AJ Fernandez San Lotano Oval Robusto

September 20th, 2021: I bought a box of the Gordo vitola of this cigar. I usually love a big cigar. But the gordo is intimidating. It is 6.5 x 60 and the first few I smoked were some of the strongest cigars I've ever smoked, despite the claim on Neptune.com that the cigar is of medium strength. After about six months, the strength of my gordos had settled down to a much more mellow, full bodied cigar. However the size is still daunting. I therefore decided to buy a box of the robusto, which at 5.5 x 54 is a very generous robusto.

I smoked the first from the box last night. It was quite delicious and conformed to the Neptune description: medium in every sense. 

Appearance and Construction: The cigar has a distinctive oval shape. It feels good in the hand albeit light. Humidity appeared to be just right: firm to the squeeze but with a little spring.

According to Neptune, the wrapper is Ecuadorian Habano. The binder is Nicaraguan, and the filler is Nicaraguan and Honduran.  

First Puff: A good blast of flavour, but not much pepper.

Draw and Burn: Very easy draw. Almost no resistance. Plumes of easy smoke from start to finish. Burn was adequate; not razor sharp, but no touch up required.

Flavour and Complexity: The flavour was a medium roast coffee with very little, if any, spice. There was a hint of sweetness that made the flavour pleasantly complex. One writer on Neptune described the flavour as hazelnut. That idea came to my mind as I was smoking it. But I'm not sure what that adds. The flavour was quite rich, similar to that of the Gordo but not as intense. During the first third the cigar reminded me of the Bolivar Corona Royal (robusto) of the 80's and 90's, which was a lot stronger and darker than the current version. 

During the final third, flavour began to fade, leaving a more vegetal, less fermented flavour. It was still enjoyable enough to smoke to the nub. 

Body: Medium throughout

Strength: Medium but picked up a little towards the nub.

Finish and Aftertaste: A pleasant, clean after taste

Aroma: A good, rich, intense aroma.

Ash: Ash held on for 25 minutes, thereafter shorter intervals of 10 to 15 minutes. 

Balance and Consistency: The cigar was a well balanced medium bodied, medium strength cigar. The only defect was the final third in which flavour dissipated.

Time smoke: Almost 80 minutes

Overall: Quite satisfying. An easy, flavourful, enjoyable 80 minutes. 

First ash held on for about 25 minutes.

2. September 25th, 2021: Much fuller body than the first cigar from the box, much more flavour, pepper was prominent throughout the cigar. The flavour and body of this cigar resembled the gordo, which is a powerhouse, much more so than the first sample. Burn was uneven and required a couple of touch ups. Draw was completely without resistance, yet the cigar gave off plumes of smoke and lasted 80 minutes. Very satisfying.

3. October 8th, 2021: Another excellent sample from the box. Pre-light aroma was grassy and fragrant without biting the nose. Draw was easy. Burn was regular enough. No touch ups required. 

Flavour was milk chocolate/ medium roast with a touch of pepper and a lingering aftertaste of caramel. Aroma was rich and sweet. Complexity of flavour and aroma were satisfying. It reminded me of the Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchill. But flavour is definitely not Cuban.

Ash was annoying. It looked like it would hold on for another millimetre but twice came crashing down on my shirt and chair. Beware! 

Body was a solid medium plus with strength building nicely. It was powerful without being overwhelming, unlike its Gordo cousin. Overall this vitola was quite a well-balanced package of flavour, strength, body and aroma. 

I'm glad I ordered another box. Almost 80 minutes. Very satisfying. 

Burn was not even, but corrected well enough. 

4. November 8th, 2021: Less satisfying: this one was much milder and lesser body. Flavour was somewhere between the Joya Red, with its sour aftertaste and the Enclave, which is its rich complex cocoa flavour. No pepper to speak of, perhaps in the last inch. Aroma was only occasionally present. The cigar burned well and there was minimal resistance. 80 minutes, but not satisfying.  

5. December 11th, 2021: Very satisfying. This cigar started out with a blast of full bodied pepper and cocoa. It then settled down to a medium bodied cocoa as the pepper dissipated. Spice returned from time to time. There were no defined transitions. Flavours came and went. There was a peppermint in the final third. Body went up and down ranging between medium and full. Aroma came and went, excellent and refined when it came. But all the time, the cigar was complex and interesting. 

At the one hour mark

Burn was mostly good. The cigar needed a couple of relights. But that might have been due to the leisurely pace of smoking which, in turn, was due to the delicious long finish. I let the cigar go at 90 minutes. Very satisfying.

Good to the nub

6. December 31st, 2021: Last cigar of the year and it couldn't have been better. These cigars keep getting better and better. This cigar was excellent. It began with a spicy full bodied blast, which settled down to a milder, medium bodied, version after about half an inch. However, the cigar continued to build body so that by the final third it was quite intense, full bodied, peppery and moderately strong. The cigar lasted 90 minutes, the same as no. 5, above. What stood out was the balance: flavour, body, strength all fitted together nicely. Aroma was superbly rich and intense. Very satisfying. 

