Ave Maria

Ave Maria is a retailer-exclusive line, and that explains almost everything about it: the ornate band and the church-themed vitola names are the packaging, and the cigar underneath is a straightforward, well-made A.J. Fernández Nicaraguan. Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, medium-full, cedar and sweet spice with coffee underneath and a bit more pepper as it goes. It is not subtle and it is not trying to be. What it is, consistently, is a better cigar than its price suggests — box prices routinely land under $7 a stick — with the reliable burn A.J.'s factory is known for. The Crusader is the robusto; the Knights Templar is the same blend if you have another twenty minutes.

A weeknight Nicaraguan when you want a box on hand and do not want to think about the money.