My Weekend Cigar Review Dias de Gloria Brazil by AJ Fernandez
“Tall and Tan and Young and Lovely…”
That lyric from “The Girl From Ipanema,” the classic tune by the late Brazilian songwriter, Astrud Gilberto, is a fit description for AJ Fernandez’s Días de Gloria Brazil cigars. Debuting earlier this year, Brazil is the first spin-off to his classic Dias de Gloria cigars. That selection sports a Nicaraguan puro blend in Habano wrappers. For Brazil, AJ employs a naturally sweet Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper over a similarly hearty Nicaraguan binder and filler core and finishes it with an attractive box press.
As the company describes Días de Gloria Brazil, “Honoring the rich roots of Brazil and the legacy of Nicaragua, AJ Fernandez captures the soul of traditional influences with this distinct and vibrant blend.” Additionally, with the release of the Días de Gloria Brazil line, AJ continues his tribute to the glory days of pre-Castro cigars while seeking to create “glory days” for today’s cigar smokers in five popular sizes: Robusto, Corona, Toro, Figurado, and Gordo.
Cigar Details:
Factory: Tabacalera AJ Fernandez – Estelí, Nicaragua
Size: 5½x54 box-pressed
Body & Strength: Full
Wrapper: Brazilian Mata Fina
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Flavor Profile: full-bodied with sweet, spicy, and earthy notes
Presented in boxes of 20
Días de Gloria Brazil Robusto Cigar Review
This Robusto is beautifully made. It's got a gentler box pressing and is presented with a cedar overwrap and a bright green foot band that cover the lower half of the cigar. The cigar had a comfortable firmness to it, and once clipped, the draw was just right with a combination of sweet and tangy tobacco notes.
Once lit, the cigar started off with dense smoke almost immediately. However, it was very creamy on my palate, and not unlike the pre-light notes, it was a mix of black pepper and sweet tobacco.
On my second sample, the burn got off to a wonky start, no thanks to a hard chunk of tobacco— ligero perhaps?—that burned too slowly. This caused an angled burn. (You may have run into this yourself on occasion.) Otherwise, the flavor was still pretty good. The black pepper was more in the finish, but the lead dogs seemed to be a layer of sweetness and a layer of earthy spice—sweet Brazil meshing with spicy Nicaragua, get it? Some burnt cedar also fell in along with a twist of nutmeg.
By the midsection, the cigar slid into full body/full strength. The black pepper faded a little while the burn on my second sample had completely evened out.
For most of the remaining inches, the Robusto settled into a very full, creamy, and chewy smoke that eventually became earthier and bolder. Additionally, it was still impressively smooth to the nub.
Was Días de Gloria Brazil Robusto Weekend Worthy?
Like the country of Brazil, I found the Días de Gloria Brazil Robusto to be big and vibrant with a full-flavor menu. In that regard, I would say that AJ got the desired result. My guess is that he wanted a layer of sweetness complemented by a layer of earthy spice with some charred wood and earthier activity sandwiched in between. I can see this cigar as an after dinner treat with a large espresso or a night cap with a good whiskey.
I would add that it’s more for cigar smokers who’ve had some level of experience with full-bodied cigars. The Días de Gloria Brazil Robusto may also cost a little more than your average Nicaraguan, but there’s a lot to appreciate in the blend, and that’s worth considering, too.
Please Note: Gary’s review was based on his experience and that your mileage may vary.