Tabacalera A.J. Fernández (Estelí)

Tabacalera A.J. Fernández is A.J. Fernández's main factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Fernández, a Cuban-born blender, started in 2004 with six rollers in a garage. According to Cigar Journal, that grew to seven factories. His San Lotano brand became the first of his own in 2010. Cigar Coop dates the consolidation of his Estelí operation in this factory to 2013, and another account says it opened in July 2013.

It is one of the busiest factories in Estelí. Cigar Aficionado reported in 2016 that it was at full capacity, and halfwheel named it Factory of the Year for 2018. halfwheel's listings show it making Fernández's own brands as well as cigars for many other companies. These include Altadis U.S.A., for Trinidad Espiritu, Montecristo's Nicaragua Series and H. Upmann. Other clients include General Cigar, Caldwell, Foundation (Tabernacle, Olmec), La Palina, Southern Draw and Aging Room. The newer Sunday Gravy releases of Diesel, a Cigars International brand, are also made here.

In 2017 Fernández opened a second factory, San Lotano, in Ocotal north of Estelí. That is where Man O' War, Murciélago and Knuckle Sandwich are made. Cigar Nexus used to lump both factories together under San Lotano. They now have separate nodes, and each link points to the factory that sources name.