Aging Room Pelo de Oro Scherzo – Rough Cut Cigar Review

It seems everywhere we look this year, the name AJ Fernandez  comes up in the cigar world. This time it is with famed cigar maker Rafael Nodal and his latest release the Aging Room Pelo de Oro. I picked one of these beauties up at my local brick and mortar shops – Paradise Cigarz in Rockledge, FL. It was highly recommended by trusted friend and store manager Suzy Zook.  Actually, all it really took was her stating they had some new cigars from Rafael and I was all in.

Rafael himself, describes the Pelo de Oro on his website as:

Pelo de Oro tobacco is well-known for its distinctive flavor and body. Working with AJ Fernandez has allowed us access to his crop of outstanding Pelo de Oro tobacco. The tobacco is not widely used as it is very difficult to harvest a good crop as the leaf is very susceptible to blue mold and other diseases.

The Aging Room Pelo de Oro is available in only one vitola, known as the Scherzo. It is a 5.5 x 55 cigar finished with a triple capped twist head and is packaged in 10 count boxes. I paid $14.50 USD for this one. Knowing how much Rafael Nodal love playing piano, the name Scherzo is a vigorous, light, or playful composition, typically comprising a movement in a symphony or sonata.

The blend of the Aging Room Pelo de Oro is described as:

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• Small twisted tail  on a triple cap
• Primary  band is standard Aging Room logo
• Secondary band declaring it as the Pelo de Oro
• You have to look close to see the “de” between Pelo and Oro
• Smooth medium brown wrapper with a felt cloth  feel to it
• Solid in the hand and tightly packed
• Sweet hay on the foot
• Not much aroma along the barrel
• Cold draw offered notes of earth and sweet black truffle flavor with a sprinkle of pepper
• Just a mild burst of pepper in the initial light
• The sweetness of the tobacco comes right in under the cloak of the early pepper
• Well formed, tight, light grey ash
• Pepper fades fast and a butter note fills the palate with a sweet backdrop
• Incredibly smooth smoke
• Easy on the retrohale
• Tapped the ash after an inch and half
• A very gentle spice develops after the first third
• A sea salt enters in the second third adding to the sweet spicy butter
• Sweet floral aroma develops middle of second third
• Spice builds toward end of second third
• Medium strength
• Full body of smoke
• Perfect burn

Overall, the Aging Room Pelo de Oro Scherzo offered a pleasurable smoking experience with delightful sweet notes throughout. It was an easy cigar to smoke and can be enjoyed by both experienced and newbies alike. This pairs very well with a fine Pinot Noir.