I recently ordered an Ave Maria cigar (I've been wanting to try one for a while since it's put out by the maker of my beloved Man O' War cigars, A.J. Fernandez) and threw it in the humidor to buffer for 4 days. Granted, I could have let it sit for a few more days but I was chomping at the bit to try this one. Before I get into the nitty gritty, I should mention that I ordered the 7.5 x 54 size and used a standard 9mm punch on the end since I like a smoke that stays cool all the way down to the nub.
Construction - Like the Man O' War line, this cigar is very well made. There was no wrapper fraying whatsoever and the burn line was razor sharp for the duration. The ash easily hung on till about 2 inches which is fairly important if you enjoy a cooler smoke.
First third - The opening of this cigar is very peppery and earthy. If you like a spicy opening, this cigar is for you. I don't dig the spicy ones so much but decided to hang on to see if the cigar changed at all. I'm glad I did.
Second third - The pepper fades (it's still there in the background) and the cigar takes on a sweet, cedary character that I enjoyed very much. This cigar was the perfect companion to my Eagle Rare bourbon as I sat out on the back porch and enjoyed a beautiful still evening.
Final third - The sweetness faded ever so slightly and the pepper wasn't noticeable at all. The cigar has a very mild, leathery ending which I don't mind at all.
This is a medium bodied cigar which is to say that while it doesn't pack a full on wallop like a Man o War Ruination or Partagas Black, it's still noticeable if you're a guy like me that only smokes one cigar a month or so. I felt a little light headed at the end but not unpleasantly so. The more products I try by A.J. Fernandez, the more I'm a fan of his. If you're looking for a good smoke, I definitely recommend giving this one a try.
Construction - Like the Man O' War line, this cigar is very well made. There was no wrapper fraying whatsoever and the burn line was razor sharp for the duration. The ash easily hung on till about 2 inches which is fairly important if you enjoy a cooler smoke.
First third - The opening of this cigar is very peppery and earthy. If you like a spicy opening, this cigar is for you. I don't dig the spicy ones so much but decided to hang on to see if the cigar changed at all. I'm glad I did.
Second third - The pepper fades (it's still there in the background) and the cigar takes on a sweet, cedary character that I enjoyed very much. This cigar was the perfect companion to my Eagle Rare bourbon as I sat out on the back porch and enjoyed a beautiful still evening.
Final third - The sweetness faded ever so slightly and the pepper wasn't noticeable at all. The cigar has a very mild, leathery ending which I don't mind at all.
This is a medium bodied cigar which is to say that while it doesn't pack a full on wallop like a Man o War Ruination or Partagas Black, it's still noticeable if you're a guy like me that only smokes one cigar a month or so. I felt a little light headed at the end but not unpleasantly so. The more products I try by A.J. Fernandez, the more I'm a fan of his. If you're looking for a good smoke, I definitely recommend giving this one a try.
