Digging the Sound of This Cigar? You Might Also Like...

Curivari "Buenaventura Pralines P554"

Esteban Carreras "Chupacabra Hellcat"

Fratello "Bianco III"

Initial Smoke

Unlike a bevy of other blends from AJ Fernandez, Decenio starts with very little spiciness or tough-guy tobacco tongue punches. Instead, it's all milk chocolate and creamy nougat, with an old-fashioned sugar cookie note fading into something moister and spice-heavy. This danker flavor reminds me of spiced Christmas cake, but without any dried fruit, and it works beautifully alongside the oak and peppercorn notes up top on the retrohale.

1st Half

Licks of red and black licorice signal the official start to the first third, and it doesn't take long for any peppercorn spiciness on the nose to fade. A fat shake of mixed baking spices settles in where this peppery side left off, and as they bloom, a creamy almond milk note evolves. Since the sugary sides of the cigar have remained intact, there is a sizable bump in body, and before long, the smoke hits medium in texture and weight.

These warming, winter-like spices soon find a new companion in the introduction of apple sauce, which adds a mellow fruitiness to the overall complexity of the smoke. Spiciness is now focused upon the freshly milled cedar planks that have just arrived, and with the remaining touches of oak being detected, this turns the cigar into a more tannin-heavy experience toward the beginning of the second third. Body is still medium, though, as too is flavor and strength, leaving plenty of room for the blend to bloom further as you near the center of the barrel.

2nd Half

Nougat top notes grow far creamier and sweeter in this area of the cigar, and it brings balance to the nuttier, spice-forward flavors of that Christmas cake touch toward the end of each exhale. Resinous and notably oilier, the smoke sends out this lasting finish that is sweet and undeniably spice strong. 

Before long, you are in the midst of the final third, and things get spicier and more cedar strong in the retrohale department. Bigger tannin tastes and the drying sensation they often produce unfold, and together with those spiced apple sauce flavors form a mighty nice series of tasting notes. And while the milk chocolate cigar flavor profiles from earlier certainly feel like they are missed, the nutty nougat base fills in for them and, to an extent, satisfies the palate. By now, a notable dose of nicotine has been administered, sending strength into medium-full territory, with body and flavor hovering directly underneath.

Parting Puffs

For the first time in the cigar, dark soil can be detected in medium quantities in parting puffs. A touch spicier, and most certainly cedar and oak forward, the last dozen puffs or so are potent but completely smokable, with just a hint of char being the only off-putting flavor.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

A tunnel that self-corrected in the final third was the only problem I encountered in this review stick, with my sample smoke performing flawlessly from start to finish. However, a crazy open draw gives me all the more reason to recommend that you either V-cut or punch this one to prevent overheating, char flavors, and a swift burn from occurring. Even then, you will likely find yourself marveling at the crisp burn lines and white ash that builds and holds for long periods.

Final Thoughts

Would I say that this blend was worth the decade-plus wait? Yes, for the most part, I would say it is a cigar that lives up to the hype. There certainly were some flat spots in the overall experience, though, where I felt that the overall magnitude of the cigar was a few clicks below what I had been anticipating. This is an AJ Fernandez, so big and bold is what one might expect going in, but instead, you get something a touch unexpected. 

Despite having some moments of spicy intensity and a few oilier, richer sections, the blend does its best to remain more on the medium side than medium-full for much of the time. This translates to a smoke session that holds back on the darker notes of coffee, cocoa, soil, and leather, and instead embraces fruitier, spice-forward, tannin-heavy tasting notes. It's also fairly creamy in a milky sense of the word, with that nutty nougat core flavor profile being the mainstay amidst it all. 

I also found that the tunnel in the final third allowed more of those spiced apple sauce and spicy cedar notes to show themselves, thus creating what Bob Ross would refer to as a "happy accident." This was by no means a primary point in the cigar, but an intriguing assessment point nonetheless. 

Ergo, I feel that the New World Decenio has the ability to appeal to a broad range of cigar smokers. It may not be powerful or dark-tasting enough to impress hardcore maduro fans or overtly bold blend junkies, but it most definitely has its place in the portfolio. Which, for us, is perfectly fine considering all of the other heavy-handed cigars we stock from this celebrated cigar manufacturer.

Overall Balance & Repeatability