Ave Maria Reconquista 7 x 54 Torpedo

Богородице дѣво радѹйсѧ
ωбрадованнаѧ Марїе
Господь съ тобою
благословена ты въ женахъ,
и благословенъ плодъ чрева твоегω,
Якω родила еси Христа Спаса,
Избавителѧ дѹшамъ нашимъ.

WTF is that? That, my friend is an Ave Maria (Hail Mary) in Cyrillic.

What does that have to do with a cigar review? Nothing, but Cyrillic looks cool and I never knew that Ave Maria was Latin for Hail Mary.

Anyway… AJ Fernandez is constantly coming up with a ton of new blends and each one seems to be better than the one before it. When is the madness going to end?

One of the more recent creations is the Ave Maria Reconquista.

First off, there’s the packaging and presentation. I purchased a box of three and each cigar comes in its own individual coffin. The coffins are placed into a bed of scrap tobacco in a beautiful box. The presentation is elegant and first-class.

The cigar itself is a huge 7 x 54 torpedo and is wrapped in a flawless Brazilian Habano Oscuro leaf. Supposedly, this wrapper is really rare and apparently it’s the first time it’s being used.

The binder is Honduran and the fillers are Nicaraguan from the "big three” (Jalapa, Condega, and Esteli).

The wrapper is dark with minimal veins and glistens with oils. Smelling the wrapper and the foot of the cigar only hints at its complexity with damp earth, leather, and sweet spices.

After a careful torching, the cigar lets you know that you’re in for a treat.

The flavors are rich and complex right from the start with oak, well-oiled leather, coffee notes, and black pepper up front.

The smoke is thick and creamy, almost to the point of being chewy.

The draw is flawless and the burn is as straight as can be.

The first third is definitely full bodied.

The strength seems to taper off a bit during the second third, but the flavors and complexity still boggles my mind.

The initial flavors are still there and caramel-like notes add to the taste.

During the final third, the flavors seem to intensify and it’s hard to focus on anything else. At this point, black cherry and vanilla make their appearance.

Normally, I’ll sit out on my recliner and read a book while smoking. I found myself putting the book down this evening and focusing solely on the cigar.

The strength kicks back up to full and by the time the cigar is nubbed I felt like I was physically and emotionally drained.  

Remember when I smoked that Joya de Nicaragua Dark Corojo on an empty stomach? I sure do.

Well, I ate dinner shortly before I smoked this one and it still floored me. My eyeballs felt like they were being sucked into my skull, my face broke out in a sweat, my extremities started turning numb. I loved it!

Strong, yet eminently refined.

How good is this cigar? After some serious reflection, I honestly have to say that this is absolutely the finest cigar I’ve smoked.

Everyone here knows how much I love the Camacho Triple Maduro, and it almost hurts me to say this, but facts are facts, and the Triple Maddie just got bumped out of number one.

The Ave Maria Reconquista is the complete package and AJ Fernandez has reset the standards for what a super- premium cigar should be.

I believe they maxed the production of these out at 16,000 boxes.

For those that thought this is “just an Ave Maria with a different wrapper” – wrong.

I’ve heard an analogy that seemed to fit: It’s like the Ford Mustang. You have your basic V-6, the GT, The Boss, and the Shelby. Not to mention the others like Roush, etc…Same basic starting package, but different looks and definitely different under the hood. Think of the Ave Maria as the V-6 and the Reconquista as the Shelby.

So what exactly is a Reconquista? 

I had no idea, so after Googling it, I found out that it was a period from about 722 AD to the late 1400s when several Christian kingdoms retook the Iberian Peninsula, the Pyrenees, and part of today's southern France from the Muslims.

One more reason to like this cigar in a twisted sort of way.

The box of three retails for $45 but since price versus value is subjective, I truly believe that for the experience that I just went through, the Reconquista is a bargain at $15 each. Obviously not an everyday smoke, but for a special occasion, you'd be hard-pressed to find something better.