Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the La Flor Dominicana Double Claro No. 50 is a pale pea green, with lightly raised veins carrying a darker color to them. The seams are smooth and the head well finished. The band is black, gold, red and white with a green ring at the very bottom. It carries the company name and line name. The aroma from the wrapper is green hay, cedar and some earth, while the foot brings sweet bread and cedar along with light earth and spice. The pre-light draw brings almond cookie and cedar with light amounts of earth and floral notes and there is a mild spiciness on my lips.

La Flor Dominicana Double Claro No. 50

First Third

The cigar begins with green hay, toasted cedar, earth and some black pepper. At a quarter inch in, the green hay transitions to dry hay. At a half inch in, the black pepper increases a bit. The retrohale is grassy hay, with toasted cedar, earth and mild black pepper. At three quarters of an inch in, the dry hay transitions to a creamy, grassy hay note and the earth increases a bit. As the third comes to a close, the creamy, grassy hay is up front, with toasted cedar and earth a bit behind and some black pepper in the middle of the profile. The strength was slightly below medium.

La Flor Dominicana Double Claro No. 50

Second Third

As the second third begins, some chalkiness joins the profile. At a quarter inch in, some vegetal bitterness joins in. The retrohale is now grassy hay, with toasted cedar, earth and lightly zingy black pepper. At an inch in, the earth increases to become even with the creamy, grassy hay up front. At an inch and a quarter, the vegetal bitterness increases a bit. As the third comes to a close, the creamy, grassy hay and earth are even up front, with toasted cedar a bit behind, black pepper is in the middle of the profile with vegetal bitterness right behind and some chalkiness in the background. The strength remained at slightly below medium.

La Flor Dominicana Double Claro No. 50

Final Third

As the final third begins, the toast level of the cedar becomes pretty heavy. At a half inch in, the heavily toasted cedar bumps up to become even with the creamy, grassy hay and earth. The retrohale remains grassy hay, with toasted cedar, earth and lightly zingy black pepper. As the cigar wraps up, the creamy, grassy hay, earth and heavily toasted cedar are even up front, with black pepper is in the middle of the profile with vegetal bitterness right behind and some chalkiness in the background. The strength remained at slightly below medium.

La Flor Dominicana Double Claro No. 50

Burn

The burn was a bit wavy throughout, but never needed any attention. The ash held on through each third.

La Flor Dominicana Double Claro No. 50

Draw

The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The cigar began with green hay, toasted cedar, earth and some black pepper. The green hay quickly transitioned to dry hay, then the black pepper increased a bit. Later, the dry hay transitioned to a creamy, grassy hay. The second third saw some chalkiness join in and then a vegetal bitterness. The earth then increased to become even with the grassy hay up front and the vegetal bitterness increased. The final third saw the toast level become pretty heavy and it became even with the grassy hay and earth up front. The La Flor Dominicana Double Claro No. 50 had a nice start, with hay, in all its iterations, actually enhancing the profile. It took a step down in the second third as the earth increased, and remained that way for the rest of the cigar. While I wouldn’t put in the small group of top tier candelas on the market, it is better than most. I’d be open to trying this in another vitola to see how it compares.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.00

Cost/Point

$1.60

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana Double Claro No. 50