Seth's Humidor

Box of Reconquista

When I heard that there would be a limited release of the Ave Maria line I was ecstatic. The Ave Maria line has been a favorite of mine since its release and deservedly so. AJ Fernandez is making great smokes and it seems that the more he makes the better they get. The cigar is loaded with wonderful flavors and has a perfect body to it making it a great smoke anytime of the day. The Reconquista edition is very special utilizing rare tobacco in a great size as well. First of all the presentation of this cigar is great, with each cigar coming in its own coffin and is available in a box of three or 12. They capped the amount of boxes made to only 16,000 and I don't think it will be made again. The box itself is gorgeous and each coffin itself is amazing as well. I think this is the first box of cigars where my wife really thought it was a great presentation. First of all the cigar is a massive torpedo measuring 7" with a 54 ring gauge. The cigar is like the double corona of torpedoes, it is that large.

Three Coffins Within Box

The cigar is covered in a Brazilian Habano Oscuro wrapper that is so rare that this is the first time ever a cigar has featured it. The binder is a premium leaf from Honduras and the filler is Cuban-seed tobacco from Jalapa, Esteli and Condega, Nicaragua. With all of this wonderful tobacco it is no surprise that this cigar will be wonderful in flavor and complex as well.  The cigar is wonderful in hand with a beautiful dark wrapper that has a complex array of aromas including spice, leather, wood, sweet earth and pepper. The cigar is very toothy and incredibly oily.

Cigars Exposed from Coffin

The cigar begins right off incredibly complex showing so many flavors. The pepper hits you right in the beginning and then there is this heavy since of earthy and leather that finishes with a smooth, sweet and creamy toasty note. This cigar is very complex and incredible. I have rarely had cigars this flavorful and complex so early on in a cigar. The burn is amazing on the smoke as well remaining perfect and also giving off a plethora of smoke. Entering the second third of the cigar there is a little less pepper but it is still present with wonderful amounts of leather and earth. The finish is still incredibly unique with this great sweet creamy toast to it. I can't really pick out some of these flavors because they are mingled so well together but it is absolutely amazing. So far this cigar is getting high ratings and I don't see anything else changing that. I am in the final third right now and the spice level just kicked back up and this cigar is definitely back to being full in body. The flavors that I picked up in the first third are back and still wonderful as ever. The burn is absolutely perfect and still producing great amounts of smoke. Truly a marvelous smoke all the way to the nub.

Beautiful Ave Maria

This cigar is a 98 and no less, ever. With such limitations on production I truly can't see any of these smokes being a dud. This is truly a special occasion cigar that I will treasure for certain times. This cigar is up there with the Padron 80th Anniversary to me. I think these two cigars are some of the finest non-Cubans for special occasions. I highly recommend you pick up one of the cigars, in fact get a box and savor them. If you were looking for a cigar for a special occasion or just because you can afford one, this is your smoke. Truly a piece of art.

Ave Maria Reconquista

Available at Cigar.com and Cigars International