AJ Fernandez

AJ Fernandez stands as one of Nicaragua's most celebrated cigar manufacturers, renowned for blending traditional Cuban craftsmanship with innovative Nicaraguan terroir. The brand operates one of Nicaragua's largest premium cigar operations, producing over 14 million hand-rolled premium cigars annually and over 100,000 cigars daily by hand. Revered for his master blending skills and Cuban-inspired craftsmanship, AJ has achieved a meteoric rise in popularity in a relatively brief timeline. The brand is distinguished by its commitment to controlling the entire production process from seed to finished product, with over 600 acres of tobacco farms across Nicaragua.

Background

The AJ Fernandez story spans three generations, beginning with Andres Fernandez, AJ's grandfather, who started the original San Lotano brand in San Luis, Cuba. Abdel J. Fernandez was born in Cuba's countryside, in the San Luis area of Pinar del Rio, where by age 13, he would go straight to a tobacco farm after school called Finca La China, learning to grow, harvest, and ferment premium tobaccos. In 2003, Fernandez left Cuba for Nicaragua and founded Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in Estelí. What began as a small, boutique factory with just six rollers quickly grew into one of the largest producers in the world. Rather than launching his own brand initially, Fernandez first established himself as a manufacturer of cigars for other companies like Rocky Patel and Cigars International.

History

AJ Fernandez Cigars traces its roots back to San Luis, Cuba, where Abdel's grandfather started the San Lotano brand. AJ first earned recognition as the manufacturer of brands like 'Man O'War' and 'Diesel' for Cigars International, with Man O'War developing 'near cult status' after its 2009 national introduction. In 2010, Fernandez revived the long-discontinued San Lotano brand previously made by his grandfather in Cuba, marking his transition to producing his own branded cigars. He has achieved dozens of top ratings and rankings from Cigar Aficionado across multiple lines, with cigars receiving ratings of 90+ points consistently.

Reputation

Industry professionals describe AJ as having more raw talent and focused passion than almost anyone they've met, calling him a generational blending master producing some of the richest, most flavorful, and reliable cigars on the planet. He is routinely sought out by other companies to blend new cigars and rejuvenate older Cuban-legacy brands, including collaborations with Altadis' legendary brands Montecristo, Romeo Y Julieta, and H. Upmann. His collaborations have earned prestigious recognition, including winning the #1 Cigar of the Year from Cigar Aficionado. Because AJ Fernandez is considered a blending savant, he has been churning premium 90+ rated cigars for years, with blenders like him being described as 'the stuff of movies and legends'.