The Year of the Goat, by AJ Fernández

At Intertabac, AJ Fernández is unveiling its first limited edition dedicated to the Chinese zodiac: the AJ Fernández Year of the Goat. AJ has not traditionally been a manufacturer known for releasing many limited editions; however, as Abdel Fernández himself explains, following the huge success of the 20th-anniversary cigar, the time has come to launch new and interesting small batches with selected tobaccos.

AJ Fernández thus joins the Chinese zodiac theme with the Year of the Goat, a cigar crafted from Nicaraguan leaves in a Toro format (152 mm x 54 / 6x54). It is presented in 18-count boxes, featuring red and gold Oriental-style decoration. The choice of the Year of the Goat for this new limited edition is no coincidence: Abdel Fernández himself was born under the sign of the goat in 1979, and his factory was founded in 2003—also under the same sign.

Alongside this new limited edition—which will reach all markets before the end of the year—AJ Fernández is officially presenting "Amar" in Europe. This brand was created to pay tribute to everyone who helped Abdel after the fire that destroyed part of the factory last year. The name "Amar"—which means "moon" in Arabic—highlights the Lebanese heritage of Abdel and his family; the project has also seen significant involvement from his daughter, Jadilah Fernández. The line comes in four formats: Robusto (140 mm x 54 / 5 ½ x 54), Toro (152 mm x 56 / 6x56), Torito (165 mm x 50 / 6 ½ x 50), and Gordo (152 mm x 60 / 6x60).