La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero 452
Size: 4" x 52 rg Short Robusto
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Strength: Full
I recently was over in the Fullerton area to have lunch and a smoke with a co-worker of mine, and while out getting sushi he wanted me to come check out a new little B&M that had opened near him recently. Obviously I had no problem with that, so in no time at all I found myself standing in front of a smoke shop; the kind that when you first look at the name, you immediately think, "head shop". I of course immediately had reservations, as I could see the shelves of glass inside, but I figured I would give my friend the benefit of doubt. Once we stepped inside I was actually rather impressed, as the owner clearly is a cigar smoker due to the small, but very clean and presentable walk in humidor to the rear of the shop. The selection was actually very good considering the size, and the prices were also very good despite it being California. While there I picked up an Alec Bradley Tempus and a couple of these little LFD's, one which I gave to Jon.
Pre-Light
Hugged by an oily Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper that is a dark chocolate brown in color, this little smoke is threatening just in appearance. The construction is outstanding, with a nicely done cap that matches the well bunched foot, leading to an all around excellent presentation when coupled with the new style band. The weight in the hand is hefty for the cigar's size, again lending itself to the overall impression that the cigar is going to be a solid, stout little smoke, pun intended of course.
Draw & Burn
Once punched, I found a perfect cold draw that, upon lighting, stayed perfect throughout, and the burn, while starting off a bit crooked, soon straightened out to a good razor sharp burn all the way to the nub. The ash was a dark gray color, with banding throughout and held strong until let go every inch or so.
Flavor Profile
The cold draw contained only the slightest hint of good, strong tobacco, leaving a light sweetness on the lips, and once lit I was immediately smacked upside the head with a blast of strong black pepper. For a good quarter inch, this was all I could taste, leaving me a bit woozy, until finally the pepper subsided to a manageable level. I began picking up tastes of leather, woodiness, and a good rich tobacco, all mixing together to culminate in a mile long finish. There wasn't much change in tastes through the duration of the smoke, nor was there much complexity.
Overall Impression
While I do enjoy a good, complex smoke, for some reason despite the simplicity of this cigar it very much hit the spot. Perhaps it was the fact that I was smoking it while doing chores outside, and could just enjoy it for what it was without having to work to pick up tastes. Whatever the reason, this was an outstanding, solid performer that smokes great out of the box, and I can imagine will only get better with age as the stronger ligero tobaccos meld and become a little more tame. The smaller size is also a plus, keeping the total smoking time to just a little over an hour for me.
Size: 4" x 52 rg Short Robusto
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Strength: Full
I recently was over in the Fullerton area to have lunch and a smoke with a co-worker of mine, and while out getting sushi he wanted me to come check out a new little B&M that had opened near him recently. Obviously I had no problem with that, so in no time at all I found myself standing in front of a smoke shop; the kind that when you first look at the name, you immediately think, "head shop". I of course immediately had reservations, as I could see the shelves of glass inside, but I figured I would give my friend the benefit of doubt. Once we stepped inside I was actually rather impressed, as the owner clearly is a cigar smoker due to the small, but very clean and presentable walk in humidor to the rear of the shop. The selection was actually very good considering the size, and the prices were also very good despite it being California. While there I picked up an Alec Bradley Tempus and a couple of these little LFD's, one which I gave to Jon.
Pre-Light
Hugged by an oily Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper that is a dark chocolate brown in color, this little smoke is threatening just in appearance. The construction is outstanding, with a nicely done cap that matches the well bunched foot, leading to an all around excellent presentation when coupled with the new style band. The weight in the hand is hefty for the cigar's size, again lending itself to the overall impression that the cigar is going to be a solid, stout little smoke, pun intended of course.
Draw & Burn
Once punched, I found a perfect cold draw that, upon lighting, stayed perfect throughout, and the burn, while starting off a bit crooked, soon straightened out to a good razor sharp burn all the way to the nub. The ash was a dark gray color, with banding throughout and held strong until let go every inch or so.
Flavor Profile
The cold draw contained only the slightest hint of good, strong tobacco, leaving a light sweetness on the lips, and once lit I was immediately smacked upside the head with a blast of strong black pepper. For a good quarter inch, this was all I could taste, leaving me a bit woozy, until finally the pepper subsided to a manageable level. I began picking up tastes of leather, woodiness, and a good rich tobacco, all mixing together to culminate in a mile long finish. There wasn't much change in tastes through the duration of the smoke, nor was there much complexity.
Overall Impression
While I do enjoy a good, complex smoke, for some reason despite the simplicity of this cigar it very much hit the spot. Perhaps it was the fact that I was smoking it while doing chores outside, and could just enjoy it for what it was without having to work to pick up tastes. Whatever the reason, this was an outstanding, solid performer that smokes great out of the box, and I can imagine will only get better with age as the stronger ligero tobaccos meld and become a little more tame. The smaller size is also a plus, keeping the total smoking time to just a little over an hour for me.
