June 25th, 2018

Size of cigar: 5 inches by 54 ring gauge

This cigar may not possess a look that's immediately eye catching, especially if you find yourself seeking out a new stick in a store. It’s a rather simple-appearing yet big Robusto sporting a nice dark wrapper with a blue band around the foot. But if you take a closer look, you’ll notice the ring gauge is a little bigger than that of a normal Robusto, and that the wrapper is actually quite beautiful. Even better, this AJ Fernandez feels and smells perfect, just as a premium-made cigar should.

The Diesel Grind is a spin-off of the famous Diesel Unholy Cocktail, and comes from the same factory, Tabacalera Fernandez in Esteli, Nicaragua. (It’s marketed by Alex Svensson of Maier & Dutch, the owners of the Diesel brand.)

The wrapper is an Ecuadorian Habano, and it’s as smooth as a shiny mirror. The binder is a Honduran leaf, and the filler comes from Nicaragua and Honduras – a nice combination.

First off, I love the ring gauge. The initial aroma includes scents of earth, leather, wood, and a fresh smell that I can’t find the word to properly describe. Time to cut and take a dry puff. The cut requires some real pressure, indicating that the humidity and construction of the cigar are pretty much spot-on. The dry puff reveals a perfect draw, which just makes me want to toast and light the Robusto up and go for the real flavors.

June 12th, 2018

"Better late than never," I say. And in the case of this particular Father's Day Gift Guide, it was almost never. I'd committed to writing the guide. Then, one of my co-workers left the company, and I picked up some of his duties along with a big project. To say that I would end that day not wanting to get near a computer would be an understatement. But hey! I pulled myself together, and with the help of Jason and Doug (I’ll call out their sections, but you’ll notice the difference in writing styles, I’m sure...), it’s finished. So, without further delay - “Here we go!”

June 11th, 2018

Managua. We’re still only in Managua. Every time I doze off, I think I’m going to wake up in the van.

When we returned home after the IPCPR in Las Vegas, it was even worse. I’d wake up and there’d be nothing. All I’d do was smoke cigars, write reviews and publish them to the web. When I was in Vegas, I wanted to be home. When I was home, all I could think of was finding a way to get back to some cigar industry event.

We’ve now been in Managua overnight, waiting for the rest of the group to arrive and getting antsy. Every minute we stay here, we get just a little fatter and a little more drunk on rum. And every minute, the factories are calling out to us. Each time I look around, the walls move in a little tighter.

Everyone gets everything he or she wants. We wanted a cigar tour in Nicaragua, and they gave us one. Brought it up to us like room service...