No. 2, 4.5" x 48 ring gauge / $6.85, Burns
The new "regular" release from La Flor Dominicana this year turns out to not be quite as regular as most others. Turns out it is both regular and limited...La Flor will be releasing batches twice a year, in four different sizes, in boxes of 50. I first learned of LFD as a producer of full-bodied, powerful, but very flavorful cigars and this release is supposed to be yet another in that category. It features fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, a Dominican Sumatra binder, and a Ligero Sumatra wrapper from Ecuador. This review sample is the second of these cigars that I have smoked.
The wrapper was dark chocolate brown with a hint of red in certain light. The band was the typical LFD band, but with a slight alteration...whereas in most of them, there is a sunburst of red behind the LFD initials, here the red is so subtle as to be non-existent. I'm sure it's there...in certain lighting...and other times I'm sure the entire background is black. The wrapper leaf was oily to the touch and the eye and had a nice aroma of leather and cigar store humidor; the foot was earthy and a bit peppery to my nose. The cold draw had a rich earthy taste, along with a little sweetness and some pepper spice.
Light up brought an intense cedar flavor, earth, and a subtle sweetness on the palate, while the retrohale was intensely peppery. Through the rest of the first third, the cedar notes were strong and up-front. It seemed like I also got a bit of a hickory, almost barbecue-esque note to it as well...without the sauce, so more of a Texas BBQ, I guess. Pepper spice continued to dominate through the nose, but there was also a good dose of it on the palate. The smoke was thick and oily, with a long finish...and there was nothing wrong with any of this, but also nothing surprising about any of it, either, considering who made it.
The second third continued much the same with woody notes out front. There was a bit of an anise flavor mixed in there along with some autumn spice and overall this was just about the perfect cigar for a cool (but not cold) fall evening as the sun sank below the Cumberland Plateau. There is just something about this time of year...not too warm...not too cold...a subtle orange hue to the sunlight...and a rich, full bodied cigar. The construction on the Colorado Oscuro was nearly perfect so far, featuring a very even burn line, a solid ash, and a fantastic draw.
As the Colorado Oscuro wrapped up it became a bit more spicy while developing a stronger earthiness underneath. The woody notes subsided just a bit as well. All in all, this is a very good smoke, especially for fans of La Flor Dominicana and the strong, full-bodied fare they are best known for. In the pantheon of strong LFD smokes, though, I have to say I prefer the Air Bender and Double Ligero to this one. It is good for a change, though. Newer smokers should wait until they are no longer newer smokers; although there was not a great deal of nicotine kick in this small stick, it was quite full bodied.
Body: 8/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 6/10
AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10
The new "regular" release from La Flor Dominicana this year turns out to not be quite as regular as most others. Turns out it is both regular and limited...La Flor will be releasing batches twice a year, in four different sizes, in boxes of 50. I first learned of LFD as a producer of full-bodied, powerful, but very flavorful cigars and this release is supposed to be yet another in that category. It features fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, a Dominican Sumatra binder, and a Ligero Sumatra wrapper from Ecuador. This review sample is the second of these cigars that I have smoked.
The wrapper was dark chocolate brown with a hint of red in certain light. The band was the typical LFD band, but with a slight alteration...whereas in most of them, there is a sunburst of red behind the LFD initials, here the red is so subtle as to be non-existent. I'm sure it's there...in certain lighting...and other times I'm sure the entire background is black. The wrapper leaf was oily to the touch and the eye and had a nice aroma of leather and cigar store humidor; the foot was earthy and a bit peppery to my nose. The cold draw had a rich earthy taste, along with a little sweetness and some pepper spice.
Light up brought an intense cedar flavor, earth, and a subtle sweetness on the palate, while the retrohale was intensely peppery. Through the rest of the first third, the cedar notes were strong and up-front. It seemed like I also got a bit of a hickory, almost barbecue-esque note to it as well...without the sauce, so more of a Texas BBQ, I guess. Pepper spice continued to dominate through the nose, but there was also a good dose of it on the palate. The smoke was thick and oily, with a long finish...and there was nothing wrong with any of this, but also nothing surprising about any of it, either, considering who made it.
The second third continued much the same with woody notes out front. There was a bit of an anise flavor mixed in there along with some autumn spice and overall this was just about the perfect cigar for a cool (but not cold) fall evening as the sun sank below the Cumberland Plateau. There is just something about this time of year...not too warm...not too cold...a subtle orange hue to the sunlight...and a rich, full bodied cigar. The construction on the Colorado Oscuro was nearly perfect so far, featuring a very even burn line, a solid ash, and a fantastic draw.As the Colorado Oscuro wrapped up it became a bit more spicy while developing a stronger earthiness underneath. The woody notes subsided just a bit as well. All in all, this is a very good smoke, especially for fans of La Flor Dominicana and the strong, full-bodied fare they are best known for. In the pantheon of strong LFD smokes, though, I have to say I prefer the Air Bender and Double Ligero to this one. It is good for a change, though. Newer smokers should wait until they are no longer newer smokers; although there was not a great deal of nicotine kick in this small stick, it was quite full bodied.
Body: 8/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 6/10
AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10
I've been anticipating this stick for a while. I'm waiting on my local shop to get them. I was told that'd be soon.
ReplyDeleteGreat review a local B&M has them and I told nobody. Slowly smoking the stock away!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat Review, that wrapper looks amazing. Full bodied sticks and LFD go together I try and let mine rest for some time before I dig in. Great write up.
ReplyDelete