A very fine balance of flavour, body and strength

 

7. January 10th, 2022: This was another very satisfying cigar. I smoked this with a visiting friend. We smoked Joya Antano, AJ Fernandez San Lotano Connecticut, and several others, during his visit. The San Lotano Oval Robusto stood out as the most memorable. By comparison, I had another San Lotano Oval Gordo. The Gordo has a wonderful aroma. But it's way too strong and flavour peters out by the second half. The Robusto is a winner.

8. March 2nd, 2022: This cigar began with a blast of spice, full bodied and tasty. It was quite complex and satisfying. After about an inch, all trace of spice had disappeared, body reduced to medium and flavour was a bit powdery. Fortunately, after a few minutes, body, flavour and spice came back, demonstrating what a fine, balanced, tasty cigar this is. 80 minutes. Quite satisfying. 

At the one hour mark

9. March 30th, 2022. This cigar was a little light in the hand. Flavour was a little muted. The blast of spice which began the previous cigar didn't happen. It was still fairly tasty, but the cigar felt and tasted as though it was underpacked. The final third was squishy and flavour was thin. Nonethless, I eked 80 minutes out of it. Pleasant, but not satisfying. 

10. April 9th, 2022: This cigar was well-packed, unlike the cigar of last month, rich and delicious throughout. It burned well. Draw was fine. Aroma was rich and complex. This cigar was a fine example of the blend: everything well balanced. Around 90 minutes to the nub. Very satisfying. 

11. May 6th: First satisfying cigar after a few weeks under the weather with covid. Everything about this cigar was good: the dry aroma, the lit aroma, the draw, the burn, the flavour, the body and the strength. After a few weeks of no cigars, the strength was a little overwhelming, but I smoked the cigar to the nub. Very satisfying. 

Strange dream: I was competing in some kind of competition which involved running between railway tracks. All of a sudden I was in a strange place: It was Shanghai according to my phone. My dog was with me on a leash. 

We were thirsty and went into a shop which was all white and had cabinets containing small bottles of water. I asked for water in Chinese. But I couldn't think of any other Chinese words. I panicked at the thought that my dog would be killed for entering the country illegally. 

Then my secretary spoke to me on my phone (without it ringing). She was in Wuhan and said we had been teleported by a Hungarian illusionist. I began to get suspicious. This must be a dream. I woke up, quite dehydrated after sweating for an hour and a half while smoking the cigar. Not sure if the strange dream was due to the nicotine or the dehydration. After a few weeks of absence, it's quite likely that nicotine tolerance had abated.  

12. July 2nd, 2022, Plaka, Naxos: Very little flavour, but it was so windy it was difficult to tell whether it was the cigar or the wind. In any even, best not to smoke a cigar in the wind. Not satisfying: around 60 minutes.

13. July 13th, 2022, Chora, Naxos: a light breeze prevailed, but not as bad as the previous sample. Very pleasant and a bit of a kick, but not overwhelming. Flavour and body were in the medium range. Quite satisfying. 80 minutes.

14. July 30th, 2022: I tried a Gurkha Connecticut wrapped Gordo which boasted on it's label, Rare Reserve, Aged 12 years." Well, so much for that. It started with a bit of flavour but soon descended into thin and multidimensional. After fifteen minutes draw was almost impossible. I binned it and went to an old faithful - the San Lotano Oval Robusto. 80 minutes, easy draw, occasional whiff of rich aroma. Quite satisfying. 

15. November 2nd, 2022: This was a full bodied sample, quite strong, but too tightly packed. I had to sip it, but it was strong enough to be savoured. Excellent aroma. Very satisfying. Almost 100 minutes.

16. November 26th, 2022: The first of a new box. Very similar to that of the November 2nd, above: very strong, full bodied and too tightly packed. Aroma was exquisite. Satisfying.

17. December 29th, 2022: Full bodied from the outset but quite smooth until the final third when it became a bit intense, but not bitter. No issues with draw or burn. 90 minutes. Satisfying.

18. March 17, 2023: Deliciously spicy and medium to full body, easy draw, rich aroma; an excellent example. 90 minutes. Very satisfying. 

19 and 20. September 9th and 15th, 2023: Both excellent, spicy, full bodied, excellent draw, delicious, no dirt. Very satisfying.

21. September 30th, 2023: Not quite a dud, but flavour diminished during the second third, leaving a rather washed out flavour; otherwise, the usual quality and time. Beautiful construction.

February 15th 2024: What a brilliant cigar. It was full bodied but without any spice or bitterness. Draw was a bit tight and the cigar began to canoe in the final third, but it corrected easily with a relight. This was one of the most delicious cigars I've had in a long time: clean, smooth, full bodied, balanced. Very satisfying at 80 minutes.

Burn issue in the final third: otherwise perfect