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San Lotanos by AJ Fernandez

Anyone get a chance to smoke these cigars? I think there was a special promo on these guys buy cigar.com. A friend and a split a Maduro and Habano sampler as we are both fans of AJ Fernandez (him more so than me). I tried the Maduro first. I do enjoy box presses cigars and went with a regular cut instead of hole punching it. I found the draw to by very light and airy, and the construction a little loose. Well balanced but not a lot of complexity/depth to it, and it was mild enough to cycle through the nose without getting that itch to sneeze. I still have plenty more of the sampler to try and wanted to see if anyone else had tried it yet and what their experience was.

Comments

  • lilwing88lilwing88 Posts: 2,812 ✭✭✭
    I had a similar experience with the Maduro. I think I'm letting the rest take a nap for a while. The Habanos are awesome in comparison.....
    Guns don't kill people, Daddies with pretty daughters do…..
  • boydmcgowanboydmcgowan Posts: 1,101
    I'm so fired up about the Habanos, but I'm firing up a Gordo tonight after the wife and boy are asleep. Will post how it went tomorrow. Assuming I don't dall asleep myself.

    Amazing how much more energery a little guy takes once he starts crawling. . .
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    My experience with the maduro was nothing like that, I've had two so far. Don't know what to say beyond that.
  • t_evan50t_evan50 Posts: 1,725
    I've got a 5r of the maduros resting can't wait to try em. It sounds like im gunna have to get some habanos too.
  • Russ55Russ55 Posts: 2,765 ✭✭
    Haven't tried the Maduro yet. One of these days/weeks when I feel like having a maduro I will try it. The Habano is fantastic.
  • boydmcgowanboydmcgowan Posts: 1,101
    So the Maduro Gordo was good. It didn't change my life or anything, but it was a really good cigar, and it tasted like it had a ton of aging potential.

    So the first thing I liked about it was the toothy, rustic looking, veiny maduro wrapper, that had a great texture to it. This cigar really has an old school feel to it. I actually chewed on the cap a little after I cut it, to get a hint of what I was getting into. I've been smoking for years but don't have the most refined palate, but when I was chewing on the cap I got a good punch of a complex blend of spices with some raisins and an overall sweet chewing tobacco taste.

    When I lit it, I was initially hit with some of the same flavors as I mentioned above (though more subdued initially) and they remained throughout the smoke, building in flavor. The strength as well as the body and flavor of the cigar definitely seemed to build throughout the cigar after starting out pretty medium, and I also noticed alot of rustic earthiness which seemed to grow stronger the farther into the cigar I got, which was a nice compliment spices and chewing tobacco sweetness. The cigar had a dry feel to it, wasn't too heavy in the hand and had an easy draw, but even though I'm a fairly quick smoker it still took me about an hour and a half to get through that 6 x 60 monster. And the smoke remaind really cool, until the last inch when it started to heat up. Overall the cigar was definitely strong (talking nicotine here), and was a pretty full bodied/full flavored cigar with an easy draw that produced a ton of dry smoke.

    All in all, despite the hype behind the brand, I was still impressed. It didn't blow me away, but I really enjoyed it, and look forward to my two Maduros and two Habanos that are resting away. Let me know what you guys think. I've been smoking for years and this is the first time I've tried to actually write a review, I might have jumped around a bit, but those are my thoughts.
  • Russ55Russ55 Posts: 2,765 ✭✭
    I did try the Maduro today. I wasn't too impressed. It wasn't bad or anything, but I'm not a huge maduro fan and it didn't really stand out in any way to me. It was just a maduro. I think I will sit on the other 4 I have for 6 months to a year and try them again.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Russ55:
    I did try the Maduro today. I wasn't too impressed. It wasn't bad or anything, but I'm not a huge maduro fan and it didn't really stand out in any way to me. It was just a maduro. I think I will sit on the other 4 I have for 6 months to a year and try them again.
    Hey Russ, I had formed a similar opinion based on the first SL maduro I had and in hindsight I think I made my judgement relative to the habano, where I feel the maduro falls short in that respect. However, with the second and third ones I smoked, I tried to evaluate the cigar on its own merits and not as a comparison to any other cigar, namely the habano version, and what I found is that, taken on its own, the maduro is a good cigar that does have something to offer unique from the habano. Of course different palates will interpret the cigar in their own way, so I hardly expect anyone to feel the same way, but I thought I'd mention it and maybe give a different perspective on the cigar.
  • HaysHays Posts: 2,337 ✭✭✭
    I smoked the maduro this evening. I felt like it was a decent cigar, but overall kinda boring. Considering the breadth of options out there, I don't think it's really a re-buy for me.
    ¨The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea¨ - Isak Dinesen

    ¨Only two people walk around in this world beardless - boys and women - and I am neither one.¨
  • denniskingdennisking Posts: 3,703 ✭✭✭
    I don't know why anyone isn't talking about the Habano yet.
  • laker1963laker1963 Posts: 5,046
    I am still waiting to try these. I have some of the other AF releases coming but I forgot to include a few of these. They will be on the next order for sure. Sounds like the natural is preferred over the Maduro. Have to try a couple of each I guess.
  • Russ55Russ55 Posts: 2,765 ✭✭
    j0z3r:
    Russ55:
    I did try the Maduro today. I wasn't too impressed. It wasn't bad or anything, but I'm not a huge maduro fan and it didn't really stand out in any way to me. It was just a maduro. I think I will sit on the other 4 I have for 6 months to a year and try them again.
    Hey Russ, I had formed a similar opinion based on the first SL maduro I had and in hindsight I think I made my judgement relative to the habano, where I feel the maduro falls short in that respect. However, with the second and third ones I smoked, I tried to evaluate the cigar on its own merits and not as a comparison to any other cigar, namely the habano version, and what I found is that, taken on its own, the maduro is a good cigar that does have something to offer unique from the habano. Of course different palates will interpret the cigar in their own way, so I hardly expect anyone to feel the same way, but I thought I'd mention it and maybe give a different perspective on the cigar.
    I totally compared it to the habano. I had just had one a few days before the maduro too. I think it would have been impossible for me not to compare them. You're right though, on it's own it's not a bad stick. It's well made, the aroma is nice, but the flavor's a bit light. Just not being a huge maduro fan I need one that is really going to stand out for me to be interested.
  • hey all - just had the Habano this weekend and it is pretty damn good. Much better in my opinion compared to the maduro. Tighter draw on this one and a lot of strong flavors of dried fruit (raisins/apricot/honey) and citrus. Very good cigar...have one more in the humi, think I will age it a bit b/c I think the fruit/citrus flavors could use a little more balance a little more depth. Still, a very enjoyable smoke - something different from AJ.
  • FourtotheflushFourtotheflush Posts: 2,555
    I just got in a single Habano Toro!. I think Im gonna give it the mandatory waiting period before smoking it.
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