Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado has a beautiful shape to it with a wrapper that is medium brown with well pressed veins. The seams are smooth and the caps at the head and foot are well applied. There are two bands, with the primary being the traditional design for the New World brand but carrying a gold color combination for the line. Near the foot is a gold ribbon. The aroma from the wrapper is damp wood and tobacco sweetness while the foot opening is too small to get any discernable aroma. The pre-light draw brings a light mix of cedar and floral notes.
Seth: The AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado is rolled perfectly. Beautiful tapered head and foot. The wrapper has a nice dark Natural and Colorado like wrapper, and it has this dark chocolate coloring. Veins are small throughout, and the wrapper is slightly gritty in texture. Aromas of sweet spices, chocolate, manure and tobacco.
John: The AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado comes in cellophane, and has a UPC sticker that tears in half when opened. The cigar has a primary band, along with a gold ribbon as a foot band. For artisanal complications, beyond the figurado shape, the foot is an extended ‘nipple’ foot. Aromas from the wrapper included a meatiness, bread, aged tobacco, sweetness and musty wood. Due to the almost closed nature of the foot, I was not able to pick out specific aromas separate from the wrapper.
Jiunn: The AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado has an even Colorado maduro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the torpedo style head is well wrapped. Aromas from the wrapper tell quality Spanish cedar lined humidor. Cold draw gives hay and the same quality cedar.

Team Cigar Review: AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with a mix of toasted cedar and cinnamon. As the burn passes the nipple and increases in ring gauge, the cinnamon transitions to black pepper. At a half inch in, some light earth joins the profile. The retrohale is toasted cedar, earth and mild black pepper. At an inch and a half in, a light mix of floral mustiness joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the profile is toasted cedar just ahead of the earth, with black pepper in the middle and a musty floral note in the background. The strength was right at medium.
Seth: The first third opens up with nice rich earth qualities that are paired with some graham cracker and sweet spices. There are some pepper qualities present as well and the finish has some cinnamon and coffee. Medium-full in strength and body.
John: The first few puffs bring spicy wood, with a sweet, musty wood center that lingers through into the post draw. Some earth is present on the post draw as the cigar moves towards the shoulder. Some time later, a sweet nuttiness rounds out the center of the profile. As it progresses, wood is moving to the front of the draw. By the halfway point, some floral notes come through on the finish.
Jiunn: Spicy, meaty and very “AJ earthy.” Retrohaling ramps up the dried red pepper spice threefold, but not in an unpleasant manner. The finish shows a refined dirt earthiness. Strength is medium-full and body medium.

Team Cigar Review: AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the toasted cedar and earth are now even up front. At a half inch in, the musty floral note has departed. The retrohale remains toasted cedar, earth and mild black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar and earth remain even up front with black pepper a bit behind. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.
Seth: The second third shows an increase in the earthy and cocoa qualities while still delivering some sweet spices, graham cracker, cinnamon and pepper, and a finish of tobacco and coffee. Medium-full in strength and body.
John: Sweet wood leads off here. Wood defines the post draw, and brings with it some dryness. As the cigar progresses towards the halfway point, spices and wood make the retrohale more interesting, and after a few more puffs some mild chocolate tags along.
Jiunn: The second third shifts to a highly dirt soil earth centric formula. This decreases the complexities of the cigar. Strength and body is unchanged at medium-full and medium, respectively.

Team Cigar Review: AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the toast level increases. The retrohale remains toasted cedar, earth and mild black pepper. As the cigar wraps up, the profile remained toasted cedar and earth up front with black pepper a bit behind. The strength remained at slightly above medium.
Seth: The final third was right in line with the second third. I was actually surprised by how it was keeping with the qualities and not getting harsher with the tapered head. Earthy, with sweet spices and tobacco and coffee. Medium-full in strength and body.
John: The last third opens with a combination of wood, spices and chocolate. As the last third settles in, bread and wood combine in the retrohale. Once the last third has had a chance to settle in, the profile is defined almost entirely by woodiness.
Jiunn: The final third stays true to the second third. Still very dirt soil earth driven paired with medium-full strength and medium body. Very AJ.

Team Cigar Review: AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado

Burn

Aaron: The burn was fairly straight throughout, but the cigar did go out once, requiring a re-light. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.
Seth: Very good burn throughout.
John: The San Lotano factory typically has great construction and there’s no surprises here with a straight burn through the first third, minor waviness by the half and a straight last third.
Jiunn: Solid burn performance. Even burn, tight ashes, plenty of smoke and cool burning temperature.

Team Cigar Review: AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado

Draw

Aaron: The draw was a bit snug, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.
Seth: Perfect draw.
John: The initial draw is extremely tight, which makes complete sense given the shape. Once the cigar burns to the shoulder, the draw is right in the ideal zone between open and resistant.
Jiunn: Great draw, striking the ideal air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with a mix of toasted cedar and cinnamon. The cinnamon transitioned to black pepper fairly quickly and earth and a musty floral note joined a bit later. The second third saw the musty floral note depart and the final third saw the toast level increase. The AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado had a nice start with a nice balance and the unique musty floral note. Once that musty floral note departed in the second third, it dropped down a level and became a familiar AJ Fernandez flavor profile that was a bit mundane the rest of the way. I don’t see this cigar as much of a variation of other New World blends and wouldn’t see myself coming back to it all that often.
Seth: I really enjoyed the AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado, and it was a nice return to the New World line/brand. I thought it was a solid Nicaraguan puro that delivered an enjoyable flavor profile that was present throughout. Not overly complex, or showing a lot of transitioning, but an overall good blend. I prefer the Toro vitola offering, but a nice Figurado.
John: The AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado had pleasant and balanced flavors through the review, but nothing about the flavors or the way they combined brought it above an average rating. I would be hard pressed to define this blend in a line of other AJ Fernandez offerings. As mentioned in the notes, AJ Fernandez’s San Lotano factory typically has great quality control so the burn and draw here were perfect. I wouldn’t return to the New World Dorado Figurado, partially because of price, but also because this wasn’t a standout blend for me. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 4 minutes.
Jiunn: This is yet another AJ made cigar, in which if you are a fan of his typical blending style of being earth and soil driven, you will no doubt love this one (in a fancy figurado to boot). But for me, the AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado lacks complexities and overall tastes average in which you can find in other cheaper AJ made cigars.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.85

Cost/Point

$2.19

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

7.07

Cost/Point

$1.81

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$2.23

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$2.10

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado