AJ Fernandez Joins the Zodiac Race With Year of the Goat

AJ Fernandez is not a company known for flooding the market with limited editions, which makes its first Chinese zodiac release worth a look. Year of the Goat is a 6 x 54 Nicaraguan toro packed in 18-count boxes dressed in red and gold, and it is scheduled to reach every market before the end of 2026. The symbolism is personal: Abdel Fernandez was born in 1979, a goat year, and his factory was founded in 2003, also a goat year. The company frames the cigar as the opening move in a small-batch strategy that follows its 20th-anniversary release. At the same show AJ formally presented Amar, the line honoring the people who helped rebuild after last year's factory fire. Expect more selected-tobacco small batches from Esteli in 2027.