Aganorsa Leaf announced the 20th anniversary JFR (Just For Retailers) cigar earlier this year and started shipping them to retailers at the end of May 2025. The JFR line the company’s most popular brand in their portfolio. The JFR line has been known for its large ring gauges and wallet friendly price points for the consumer.
- Wrapper – Mexican San Andrés
- Binder – Nicaraguan
- Filler – Nicaraguan
The Aganorsa Leaf JFR 20 Years is expressed in 4 vitolas. Each are box pressed and come packaged in 21-count boxes.
- 770 (7 x 70) – MSRP $12.50/cigar
- Toro (6 1/2 x 52) – MSRP $9.50/cigar
- Titan (6 x 60) – MSRP $11.00/cigar
- 4 3/4 x 70 – MSRP $10.75/cigar
The cigars are hand crafted at the Aganorsa Factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.
In a press release comment, Terence Reilly, VP of Sales and Marketing for Aganorsa Leaf stated:
“JFR has thrived over the past 20 years as our bestselling brand because it provides an unparalleled value. In a market that has seen massive increases in cigar prices over the past few years, Aganorsa has remained dedicated to providing premium cigars that you can afford to enjoy. JFR 20th is proof of that commitment.”
For this review, I sampled four of the JFR 20 Year Toros. One that I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press and 3 more I purchased at my local shop.
Pre-Light Examination
The Aganorsa Leaf JFR 20 Years is cloaked in a dark reddish brown wrapper that exhibits a few noticeable veins and a touch of marbling. The wrapper is smooth to the touch and the cigar is well packed. The wrapper has some toothiness and slight oily sheen. The box pressing is crisp and construction is finished with a closed foot and a pigtail cap. Visually, this is an attractive cigar.
Two black and silver bands adorn the cigar. The primary band boldly denotes this as the JFR 20 Years along with the Aganorsa logo placed on the left and right sides of the band. The secondary band is placed right below the primary and boldly displays the Aganorsa logo.
Running the cigar along the nose the barrel has a pungent, vinegar like, aroma while the foot greets you with buttery notes.
I sliced the cap straight across the shoulder of the cigar and gave it some cold draw puffs that were obviously restricted with the closed foot but offered peppery sting to the lips and tongue and a touch of bitter honey.
Using my dual flame lighter, I warmed the foot to an even orange glow and drew in the first puffs of peppery smoke to start the journey. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial notes of peppery smoke especially on the retrohale
- A touch of cracker sweetness quickly joins the mix
- The early draw is tighter than I like with a medium at best smoke volume
- A light grey flaky ash forms on a thick char line
- I am loving how the pepper tones down and the sweetness moves forward
- A mild off burn develops then eventually requires a touch up
- Woody notes weave into the profile
- The early sweetness shifts to a toasted honey
- The draw tightens up and the foot gets crunchy and requires some attention
- As the ash fell the cigar revealed an off centered burn cone
- A touch of saltiness enters
- Draw finally opens up close to midway point
- Retrohale still offers a slight peppery kick
- Slight fruit note joins the profile
- Lingering charcoal notes on the palate
- Draw tightens up again
- Earthy/mineral notes develop deep in the second third with a mild spice component
- There is a hint of dark chocolate in the final
- Medium in Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 40 minutes
From the very first puff, the Aganorsa Leaf JFR 20 Years Toro wastes no time making its presence known. A bold wave of pepper washes over the palate, especially pronounced on the retrohale, delivering a wake-up call to the senses. That initial pepper quickly finds balance as a light cracker-like sweetness enters the mix, rounding out the sharp edges and setting the stage for what’s to come. The draw out of the gate is tighter than I prefer, restricting the smoke volume to a medium level at best. Despite this, the flavors remain vivid. A thick char line develops, supporting a light grey, flaky ash. The construction shows promise, though it’s not without its quirks.
As the burn progresses through the first third, the pepper begins to dial back, allowing that subtle sweetness to push forward. It’s an enjoyable shift—more toasted honey than cracker now—and the complexity starts to deepen. A mild off-burn develops here, eventually requiring a touch-up. As things settle, a pleasant array of woody notes begins to weave into the profile, adding depth and richness to the smoke.
Moving into the second third, the draw tightens up again, and the foot becomes noticeably crunchy, signaling potential internal combustion issues. When the ash finally drops, it reveals an off-centered burn cone—a construction flaw that explains some of the earlier performance hiccups. There is a touch of saltiness joining the profile at this point, subtly enhancing the flavor and complexity.
Just past the midpoint, the draw finally opens up, freeing the blend to perform at a higher level. A slight pepper zing still lingers on the retrohale, but it’s more refined now—no longer the blunt instrument it was early on. A faint fruit note—think dried stone fruit—emerges in the background, while lingering charcoal notes begin to take hold on the finish, offering an off putting grittiness.
As we enter the final third, earthy and mineral notes become more prominent, paired with a restrained but present spice component. The draw unfortunately tightens once again—seemingly a recurring theme with this cigar—but the flavor keeps the journey interesting. Near the final, a delicate hint of dark chocolate surfaces, a welcome closing note. This one could benefit from some construction refinement, but the flavor keeps it in the conversation.
I have to say the first time I tried this it had issues, so I purchased 5 more at my local shop and smoke three more hoping the first was a one-off but unfortunately that was not the case.
Point Deductions: (-1) off burn; (-1) Flaky ash; (-2) Multiple Touchups; (-1) off centered burn cone; (-1) Medium volume of smoke; (-1) Crunchy Foot; (-1) Lingering charcoal notes on the palate in second half; (-1) Would not purchase more
