The King is Dead has long been a favorite of mine.  It was the first Caldwell cigar that I had ever smoked and it made me fall in love with the brand.  From the blend to the stylization it turned me team Caldwell almost immediately.  During this year’s trade show, Robert told me of a secret project he was releasing with a secret person. Ever so inquisitive, I would not stop pestering him until he told me what was in store.  It turned out to be two new, redux versions of his brands, including a new The King is Dead, this time by AJ Fernandez.

The story of this rebrand is a strange one.  When Robert and AJ first teamed up to start working on The T., AJ requested a few of Roberts cigars to sample.  After smoking a few of them, he then presented Robert with some of his own samples, saying here is how I would have blended these cigars.  It seems like it was a mixture of an honor and slightly backhanded compliment, however, all I care about is how good the new cigar is.

The cigar was visually very appealing.  The Nicaraguan wrapper is a medium to dark brown, oily with no visible blemishes.  The reworked band takes the original King is Dead artwork but gives it a more up to date color scheme and a secondary band showing that this was made by AJ Fernandez.

The King is Dead by AJ Fernandez is a medium to full body Nicaraguan puro.  Handcrafted at AJs factory, this cigar uses aged Nicaraguan tobaccos throughout, giving a complex profile consisting of notes of creamy sweetness, earth, zesty spice, and espresso.   The burn was perfect, with tight ash that barley flaked and a nice even burn line all the way down.  It is hard to explain but while the flavor notes differ from the original, it offered me a similar experience to my first Caldwell cigar.

Being that this was a secret project, The King is Dead by AJ Fernandez is a more limited run than its predecessor, so make sure to pick yours up while you can.  If you like Caldwell Cigars, AJ Fernandez cigars, or even just a solid Nicaraguan cigar, this is perfect for you.  Get it today at JR Cigars.