Pre-light Experience

A nice beefy double banded box press presents itself well with a consistent caramel colored wrapper. Although there are several raised veins, the seam work is barely noticeable. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of hay, barnyard and chocolate while the foot offers a more pronounced barnyard and chocolate. The cold draw has a sweeter taste of anise and cedar.

First Third

A rich oak char dominates the first portion of this third. A combination of licorice and cedar on the finish is easy to miss with the moderate amount of black pepper on the retrohale. The initial strength is a bit in your face, which is my typical experience with most LFD cigars. About an inch in, some leather develops and helps tame the char and spice on the retrohale. The finish is more of a sweet cedar which pairs well with the heartier oak. Midway through the first third, there is a shift as assorted baking spices come to the table. A little allspice on the nose with a light cocoa on the finish. Quite a change from the start of the cigar.

Second Third

The leather increases a bit as a mellow oak overtakes the baking spices. Cedar and allspice mingle in the background creating a sweetness on the finish. The flavors might not be the most interesting, but the balance between them is spot on and provides a respite from the changes in the first third. The strength is decreasing with more of a medium body to the cigar. I’m anxious to see what the final third will bring.

Final Third

Some of the initial char is returning in the form of toast. Many of the flavors from the previous thirds also return for an encore. Alternating oak, leather, cedar and baking spices are perfectly balanced and really tie this cigar together. A touch of black pepper on the retrohale is a nod to the opening third as well. The strength increases a bit as well while I would consider the body to remain at a medium level.

Burn

The burn was OK. It stayed lit for several minutes unattended, although one relight was required as part of the wrapper not wanting to continue burning. I can’t complain given it was a really windy day.

Draw

A little airy for my liking, but pretty consistent. I felt I was able to still pull a lot of flavors through this cigar.

Overall

Prepare to have some time on your hands to enjoy this La Flor Dominicana Factory Press. While the first third took a while to settle in, there were some nice flavor shifts that really kept my interest. The middle third offered a break for my palate with some well balanced basic flavors. The decrease in strength on a vitola of this size was welcome as well. The final third really rounded out the profile of this cigar as it pulled flavors from each of the previous thirds in a harmonious way. While a cigar of this size can often become one dimensional, this one did not. If you have the time, I would recommend giving this one a try.

Gregg Kramer

SCORE

6.07

Cost/Point

$2.49

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana Factory Press