Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the H. Upmann Nicaragua AJ Fernandez Heritage Toro is a uniform dark brown and has some knotty, lightly raised veins. The seams are pretty smooth while the caps have a fair amount of lifted edges. There are two bands, both in a gold and navy blue color combination. The primary is the standard band design for the brand while the secondary denotes the line. The aroma from the wrapper is dark earth and wood while the foot brings cedar, stone fruit sweetness and mild spice. The pre-light draw brings lightly musty cedar.

First Third

The cigar begins with dark, gritty earth and baking spice. At a quarter inch in, some oak joins the profile. The retrohale is toasted oak, dark earth and a slightly zingy baking spice. At an inch and a quarter, a light cocoa powder note becomes present. As the third comes to a close, the oak and dark earth are even up front with the baking spice a bit behind and faint cocoa powder in the background. The strength was slightly above medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the oak gains a toast note. At a half inch in, the dark earth moves back in the profile while the baking spice and cocoa are pretty light. The retrohale is now toasted oak ahead of some dry earth. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak remains up front with dark earth a bit behind and light baking spice and cocoa powder in the background. The strength remained at slightly above medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the cocoa powder has left the profile. The retrohale remains toasted oak ahead of some dry earth. At an inch in, the toast level increases. At an inch and a quarter, the cigar warms up and a vegetal note joins in. As the cigar wraps up, the profile is heavily toasted oak up front with dark earth a bit behind and light baking spice and vegetal notes in the background. The strength remained at slightly above medium.

Burn

The burn line was straight throughout and the ash held on in inch and a half increments.

Draw

The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The cigar began with dark, gritty earth and baking spice. Some oak joined in fairly quickly and a light cocoa powder a bit later. The second third saw the oak gain a toast note. The final third saw the cocoa drop out and later a vegetal note joined in as the cigar warmed up. Construction was absolutely perfect. The H. Upmann Nicaragua AJ Fernandez Heritage Toro had a nice start with a vibrant set of flavors. The second third saw the vibrance wane a fair amount and maintained an average profile from that point on. The price point is attractive, but even with that, the overall smoking experience wasn’t one that would bring me back to this cigar with any kind of frequency.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$1.70

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: H. Upmann Nicaragua AJ Fernandez Heritage Toro