One of A.J. Fernandez's most recent gems, Diesel exudes a ton of full-flavors in a medium to full-bodied format allowing for a stout, complex experience with perfect balance.

Abdel "AJ" Fernandez is the protégé of Don Alejandro Robaina, the man considered to be the “Godfather” of tobacco. After spending most of his life studying in Cuba under Don Alejandro, Abdel Fernandez moved to Nicaragua to begin producing his own cigars. After only 6 years, Abdel currently produces Rocky Patel’s Fusion, Indian Tabac 10th Anniversary, Padilla Habano, Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet, Man O' War and Man O' War Ruination, all of which received rave reviews.

Only available in a stout 5"x56 belicoso, Diesel exudes a unique leathery and spicy flavor with a toasty core of espresso beans. The package has a classic, rustic look while the blend is perfectly balanced and will appeal to any aficionado who appreciates premium tobacco. Boasting fillers from Nicaragua's Jalapa, Condega and Esteli regions, each and every leaf is aged for three years, then concealed with a dark and oily Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper. This is one unique cigar you're sure to love.

Q: Someone told me to always cut my cigar no further than the cap. What is the cap of a cigar?

A: There are three main parts to a cigar: head, body and foot. The foot is the end you light and the cap rests at the top of the head. If you examine the head closely, you'll see an outline of a small piece of tobacco circling the diameter of the entire cigar. That piece of tobacco is the cap. A cap is applied to every cigar for construction purposes. Some cigars, such as Cubans, are actually triple-capped so you may notice multiple outlines depending on the brand and type of cigar you are enjoying. The cap prevents the wrapper from unraveling while you enjoy your cigar, which is why you should never cut it fully off. Therefore, you should always cut your cigar no further down than the outline of the cap to guarantee an enjoyable experience.

Gurkha's Cuban Legacy comes hand-rolled from Nicaragua, featuring a choice Mexican San Andres maduro wrapper blended perfectly with a hearty combination of long fillers from throughout Nicaragua.

There are few Gurkha blends available for less than three dollars per cigar. In fact, with Gurkha known as the “Rolls Royce of Cigars,” it’s hard to imagine finding a Gurkha for less than five dollars, especially when considering the extravagant packaging and superior craftsmanship associated with the Gurkha name. Their blends are enjoyed by celebrities, heads of state, and world leaders in addition to millions of other cigar enthusiasts across the globe.

Never before have we seen a blend with such an impressive resume starting at less than $2.00 a stick in a box of 20. This blend joins the ranks of Gurkha's Sherpa and Park Avenue but rounds out the portfolio by bringing a full-flavored, medium to full-bodied blend to the mix which embodies spicy, leathery and earthy aromas reminiscent of Central America's finest Cuban-seed tobaccos. An excellent choice as an everyday indulgence.

Robusto (5.5"x50) Excellently balanced with full nuances of earth and leather masked by spicy undertones. The finish remains creamy and smooth as this size burned evenly, true, and effortlessly from start to finish. 90/100 [Buy Now]

Toro (6.5"x50) Great flavor but burned unevenly for the first inch, even after a proper cut and light. Toasty, peppery nuances were abundant and the size produced thick, creamy smoke. Finish lasted for about 20 minutes. Burned cool. 89/100 [Buy Now]

Churchill (7.5"x50) Strong and robust but maintained a tight draw from start to finish. Pepper and spice overwhelm the palate for a pleasurable flavor but the smoke was too thin due to the tight draw. Great aftertaste but this size lost points due to its construction issues. 87/100 [Buy Now]

Gurkha Empire Series - The most recent addition to the phenomenal Gurkha line, Empire Series brings together six different, innovative Gurkha blends for a unique premium experience.

Davidoff Millennium Series - An exceptionally full-bodied, evenly balanced and lastingly rich flavour distinguishes the Millennium Series from the rest of the Davidoff lines. Many consider Milliennium the most limited and powerful Davidoff ever released.

John Bull - A cigar for the enthusiast following a tight budget, John Bull contains all of the same qualities as any other premium cigar: great balance, perfect construction, and a beautiful appearance, but without a hefty price tag.

Cain by Oliva - Considered one of the best new releases in 2009, Cain provides ample flavor and body as it contains 100% Nicaraguan ligero long leaves from Condega, Jalapa and Esteli while maintaining a smooth character due to its triple-fermented tobacco.

12/09/2009: Alex and Tim sit down and discuss some of the new brands hitting the pages of the latest Cigar.com catalog. In these two episodes, a couple of cigars are tragically burned, including Diesel (part 2 of 2). [Listen Now]

If there is one thing I can generalize about cigar enthusiasts, we all disagree endlessly on everything... from our favorite sizes and blends to our favorite makers... because flavors are subjective. That being said, there is one size every aficionado pines for, the salomon. Dating the history on this unique size is nearly impossible but one thing is for sure, this special size made a big comeback in recent years and typically remains reserved for limited edition blends from the most renowned cigar makers.

What It Is: The length tends to vary but all salomons have one unifying quality, a large bulbous foot with a dramatic taper from the foot up to either a pointed or rounded head. The most common length is 7 inches but some petit salomons are found measuring as short as four and half inches. A member of the figurado family, salomons often get lumped into the sub-category of perfecto, mainly since they are found in shorter lengths.

Why It’s Special: Only the highest grade rollers have the skillful hands necessary to roll this odd, yet difficult shape. In order to properly assemble a salomon, torcedors must frequently change the angles of their roll since this unique shape actually combines the elements of a parejo, torpedo and perfecto, which is an incredibly difficult task. The filler tobaccos must also be packed in different varying densities from head to foot to allow for a proper burn and draw. Due to this shape’s lengthy production time, torcedors can only roll a limited number of cigars per day, producing 30% less than if they were to roll a common shape such as robusto. These factors contribute to the hefty price of a salomon cigar, in addition to the high costs paid to the master torcedors who roll them.

Why You Want It: Other than its limited availability and reservation for special blends, this unique shape is easy to light. As the cigar burns over a continuously changing ring gauge, many subtleties and complexities present themselves. This vitola can change even the most one-dimensional blend into a dynamic cigar with many competing aromas.