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BoM Jan '11
Hot sun and cool breeze, two of my favorite combinations for a cigar on a nice spring day. My weapon of choice today, A La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel Maduro, compliments of Darkman and Aquarich - Thanks guys!
Vitola: Chisel 6 x 54
Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
As I sit here on the front porch fingering this LFD, I'm taken back by the sheer beauty of the wrapper. Its deep rich tones remind me of suede and burlwood. With minimal veins and an oil sheen that could make even the most dedicated sun bather jealous, this La Flor Dominicana offeres an impressive appearance that's second to none. In addition to its looks, the construction of this cigar also appears to be quite soild, with little to no give.
Pre Light draw: I opted to clip roughly a half inch from the cap due to the draw issues that sometimes accompany chisel-shaped cigars. After the initial cold draw, I was rather surprised as I recieved only mild hints of tobacco, spice and some chocolate on the back of the palate. The aroma offered little as well, giving off slight barnyard nuances - not overly exciting for a cigar boasting "double ligero" on its wrapper.
Light: Upon lighting, the draw was better than I had expected, producing moderate to generous plumes of smoke, which immediately drove strong flavors of cocoa and sweet tobacco deeply into the palate. The retro-hale carried a fragrant meld of chocolate, spice, and sweet tobacco, which were shared in the aroma of the ambient burn - my hopes begin to heighten.
First third: As the burn opened up, I was greeted with a complex myriad of flavors. At the onset of the draw, light chocolatey notes excited my senses. These notes were followed quickly by spice and sweet tobacco, which were accompanied by an onset of dark cocoa as I expelled the smoke, leaving a very leathery aftertaste on the palate. The retro-hale carries fragrances similar to those present on the light, now slightly heavier, making the chocolate, spice, and sweet tobacco, more prominent, these aromas still shared by the ambient burn. The burn line is relatively even, and the ash holds for roughly an inch before dropping.
For those wondering about the change of scenery, I opted to move to the backyard for more wind cover as the breeze has picked up with uncomfortable force.
Second third: Throughout the first half of the second third, the flavor profile remained consistent with those of the first, until the halfway way point, which prompted a moderate change. The lighter cocoa flavors are now absent from draw, and heavy dark cocoa, hints of spice and sweet tobacco are all that remain. The retro-hale has changed also, giving off hints of dark cocoa, and sweet tobacco; the ambient burn also exudes these aromas. The burn line has improved somewhat and now appears to be quite sharp, though only holding ash for half to three quarters of an inch.
Final third: Coming towards the finish, the flavor profile has changed yet again, though not surprisingly. The draw now consists mainly of spice at the onset, followed by strong notes of toasted nut. A heavy oily nuance has also become present after expelling the draw. For the most part, the retro-hale has faded quite a bit, leaving a one-demensional but prominent spice, while the ambient burn continues to give off dark chocolate notes, melded with a strong spice - a fitting finish for a double ligero maddie.
Final thoughts: I had wanted to try this cigar for quite some time and was rather pleased with the results. While it was not quite as heavy as I'd expected, it was still quite a rich and enjoyable full-bodied smoke, although it's not for the faint of heart.
Total smoking time was about an hour and a half.
Cheers,
Shawn
Vitola: Chisel 6 x 54
Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
As I sit here on the front porch fingering this LFD, I'm taken back by the sheer beauty of the wrapper. Its deep rich tones remind me of suede and burlwood. With minimal veins and an oil sheen that could make even the most dedicated sun bather jealous, this La Flor Dominicana offeres an impressive appearance that's second to none. In addition to its looks, the construction of this cigar also appears to be quite soild, with little to no give.
Pre Light draw: I opted to clip roughly a half inch from the cap due to the draw issues that sometimes accompany chisel-shaped cigars. After the initial cold draw, I was rather surprised as I recieved only mild hints of tobacco, spice and some chocolate on the back of the palate. The aroma offered little as well, giving off slight barnyard nuances - not overly exciting for a cigar boasting "double ligero" on its wrapper.
Light: Upon lighting, the draw was better than I had expected, producing moderate to generous plumes of smoke, which immediately drove strong flavors of cocoa and sweet tobacco deeply into the palate. The retro-hale carried a fragrant meld of chocolate, spice, and sweet tobacco, which were shared in the aroma of the ambient burn - my hopes begin to heighten.
First third: As the burn opened up, I was greeted with a complex myriad of flavors. At the onset of the draw, light chocolatey notes excited my senses. These notes were followed quickly by spice and sweet tobacco, which were accompanied by an onset of dark cocoa as I expelled the smoke, leaving a very leathery aftertaste on the palate. The retro-hale carries fragrances similar to those present on the light, now slightly heavier, making the chocolate, spice, and sweet tobacco, more prominent, these aromas still shared by the ambient burn. The burn line is relatively even, and the ash holds for roughly an inch before dropping.
For those wondering about the change of scenery, I opted to move to the backyard for more wind cover as the breeze has picked up with uncomfortable force.
Second third: Throughout the first half of the second third, the flavor profile remained consistent with those of the first, until the halfway way point, which prompted a moderate change. The lighter cocoa flavors are now absent from draw, and heavy dark cocoa, hints of spice and sweet tobacco are all that remain. The retro-hale has changed also, giving off hints of dark cocoa, and sweet tobacco; the ambient burn also exudes these aromas. The burn line has improved somewhat and now appears to be quite sharp, though only holding ash for half to three quarters of an inch.
Final third: Coming towards the finish, the flavor profile has changed yet again, though not surprisingly. The draw now consists mainly of spice at the onset, followed by strong notes of toasted nut. A heavy oily nuance has also become present after expelling the draw. For the most part, the retro-hale has faded quite a bit, leaving a one-demensional but prominent spice, while the ambient burn continues to give off dark chocolate notes, melded with a strong spice - a fitting finish for a double ligero maddie.
Final thoughts: I had wanted to try this cigar for quite some time and was rather pleased with the results. While it was not quite as heavy as I'd expected, it was still quite a rich and enjoyable full-bodied smoke, although it's not for the faint of heart.
Total smoking time was about an hour and a half.
Cheers,
Shawn
