Emilio AF1 Review

Cigar: Emilio AF1 by A.J. Fernandez
Size: Toro, 6.0"x50
MSRP: $8.00
Strength: Medium-Full
Wrapper: San Andres Maduro
Origin: Nicaragua

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Prelight: The dark, toothy Mexican wrapper smells of flowers and barnyard, and is quite rustic looking. The whole cigar definitely has a small batch charm to it, from the very basic band, to the excess glue near the cap, to the lumpy, veiny appearance of the body. Sniffing the foot is like snorting a line of Swiss Miss. After a quick snip, the resistance of the cold draw is right where I like it and is extremely chocolaty and earthy. Yum!

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1/3: I get that familiar Nicaraguan pepper blast from the word “go.” There is some cedar, cream and chocolate hiding underneath the nasal assault. (A salt? I thought you said a “pepper.”) The smoke output is superb and the burn is sharp. The body of the cigar is medium at this point, but I have no doubts it will increase, and halfway through the first third, as the pepper tapers off, I pick up some earth and leather. As I reach the transition to the second third, the leather and chocolate come and go in waves, almost alternating with each other.

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2/3: Cedar is in the forefront of the profile as I begin the second third, followed by earth, leather, and just a sprinkling of chocolate. At the halfway mark, the body has increased to a solid medium-full. I get a bit of a wrapper peninsula at one point, but minutes later it is engulfed in ember and the burn line resumes it straightness. The flavors don’t change much throughout this third.

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3/3: Cedar is still dominant in the final third, but seems to have gotten spicier. The sweetness from the chocolate has faded a bit, and that flavor is now more of a bittersweet, or dark chocolate tone, and the earthiness is still hanging tough like NKOTB. As I reach the nub (and this cigar is nubworthy), the cedar is replaced with creamy dark chocolate, with an oaky finish.

Overall: A really good cigar. The second third was a bit boring, but the profile is quite delicious in all thirds. I’d keep an eye out for these to be discounted, as I’m not convinced they warrant the $8 price tag, but the near-flawless construction and straightforward-yet-enjoyable flavors are delightful. If you find them for $5 or less, grab a fiver for those after dinner smokes when you just want to relax.