While conducting inventory at work, we came across a handful of boxes of the 2017 La Flor Dominicana TAA Edition. The cigar which came out in May of 2017 has had 7+ months to age since hitting retail shelves. This incredible cigar features a beautiful Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over a Cameroon binder with filers from Finca La Canela in the Dominican Republic. When we reviewed it right off the truck in May ’17 we scored it a 95. How does it compare now, let’s light up and find out.
Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana TAA Exclusivo 2017
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Dominican Republic
Length: 6
Ring Gauge: 54
Size: Box Press Toro
The Look: As I wrote in May ’17 the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper does not look like Broadleaf with its reddish-brown hue. There are some darker areas on the wrapper from the massaging of the leaf which is a process LFD loves to use to help bring out the oils of the cigar. There are a few ultra thin veins and the seam of the rolls is visible while the cigar has the classic looking LFD band a second one denoting TAA.
The Notes: The cold draw has notes some hay notes that serve as an afterthought while spices such as paprika, cayenne and red pepper take hold of the palate along with some subtle cedar. The foot of the cigar has an aroma of cedar and cayenne and once we toast and light this box pressed beauty from Litto Gomez the first note of the cigar reminds me of the charred edge of a streak cooked over the coals of a BBQ.
As we move into the first third that grilled steak note remains as the dominant note for the first inch or so before sliding into the background. As the first third comes to a close there are notes of cayenne, cinnamon and cedar. Gone are the citrus notes that appeared in the cigar 7 months ago, as the cigar begins to smooth out from age.
In the second third the La Flor Dominicana the notes of cinnamon are joined by a subtle sweetness especially at the end of the retrohale which is spicy on the forefront with an abundance of cayenne pepper. Around the halfway point there is a subtle saltiness to the cigar that develops as the steak notes begin to remerge.
As the cigar moves into the last third some nutty notes develop, and there is a cornbread like note that develops as we move past the band. The retrohale of the cigar has calmed down too, as the cayenne isn’t as prevalent as the cigar develops a woodsy finish.
The Finish: In 7 months the cigar has changed, as the citrus notes experienced in the past are nowhere to be found and this is a sign, that perhaps the cigar was a bit too young when they were first released. The cigar is even more balanced at this stage of the game, though I expected the sweetness to be a little more developed. It won’t hurt the overall score, because when you have a cigar that is as good as a steak it is so hard to beat especially if you love a full-bodied smoke. If the sweetness returns, and it should as the strength pulls back even more this could go up.
Original Score: 95
Current Score: 94
Price: $9.99 / $222.99
LFD TAA 49th Edition (2017) Foot
LFD TAA 49th Edition (2017) Burn
