A.J. Fernandez New World Redondo Toro is an overlooked gem in our humidor.
It starts out on a fairly familiar note, medium-bodied with some earth and pepper but nothing too overwhelming on the palate. The first notes are pepper-forward, bright with white pepper initially, then adding some dry woods for body and a bit of complexity. By the time has burned through its first inch, the profile has picked up a bit more black pepper and is showing more of a robust earth note.
The start of the second third carries over much of how the first third finished, a bit milder than the start but still medium-plus to medium-full. Pepper is taking a bit of break from dominating things, and there’s a mix of woods and earth that has been slowly developing but now ready to take the reins for a bit. Right around the midpoint the New World Redondo gets markedly stronger and more robust, pushing a sharp black pepper to the forefront of the flavor and aroma.
The final third, now much earthier with a charred black pepper driving the flavors, a hearty cigar that sits in the full-bodied range. There is the slight amounts of sweetness that the cigar holds; just a bit of dark chocolate the comes and goes without much fanfare but adds some depth and dimension to the profile. While it’s harder to get at this point due to the dominance of the earth, it doesn’t completely hide in the background. With just under two inches to go, there is a dry mint flavor that comes along to redirect the flavor one final time, letting just a bit of the earthiness go but keeping the bulk of the pepper in this new full-flavored expression. The cigar continues to burn near perfectly, with plenty of smoke, solid draw and an even burn line.
The technical performance remains stellar, with no issues to be found with the cigar at all.
Not new, but worth the try, in the humidor.
