion. There are a lot of different Aging Roomsmade in different factories. The crowning achievement, however, is the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Maestro made by A.J Fernandez in Nicaragua.

The cigar is essentially Nodal’s vision, crafted by Fernandez with his distinct tobacco and signature factory style. Every last leaf in this blend is Nicaraguan and every puff is an overture of flavors that’s at times heavy and rich with notes of dark chocolate and wood, and other times, subtle and understated with hints of fine caramel and toasted almonds. In musical terms, the word for this box-pressed torpedo would be dynamic.

Nodal is still an artist at heart and cigars continue to be his creative outlet. If the birth of Aging Room was his breakthrough, consider the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Maestro his masterpiece.

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium to Full

Length: 6″

Ring Gauge: 52

Each pack contains 10 cigars.

Cigar Journal Rating 92

#1 Cigar Journal 2019

The second line to be introduced under the AJ Fernandez Bellas Artes series, Bellas Artes Maduro Robusto was awarded Cigar of the Year 2019 by the Cigar Journal. The combination of a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper and a Mexican San Andrés binder is rather unusual, but is clearly highly appreciated

Right from the start, this perfect cigar is expressive. It offers the scent of bread, spices, cacao sweetness; nutty, woody and leathery aromas. The intense aromas are carried by a gentle saltiness, pepper and acidity.

Wrapper: Brazilian Mata Fina

Binder: Mexican San Andres

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Full

Just like the New World Navegante Robusto, these smaller smokes are handmade at the A J Fernandez factory in Nicaragua and contain the same all Nicaraguan blend – a dark oscuro wrapper from Esteli with a Jalapa binder and filler from Ometepe, Condega and Esteli

Wrapper: Dark Nicaragua

Binder: Jalapa

Filler: Blend of Ometepe, Condega and Estelí

Strength: Medium to Full

#11 Cigar Journal Top 25 2017

Cigar Journal Rating: 91

Medium bodied, perfectly balanced, with notes of nuts and a sweet finish, AJ and his father Ismael have yet again redefined the classic taste of a Nicaraguan Puro! This incredible blend has been in the works for a few years and AJ has used the best tobacco from his various select farms in Estelí, Nicaragua. Aged to perfection!

Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano

Binder: Nicaragua Habano

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium

Mature leaf from Honduras and Nicaragua come together to present a top-quality experience. Medium in body yet featuring an overall mellowness on the palate from the Honduran Connecticut wrapper. A “classic” everyday smoke.

Wrapper: Honduras

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium

Length: 5 1/2″

Ring Gauge: 42

Mature leaf from Honduras and Nicaragua come together to present a top-quality experience. Medium in body yet featuring an overall mellowness on the palate from the Honduran Connecticut wrapper. A “classic” everyday smoke.

Wrapper: Honduras

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium

Length: 5″

Ring Gauge: 50

Cigar Aficionado Rating 96

2011 Cigar Aficionado’s Cigar of the Year

Alan Rubin has come a long way since he first joined the cigar industry in 1996, selling a cigar brand designed for sale at golf courses. It didn’t succeed.

Rubin had left the family fastener business for something he enjoyed: selling cigars. He named his young company after his two sons, Alec and Bradley, but struggled to find his way. Deep in debt, he realized he had to be in premium cigar stores and gained a measure of popularity by selling cigars in bundles.

Trying to find an edge in an industry that was going through difficult times, he showed signs of innovation early, including the release of a cigar with a triangular shape, a first for the cigar business.

In 2007 he finally hit his stride with the creation of Alec Bradley Tempus, a heavy-bodied cigar that brought his best ratings to date as well as industry buzz.

Two years later, he created a blend called Alec Bradley Prensado. Rubin had smoked a very dark wrapper leaf grown in a region of southern Honduras called Trojes and decided to build a cigar brand around it, using Central American tobacco exclusively. And what a cigar he made. The brand hit the market in 2009 and was acclaimed from the very beginning. In a vertical brand tasting in Cigar Insider of the five original sizes, each scored 91 points or more and earned the Cigar Aficionado accolade of Humidor Selection.

The Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill, made at the superb Raices Cubanas factory in Danlí, Honduras, is as gorgeous a cigar as you’ll ever see, with a picture-perfect head and a stunning wrapper. But it is the flavour that makes it a classic smoke. The Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos come together to create leather, chocolate and spice notes, and a long, lush finish.

Wrapper: Honduras

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua

Strength: Medium to Full

Cigar Aficionado Rating 90

The blend allows for the rich and hearty flavours of Honduran tobacco to come straight through. The addition of Nicaraguan long-fillers adds a slightly full flavour profile. Hearty yet in balance.

Wrapper: Honduras

Binder: Honduras

Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua

Strength: Medium to Full

Length: 5 1/2″

Ring Gauge: 42

The Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva Flor Fina 8-5-8 is a distinguished cigar that exemplifies the brand's commitment to quality and tradition. Handcrafted in the Dominican Republic, this cigar is part of the esteemed Gran Reserva line, known for its consistent construction and flavourful profiles

The Flor Fina 8-5-8 offers a harmonious blend of flavors that cater to both novice and seasoned smokers:

• Initial notes of toasted nuts and warm baking spices

• Midway, a buttery pie crust essence emerges, complemented by a pronounced almond flavour

• The finish introduces a subtle hint of orange peel, adding a refreshing citrus twist 

This cigar's smooth draw and even burn make it an ideal choice for those seeking a refined smoking experience without overwhelming strength.