Pre-light Experience

A beautiful maduro wrapper with the added bling of a pigtail atop a well applied cap really sets off this cigar. The seams are faint and the veins, though visible, can hardly be felt in the hand. The aroma coming from the wrapper is a rich barnyard while some chocolate is noticeable at the foot. The cold draw has a sweet fruit and nuttiness to the taste. Very nice.

First Third

The initial flavors are a supple leather and oak with a touch of char in the background. I pick up quite a bit of red pepper on the retrohale. After only a handful of draws, the profile shifts from woodsy to grassy with the spice remaining on the nose. After another minute or two, the heat on the retrohale fades as if to signal “Now that I have your attention…” About half way through the third the oak returns along with a little char. The grass transitions to a sweeter hay and lingers in the background for the duration.

Second Third

This cigar is now settling into a great balance of slightly charred oak with the sweeter hay remaining in the background. While there is an occasional pop of spice on the retrohale, I find most of it hitting my palate on the finish. Eventually all of heat disappears leaving my mouth very dry. There is a ton of smoke coming off this cigar and the draw is flawless up to this point. I only wish some other flavors would come into the mix.

Final Third

More of the same. Solid flavors that are made for each other but it is becoming a bit boring and one dimensional. While I would consider this more of a medium cigar with regards to strength, it is increasing during this final third. No real nicotine rush but enough to be noticeable.

Burn

Great smoke production with an ash that held for an inch at a time. Although the burn-line never varied much, it was a bit ragged for most of the smoke.

Draw

One of the better drawing cigars I’ve enjoyed. Consistent from start to finish with the right amount of resistance for my liking. This was truly an effortless smoke.

Overall

The La Flor Dominicana La Volcada began with a lot of promise given the twists and turns of the initial flavors. I wasn’t sure which direction the spice would lead but the blender did a great job of bringing it out strong and then dialing it back. Once the profile settled into a lightly charred oak and hay, it stayed there for the next hour of my hour and a half smoke. Although those flavors were nicely balanced and worked well together, I started to lose interest around the halfway point. This would be a good cigar anytime you wanted a longer worry free smoke with solid, but limited, flavors.

Gregg Kramer

SCORE

6.00

Cost/Point

$2.00

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana La Volcada