When Crux Cigars decided to bring in A.J. Fernández for a collaboration, the cigar world took notice — Fernández’s fingerprints are on some of the most respected blends in the industry. The result, the Epicure Maduro, launched in May 2019 and marked the first time Crux had worked with the Estelí-based master blender. Years later, it’s still one of the more underrated maduros on the market, and it’s worth a much closer look than it usually gets.
The Specs
- Wrapper: San Andrés Maduro (Mexico)
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Factory: Tabacalera A.J. Fernández, Estelí, Nicaragua
- Strength: Medium-Full
- Price: Roughly $9-$12 per stick depending on vitola, sold in boxes of 10 or 20
The San Andrés wrapper is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here — it’s the same varietal responsible for the dark, oily, chocolate-forward character found in cigars like the Kristoff Maduro and My Father Le Bijou. Combined with an all-Nicaraguan binder and filler from an A.J. Fernández factory, this is a cigar built for people who want a maduro with actual substance, not just dark wrapper leaf slapped on a mild filler for visual effect.
Appearance & Construction
The wrapper is a deep espresso-brown with a slight sheen — properly oily without looking greasy. The seams are tight, the cap is well-applied, and the band (the light teal Crux logo against dark wrapper) is genuinely one of the better-looking bands in the category. It photographs well, and more importantly, it smokes well: an even burn line and a good, dense ash are the norm across multiple samples, not the exception.
Tasting Notes
First Third: Opens with cocoa powder and cedar, backed by a mild black pepper kick on the retrohale. There’s a subtle sweetness underneath — think stewed dark fruit — that keeps the pepper from dominating. Draw is smooth and smoke production is generous from the first light.
Second Third: This is where the cigar earns its reputation. The chocolate deepens into something closer to bittersweet Mexican baking cocoa, joined by leather and a faint coffee note. Some samples show a touch of nutmeg or maple syrup sweetness that rounds out the profile nicely. The pepper mellows, giving way to a creamier mouthfeel.
Final Third: Earth and soil notes take over, with the leather and cocoa still present but pushed to the background. A bit of harshness can creep in on the last inch — not uncommon for a full-flavored maduro — but it’s manageable if you know when to put it down.
Strength & Body
This lands solidly in medium-full territory across the board — flavor, body, and strength all track together, which makes for a cohesive smoking experience rather than one dimension outpacing the others. It’s not a nicotine bomb, but it’s also not a cigar for someone who just started smoking last month.
Who This Is For
If you like maduros that lean into chocolate and coffee rather than pure sweetness, and you want real construction and complexity without paying $15+ per stick, this checks the boxes. It’s also a legitimately good pairing cigar — the cocoa and leather notes hold up beautifully against a glass of aged rum or a medium-bodied bourbon (see our pairing guide for specifics).
The Verdict
Rating: 4.5 / 5
The Crux Epicure Maduro punches well above its price point. The A.J. Fernández influence is obvious in the best way — clean construction, well-balanced strength progression, and a flavor profile that actually evolves instead of sitting flat for 45 minutes. At under $12 a stick, it’s one of the better values in the maduro category right now. Grab a five-pack before word gets out any further.
