Fallen Angel Box-Pressed Perfecto

AJ Fernandez has done it again. This time with a deliciously dark, incredibly powerful, and intriguingly mysterious stogie that is aptly named Fallen Angel. Rolled with care at AJ Fernandez’s legendary Tabacalera Fernandez factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, this one of a kind stogie starts with a wrapper which is a super dark and oily Sumatra Ecuadorian Oscuro leaf. This leaf is not only rare, it’s cut at the best and most flavorful priming known as the 7th cut, which is one of the last primings to be taken from the plant. Beneath this remarkable leaf is an impressive and bold blend of Nicaraguan ligero long-fillers secured by a rich Ecuadoran Habano binder. Perfectly boxed-pressed, this unique full-bodied stogie has a rustic tobacco core with notes of black pepper, oak, and leather, with a caramel-like sweetness on the finish. With a cool burn and razor sharp, this powerhouse should be enjoyed with a black coffee after dinner.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.