AJ Fernandez Archives - Broward Cigar Board

News

PCA 2026 Preview Week: Every Cigar Release and Industry Story You Need to Know (April 5–11)
ByJulian Spring April 12, 2026July 10, 2026

PCA 2026 preview week just dropped and it was one of the biggest weeks in premium cigars in recent memory. My Father announced a 20th anniversary limited edition for the Don Pepín García Clásico. Espinosa unveiled eight new releases and confirmed the end of @zucar. Plasencia set an April 27 price increase. Romeo y Julieta released an all-Nicaraguan puro made by AJ Fernandez. And that’s just the headline stories.
The full roundup at browardcigarboard.com covers 25+ releases, shipping notices, luxury collaborations, new brand debuts, and everything else that moved in the week of April 5–11. If you follow premium cigars, this is your cheat sheet.

Read More PCA 2026 Preview Week: Every Cigar Release and Industry Story You Need to Know (April 5–11)
News

Smoke Inn Cigars Acquires Protocol Cigars — A New Chapter Begins
ByJulian Spring February 12, 2026February 12, 2026

Smoke Inn Cigars has acquired Protocol Cigars.

Production stays at La Zona & AJ Fernandez, Juan Cancel remains involved, and the focus is on long-term availability and stability.

New chapter. Same Protocol DNA.

Full breakdown on the blog.

Read More Smoke Inn Cigars Acquires Protocol Cigars — A New Chapter Begins
Cigars | Reviews

Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary Balconet
ByJulian Spring May 8, 2025May 8, 2025

The Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary Balconet (Toro 6×54) is a beautifully constructed celebratory cigar boasting premium tobaccos from AJ Fernandez, Plasencia, and others. While it offers impressive smoke output, rich early transitions, and refined sweetness, its loose draw and warm smoke raise questions about value. At $25 a stick, it’s an elegant but debatable tribute to the brand’s legacy. Worth trying—but not a humidor staple.

Read More Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary Balconet
News

Time to Stock Up: Limited Availability Expected Following Fire at AJ Fernandez Facility
ByJulian Spring April 4, 2025April 4, 2025

In the premium cigar world, time, patience, and tradition define everything. But sometimes, even the most carefully aged leaf can be tested by forces beyond our control. Foundation Cigar Company has issued an important update that every cigar enthusiast and retailer should take seriously: a recent fire at the AJ Fernandez facility in Estelí, Nicaragua—Foundation’s key production partner—has caused damage to both packaging materials and aging, finished cigars.

Read More Time to Stock Up: Limited Availability Expected Following Fire at AJ Fernandez Facility
News

H. UPMANN CELEBRATES 180TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A COMMEMORATIVE LIMITED EDITION CIGAR & HUMIDOR
ByJulian Spring March 26, 2024March 26, 2024

Altadis U.S.A. celebrates a big milestone in 2024, as the H. Upmann cigar brand turns 180 years old. The limited-edition H. Upmann 180th Anniversary cigar commemorates one of the oldest and most renowned cigar brands in the world since 1844.

Read More H. UPMANN CELEBRATES 180TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A COMMEMORATIVE LIMITED EDITION CIGAR & HUMIDOR