La Herencia Cubana Core 6.5 x 52 Toro

So now there’s yet another AJ Fernandez blend available. This one is the La Herencia Cubana Core, and it's one of AJ's higher-end products.

AJ’s been riding high on his recent successes, so this one’s got to be another hit, right?

The Core is a stunning 6.5 x 52 softly box-pressed Toro that just begs to be put on the top shelf of the glass-top humidor. The wrapper is a gorgeous Ecuadoran Habano ligero and the fillers include ligero from Esteli, Jamastran, Nicaraguan Ometepe, and Pennsylvania Broadleaf.

The cigar smells earthy and spicy-sweet.

The initial flavors are damp earth and leather with hints of espresso and dashes of black pepper.

An inch or so in and the thick smoke turns almost creamy. The aroma reminds me of toast just before it pops up in the toaster.

At this point, the strength is definitely medium.

The draw has just the slightest bit of resistance and the burn gets a tiny bit crooked, but straightened itself out without any touch-ups.

Around the halfway point, the flavors intensify as does the strength, teetering on the brink of full-bodied. There’s also a subliminal sweetness that reminds me of caramel apples.

The cigar is smooth and complex all the way to the nub.

In many ways, this cigar reminds me of the La Herencia Cubana Oscuro Fuerte. I know the blends are completely different, but the end result is almost the same.

Now here’s the major difference.

A box of 20 Cores cost around $175.

A box of 20 LHCOFs cost around $60.

Is the Core a good smoke? Yes, definitely.

Is the Core three times better than the LHCOF? My humble opinion says no.