The San Lotano Dominicano is a collaboration between two power players in the cigar industry – AJ Fernandez and Jochy Blanco. For this project, Fernandez would contribute Nicaraguan tobaccos from his farms, while Blanco would contribute the Dominican tobaccos from his farm. Production for the San Lotano Dominicano is handled by Blanco's Tabacalera Palma factory. Meanwhile, sales and distribution are handled by AJ Fernandez Cigars. A reddish-brown Brazilian wrapper leaf embraces a medium-bodied recipe of Dominican and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos in a collection of traditional shapes. Smokers can expect an overall medium-plus body, which ramps from medium to full from start to finish. This exciting progression brings with it a clean smoke across the palate, showing flavors of earth, dark chocolate, sweet florals, hardwoods, vanilla, and a touch of saltiness for balance. The name, according to Fernandez, comes from his family's brand in Cuba before the revolution. From the hardships faced in Cuba, production of this premium halted, and after decades of this fine masterpiece being in retirement, AJ Fernandez reintroduced the San Lotano brand that his grandfather originally crafted. What makes the San Lotano Dominicano collaboration stand out is that it is a rare case where both parties are not only brand owners, but blenders and tobacco growers. For the San Lotano Dominicano, both Fernandez and Blanco bring these credentials to the table. With San Lotano Dominicano, it is perhaps the closest project to a true collaboration we have seen in recent years. You'll get toasted cedar, caramel, black coffee, and even an herbal licorice note on the finish. The star for most reviewers seems to be caramel, however. That salty sweetness comes through with enough clarity that more than one smoker has picked it out of the profile. The phenomenal San Lotano series of smokes have long been lauded for bringing maximum premium flavor at a reasonable daily-stick price, and the San Lotano Dominicano continues that tradition.