Ramon Allones by AJ Fernandez Toro 6″ x 52

Ramon Allones is one of the old Cuban brands. In the United States the name belongs to General Cigar, which handed both the making and the selling of it to AJ Fernandez. His version came out in 2018, and the Churchill made Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 that year with 92 points.

It is a Nicaraguan puro. AJ Fernandez grows the dark medio tiempo wrapper on his own farm in Nicaragua from a hybrid tobacco, and the binder and filler are Nicaraguan too. Medio tiempo is the leaf at the very top of the plant, the thickest and strongest, and not every plant grows it. Every cigar is rolled at his factory in Estelí.

Cigar Coop reviewed this Toro and found chocolate, earth, dried fruit, cedar and black pepper, starting medium to full and turning full in the last third. It placed fourth on their 2018 Cigar of the Year countdown. At 6 x 52 it sits between the Robusto and the 6 1/2 x 54 Torpedo. Each cigar wears a cedar sleeve, and they come in boxes of 20.

Pairs well with espresso, bourbon, or dark rum.