AJ Fernandez comes from a Cuban family with a long history in the tobacco trade. Originally from San Luis, in the Pinar del Río region, he was immersed from childhood in the family expertise passed down from his father and grandfather.

In the early 2000s, AJ moved to Estelí, Nicaragua, to escape the constraints of life in Cuba. He started modestly, rolling cigars for prestigious brands such as Rocky Patel.

In 2005, he founded his own company, Tabacalera AJ Fernandez. His reputation grew rapidly as he rolled cigars for other brands.

In 2010, he launched his own private labels, starting with San Lotano – a tribute to his Cuban family heritage – followed by New World, Enclave, Dias de Gloria, Bellas Artes, Last Call, and others.

The brand is now one of the largest in Nicaragua: with two factories (Tabacalera AJ Fernandez de Nicaragua in Estelí and San Lotano in Totogalpa), it produces over 100,000 hand-rolled cigars a day.