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AJ Fernandez Dias de Gloria Brazil

CAO BX3

Initial Smoke

  Heavy on the pepper and hardwood, with a salty, herbal steak seasoning aftertaste, the first few puffs of this blend seem like an appropriate start to a biker cigar. Retrohales are therefore quite powerful and pungent, and the texture of the smoke is chewy, earthy, and nearly full already. On the backend of each exhale, a moderate amount of sweetness can be detected, as the creamy taste of Brazil nuts forms a lengthy finish. 

1st Half

With an open draw burning up tobacco leaf faster than a 250-pound biker pounds a liter of suds, the first third comes at you fast and loud. Star anise and caramelized maple sugar, dark rum, sorghum, and oiled leather all hit the tongue and nose. Retrohales may be milder now, but that peppery flavor still likes to flirt with you from behind the bar, and so too do those exotic tea notes.

Before long, a traditional cigar flavor profile built upon Brazilian dark roast coffee swings down its kickstand so that it can join you in the cantina. Creamier in texture, and now locked onto a cube of salted caramel, the smoke flowing to and from the mouth and nose is full-bodied and fantastic. There is still a lingering exotic herbal tea scent and taste in the air, though, which causes me to believe that it was this defining attribute that caused Glen Case to select that style of African tobacco leaf for use within the long-filler.

2nd Half

Still under full throttle, but maintaining a medium-full approach to providing strength, the second section of this cigar spins out for a second before gaining traction once again. Granola bars have bounced back, and with them comes a dark chocolate nib delight, both of which remain a secondary profile. As star anise and an oily leather top note take over again, the cigar suddenly hits maximum velocity, and everything becomes full. 

Nicotine, bitter chocolate, and coffee, body, aromatics, spiciness on the tongue and nose, secondary flavor profiles upon the palate... it all increases. Being that this occurs right near the center of where that soft spot was beneath the band, I wonder if the quicker combustion of the blend has anything to do with this boldness. 

Parting Puffs

Although nicotine strength has become a factor to contend with, the overall balance of the cigar flavor profile and aromatics in parting puffs is strikingly good, and balanced for that matter. Salted caramel and dark roast coffee beans maintain much of that equilibrium, as the nuttiness that has been present since first light continues to keep things smooth and creamy. 

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Although I was disappointed to find a soft spot on one side of my review cigar, the stick burned really well and did not require any attention from my Overland torch. Even though it may have been a little flaky, the ash held on until a third of the barrel had combusted in full each time. Smoke levels were plentiful and top quality, with a chewy, oily texture returning a full and immensely pleasing encounter from start to finish. My only main gripe with this blend, and the others that I have smoked, is that they tend to burn a bit quickly. Thankfully, this doesn't result in much of a rise in smoking temps when puffed at a measured pace, but remains a definite downside to what is overall an impressive cigar. 

Final Thoughts

As one of the more unique cigar blends released in recent years, I must say that Guardrail from Kristoff Cigars certainly stands out as one of the more creative maduro cigars on the market. Although unfamiliarity with tobacco from Zimbabwe certainly does lead to more questions than answers, I must admit that the overall experience this smoke creates is impressive and tastefully done.

This is a cigar that not only lives up to the hype but also holds true to its intended purpose. Dark, oily, full-bodied, strong cigar smokers are going to flip over this stick, and will likely appreciate the evolution that occurs within each burn. In my opinion, this makes this stogie a worthy alternative to both the CAO V554 Flathead Camshaft and its Flathead Steel Horse big brother. Two intense maduro cigar blends that are also automotive-oriented and banded in chrome and black.

Whichever smoke you select, I appreciate the fact that biker cigars continue to prove that this hobby isn't just intended for the elite or high-brow collectors with overly refined tastes. For us EDC stogie smokers, sometimes all you need is a leathery, tough guy cigar that won't break the bank to make that next round with your buds all the more memorable. 

Overall Balance & Repeatability