Three years ago Casa Fernandez (now Aganorsa Leaf) and Kyle Gellis of Warped Cigars collaborated on a blend known as the Guardian of the Farm. This year at at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) trade show, Aganorsa Leaf introduced a line extension to that brand, except this time it was a solo project by Max Fernández known as the Guardian of the Farm Nightwatch. While the original honored the Bull Dogs who watch over the farms, the Nightwatch honors all of our furry friends.
According to Aganorsa Leaf, the Nightwatch is an all-Nicaraguan blend, which the company describes as more intense than the original. The blend features tobacco only grown on Aganorsa farms in Nicaragua.
The full blend is described as:
- Wrapper – Shade Grown Corojo Maduro (proprietary)
- Binder – Jalapa Corojo
- Filler – Corojo and Criollo (Estelí and Jalapa)
The Guardian of the Farm Nightwatch is expressed in 4 vitolas and comes packaged in 25-count boxes:
- Rambo (4 1/2 x 48) MSRP $8.50
- JJ (5 1/2 x 50) MSRP $9.75
- Campeon (6 x 52) MSRP $9.95
- Orpheus (6 by 44) MSRP $9.20
For this review I sampled the Guardian of the Farm Nightwatch Campeon which I purchased at one of my local brick and mortar shops.
Pre-Light Examination
The Guardian of the Farm Nightwatch Campeon is a dark brown, slightly marbled cigar, that has a deep red tinge to it and a decent oily sheen. It is light on veins and is smooth to the touch. There are a few bumps along the barrel. Although some say this is a toro vitola, it is finished with a well applied belicoso cap (more rounded taper at the head) and a closed foot.
There are two bands that adorn the cigar. The first is a a white and gold band that declares this as the Guardian of the Farm with the Bull Dog logo centered int he middle. The second band is placed just below the primary and uses red and gold declaring it as the Nightwatch and includes the Aganorsa logo in the center and the name “Aganorsa Leaf” printed on the bottom.
Proceeding to the old sniff test, my nasal sensors picked up a light spice along barrel and mildly pungent and earth note off the foot.
I used a double blade cutter to do a straight cut of the cap and took in some cold draw puffs that graced the palate with early notes of pepper and butter. I can’t judge the draw due to the closed foot.
Now it was time to get the party started as I warmed the foot with a double flame torch, bringing it to a fine orange glow. I drew in the first puffs of smoked that delivered pepper through the nose along with natural sweetness and baking spice on the palate.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial light hits the nose with pepper
- Natural sweetness and baking spice fill in behind
- Thick rich creamy smoke
- Sweet cream notes round out the early profile
- Salt and Pepper ash develops on a thick wavy char line
- Chocolate nuances add to the flavor sensations
- Flaky ash fell with flat and off centered burn cone
- Sweet cream is predominant with a mild spice in the background
- Burn is behaving after a touch up
- Nut joins the mix on both flavor and aroma
- Burn starts to get wavy again and then goes off
- Sea Salt enters deep in second third
- Fruit and cream notes approaching the final third
- Strength has hit full at this point
- Another touch up is required
- A lingering nut carries into the final third
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 20 minutes
Overall, I enjoyed the flavor notes in the Aganorsa Leaf Guardian of the Farm Nightwatch but the burn gave me problems. I spoke to my associate Mike Holmes who also smoked a few of these and noted the same issue with the burn. I would check out another one of these maybe in a different vitola. I rate this an 88.
Point Deductions: (-1) Salt and Pepper Ash; (-1) Flaky Ash; (-2) Multiple Touch-ups; (-1) Flat Burn Cone; (-1) Off Centered Burn Cone; (-1) May Buy One Again; (-1) Off Burn
