JC Newman

October 10, 2015

A. J. Fernandez Enclave Robusto (5 x 52)




Video review HERE.


(portions of description taken from Cigar Coop website)
The Enclave pays tribute to the native Americans, who were well known to be purveyors of tobacco. Once again, master blender A.J. Fernandez will team up with his father Ismael to produce the blend.

The name Enclave is typically a term used to describe a group enclosed or isolated within a larger group. In the past and present, many native Americans are a part of communities which can be considered enclaves. The same analogy can be made for cigar enthusiasts, who gather together from different walks of life to escape the everyday grind.

The packaging and banding reflect the theme of the native Americans. Both depict images of Native Indians, a representation of the original tobacco enclave.

In a press release A.J. Fernandez commented: “There is no doubt that there is a special bond shared among those passionate about cigars. I experience it daily as I have the luxury of sharing my labor of love with my father, Ismael. We invite you to join our ‘Enclave’ with this special cigar that we have patiently crafted to perfection.”

Enclave is a value priced cigar – falling into the $6.00 and $7.00 range.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: AJ Fernandez Nicaraguan, AJ Fernandez Piloto Cubano
Country of Origin: Nicaragua (Tabacalera Fernandez)

Vitolas Available:
Robusto: 5 x 52 (REVIEWED TODAY)
Toro: 6 x 52
Figuardo: 6 1/2 x 52
Churchill: 7 x 52


The cigar is a medium brown in color and well made. The foot is unfinished.




The test draw after cutting the cap was perfect. The initial flavors at light up were light sweet boysenberry, cinnamon, cream, roasted nuts, and earthy coffee. Black pepper was noted at a 7.5. The finish is roasted nuts and dry wood with a slight amount of cream at this early stage. There is also some nice lingering black pepper.


About one inch in the flavors are transitioning into a buttery cedar, cinnamon, and brown sugar combination. There is still coffee at the base but it's not so earthy. There is quite a bit of sweetness at this point. The roasted nuts continue to remain on the finish. The cream is more noticeable on the finish.



At the midpoint you get more of the roasted nuts. There are also flashes of nutmeg. The other flavors are still there. The cigar is now medium to full bodied. The finish has more sweet cream. It also has lower amounts of the roasted nuts and dry wood.



As the cigar ended it had more of the roasted nut flavors. They really jumped up from the midpoint onward. They seemed to take away from the sweeter flavors on the front end. The finish remained unchanged. The cigar ended medium to full bodied. With the resurgence of the roasted nuts on the front end I felt the cigar lost something. The buttery notes really tailed off in the second half. These cigars have a great price point so they are well worthy of a try. Let me know what you think.


Score: 90

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