AJ Fernandez

AJ Fernandez produces incredible premium cigars in Esteli, Nicaragua. Raised in Cuba and steeped in the rich tradition of the Fernandez Cigar Legacy, AJ earned his credentials in the fields before creating blends himself and to this day the operations at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez are managed by him.

Located within the fertile grounds of Nicaragua, AJ has made massive investments throughout the country in order to produce his very own tobacco from all the growing regions which includes Condega, Jalapa, Esteli, Pueblo Nuevo and the island of Ometepe. Each farm has a name that is very meaningful to AJ.

AJ understood that to produce a quality cigar year after year you have to grow your own tobacco as outsourcing will cause inconsistent growing conditions to the leaves which will affect the consistency of each cigar. In a short period of time, AJ gained a large real estate portfolio which allowed him to grow specific tobacco varieties for all of his blends. 

Once the growing process is complete each leaf is picked or primed from the plant at its most opportune time. As the leaves are strung up in tobacco drying houses along the countryside, they release their bright green colours and take on new colours that mimic the different seasons, usually yellow and brown take over as the main colour. From the drying barns, the leaves go to the factories to be sorted in fermentation piles or pilones and for the next six months to two years, these tobacco leaves will undergo a transformation that will bring out the quality needed to produce a premium cigar. After this the tobacco leaves are once again sorted and rested in bales that will allow them to age for a few more years before they make their way to the rollers.

AJ Fernandez owns and operates 2 cigar factories in Nicaragua. Tabacalera AJ Fernandez de Nicaragua, SA which is located in Esteli and the San Lotano factory which is 70 kilometres north in Totogalpa. By having the two factories it allows them to craft over 100,000 cigars per day by hand. The blenders who have created each blend in the AJ Fernandez portfolio have all been trained in time-honoured methods that have been handed down to AJ from past generations.

Each brand in the AJ Fernandez portfolio gives you a unique smoking experience which is a testament to AJ’s talent as a tobacco grower and blender. All components of each blend are selected based on strength, aroma and flavour. When you give the finest tobaccos to AJ the result is some fantastic cigars like the New World, San Lotano, Bellas Artes and Enclave just to name a few.

Click here to view the AJ Fernandez range which is exclusive to C.Gars

Written by Oliver Partington