Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana DL-Chisel Maduro

6" x 54 ring gauge, $8.85
After selecting the wrong cigar two days in a row (DL Lancero first thing in the morning and a Ligero Torpedo at night--both actually very nice cigars, but not well-matched for the time I smoked them), I think I have the right cigar at the right time today: a Double Ligero Chisel Maduro at night after half a pizza topped with pepperoni, sausage and Canadian bacon. This cigar has the distinction of being one of the favorites of one of my all-time heroes, Rush Limbaugh, too. It's very cool to see him puffing on a cigar on the DittoCam and then to recognize the distinctive Chisel shape.

Like the other sticks in the DL line, the Chisel features Dominican binder and filler. Perlman's says the wrapper is Ecuadorian, but another source said that this is a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro--I suppse it could be Ecuador-grown Connecticut, in which case they're both right. The wrapper has a beautifully oily sheen; it is dark, slightly mottled and very shiny. The rolling job looks very well-done, which is always nice on a difficult shape like this. The wrapper has an earthy, leathery aroma while the foot has dark chocolate and hints of coffee.

I have had a few Chisels where draw was an issue because of the unique shape; after cutting this did not appear it would be one. The prelight flavors were mocha and chili pepper. After lighting, it's easy to see why Rush is always "coming to you from billowing clouds of aromatic first and second-hand premium cigar smoke." There was plenty of thick, oily smoke right away. It was heavy and full-bodied right from the beginning and had flavors of black coffee and licorice jumping out at you. The first third also had some flavors of dried fruit and cedar that popped up and about half an inch in the spice started.

One minor quibble I have with the unique shape of the Chisel is that it is impossible to rotate the stick for an even burn. This one start to go crooked and there was nothing I could do but use a torch to touch it up. The second third started off with a build-up of the spiciness yo might expect in a largely Ligero cigar. There was some dark chocolate still to highlight the sweetness of the maduro wrapper, but by the halfway mark, almost all I experienced was pepper spice mouth burn.

For all its reputation as a powerhouse cigar, the DL Chisel Maduro did not kick my butt in the end. The flavor was full all the way to the nub, with coffee, chocoate and spice leading the way in the final third. This is also a very full-bodied smoke that would likely turn newbies green. Great cigar and, in my opinion, better than the regular "natural" Chisel.

Body: 9/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 9/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 10/10