The fifth addition of the A.J. Fernandez New World series debuted this year at the 2022 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) trade show in Las Vegas, NV. The latest bend stared shipping to retailers in September and I picked one up from one of my local brick & mortar shops – Smoke Rings 72 in Merritt Island, FL. The New World Dorado joins its brethren – New World Oscuro, New World Connecticut, New World Puro Especial, and New World Cameroon on retailers’ shelves.
According to the Company’s website:
“The latest release in the New World Series provides a journey inspired by one of the world’s greatest tobacco growing regions. The all Nicaraguan blend is mostly from AJ Fernandez’ Dorado farm, which he aptly named due to its golden texture and taste.“
The name Dorado translates to Golden and it is the golden leaf tobacco from his Dorado farm in Estelí that he acquired in 2017 that is used in the new blend. In fact, it uses the first harvest from that farm after he acquired it.
- Wrapper – Habano Sun Grown Nicaraguan
- Binder – Criollo ’98 Nicaraguan
- Filler – Nicaraguan (Condega, Esteli, and Dorado)
The Dorado blend is expressed in 4 vitolas, each packaged in golden 10-count boxes.
- Robusto (5.5 x 52) – MSRP $11.00/cigar
- Gordito (5.5 x 60) – MSRP $12.00/cigar
- Toro (6 x 54) – MSRP $12.80/cigar
- Dorado Figurado (6 x 56) – MSRP $12.80/cigar
Fun fact – When the New World line was first introduced by A.J. and his father Ismael, their thought was to create a $5.00 cigar that performed like a $10.00 cigar at the time. Now years later, we are sitting at $11 to $13 per cigar so I wonder if the thought is that this should smoke like a $22.00 cigar?
Pre-Light Examination
The A.J. Fernandez New World Dorado is wrapped with a heavily marbled, milk chocolate brown wrapper with a slight reddish tinge. The wrapper has a light sheen and exhibits some noticeable veins. The cigar uses slightly rounded box press which is less than symmetrical looking at the foot. The wrapper has a smooth feel to it as you run your finger along the barrel. A simple cap completes the presentation.
Two bands adorn the cigar. The primary band uses the standard New Worl band design with a golden yellow background and the name “DORADO” printed on both sides of the band. As with others it includes A.J.’s signature on the back of the band. A secondary golden footer band is also applied to the cigar.
The pre-light aromas of the New World Dorado were rather enticing and included a lightly pungent fermented leaf note along the barrel and fresh fruit aromas off the foot with a hint of nuttiness.
I used my CiagrMedics Baller cutter to open the cap and gave it some cold draw puffs that I found to be a tad open from a restriction aspect. The draw itself offered notes of leather, fruit, and pepper.
My single flame torch was perfect to warm the foot, which took to the heat well as I drew in the first puffs of peppery smoke to start the journey. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- First light offers a peppery blast especially on the retrohale
- Slightly loose white ash rests on top of a thin char line
- Fruit notes start to evolve with a hint of leather
- Earth notes round out introductory profile
- Ash fell in decent chunk revealing a fairly centered and formed burn cone
- Saltiness begins to overlay the profile
- Strength ratchets up quickly after first third
- Bit of a jag in the burn midway
- Fruit morphs into more of a citrus note
- Slight squishiness on the wrapper (note 4th photo)
- Caramel aroma starts wafting off the foot with a bit of nuttiness
- Bitter coffee notes enter midway
- Cedar joins the mix deep in the second third
- Nut increases down to the final with lingering coffee notes
- Strength is solid full
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 35 Minutes
Final Analysis
Having smoked other blends in the New World line, I feel the Dorado is one is quite different from the other profiles. I enjoyed the fruit and nut notes that formed a decent core of the profile and the caramel aroma. I was a little offput by the bitterness midway but that recovered after a few puffs and morphed into a more of a light roasted coffee note. It had a decent burn but did get jagged in the second half, even to where it developed a slight off burn in the final. The cigar burned cool throughout. This is worth grabbing a sampler of each vitola and see how they perform for you. I this a 90.
Point Deductions: (-1) Slight Jag in Second Half; (-1) Slight Squish in the Barrel; (-1) Bitterness Midway; (-1) Off-Burn in final
