The initials of JFR Cigars stand for “Just For Retailers,” a set of cigar lines launched by Aganorsa Leaf in 2014. These blends originally were created for certain brick and mortar retailers, but now have seen broader releases as the brand has developed and matured over the years. You may also hear the name Tabacalera Tropical, which is a company affiliated with Aganorsa and JFR that has deep roots in the Nicaraguan cigar industry.
JFR cigars are a relatively new brand, but success came fast thanks to the decades of expertise behind the name. Eduardo Fernandez, the founder of Aganorsa Leaf, joined the game in the 90s and has built a reputation for raising outstandingly high-quality tobacco, as well as having a team that knows how to use it. Half of the tobacco grown by Aganorsa Leaf goes into blends created for other companies (e.g. Illusione, Warped, Viaje, Foundation, and Drew Estate, to name some of the big players), but the other half is used to create house blends like JFR cigars.
The JFR brand so far has been led by the breakout success of the Lunatic cigar, a 93-point smoke that is rolled in sizes up to the ridiculous 8 x 80 Mambo vitola. Our hats are off to both the rollers who can get that one made in a presentable form and also the smokers who can take it down. You’re all total animals. The Lunatic also comes in a few variations, like the 90-point Lunatic torch, which features a brush foot and an enjoyably mellow spice-forward flavor profile.
Other straightforward blends like the JFR Connecticut, JFR Corojo, and JFR Maduro round out the brand portfolio, but we’d wager that there are more evolutions to come from JFR Cigars. It can take time, given how many different cigar lines the Aganorsa team is tracking at once. One thing is for sure – they’re always focused on every detail of the process of tobacco growing, from seed to leaf. For that reason, their blends are almost guaranteed to be delicious premium smokes. When you’ve got world-class tobacco like JFR Cigars, it’s hard to miss.
Please browse our selection of JFR Cigars at your leisure.
