Named as the 2014 Best Value in Cigar Journal magazine, Flor de Selva isn’t a brand most of us know here in the States. The company was launched in 1995 in France and has grown to include three brands – Flor de Selva, Cumpay and Villa Zambrano.
The company; Maya Selva, calls the Flor de Selva “The Essential Honduran.” They go on to state, “A classic. Completely hand-rolled from whole leaf. Woody scent, subtly balanced, aromas of cedar and dried fruits. Rounded natural flavor”
Cigar: Flor de Selva
Size: 4.75 x 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Honduras (Connecticut Seed from Talanga)
Binder: Honduras (Habano Jamastran)
Filler: Honduras (Viso Jamastran, Ligero Azacualpa)
Strength: Medium
Source: Maya Selva
The Look: The band of the Flor de Selva is reminiscent of the Virtuvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci. It features a muse on an off-white background with matte gold. The foot of the band is a red and white and denotes the company name. The two bands don’t work together and one seems like an after thought. The roll of the cigar is porous and the cap is slightly off-center while the wrapper has some significant veins. In the hand the cigar is firm an average weight.
The Notes: Just placing the cigar between the lips there is a slight spice that comes off the wrapper. The cold draw is earthy, and slightly sweet while the foot of the cigar serves up the aroma of cedar. Once the cigar is lit there are subtle cedar notes and a bit of cream reminiscent of a Dr. Brown’s cream soda.
The first third of the cigar develops some subtle spices with hearty cedar notes and a note that reminds me of tropical fruit such as a mango. There is also a bit of saltiness present that is picked up on the tongue.
The second third of the cigar loses the salty taste which wasn’t overpowering and was quite enjoyable. What remains is nuts and cedar. The pepper picks up through the nose making my nostril tingle even when I don’t retrohale.
The final third of the Flor de Selva is both woody and nutty. The pepper that kicked up during the second third dissipates as the cigar progresses. The finish is slightly earthy and short.
The Burn: The burn line on the Flor de Selva is razor thing and crisp. This cigar burns true from first light to last buff. The medium gray ash was smooth and flawless holding for nearly the first half of the cigar. The draw was perfectly within my wheelhouse offering up the slightest resistance.
The Finish: The natural stands out about the Maduro and is easy to see why Cigar Journal named this the best value cigar of 2014. The profile was enjoyable with a fair amount of complexity to keep our interest throughout. This is definitely though at $9.00 I am not sure where this categorizes as a value cigar.
Score: 90
Price: $9.00
Flor de Selva
Flor de Selva Foot
Flor de Selva Burn
