Rarely, does one remember the exact place they are when they smoke a new cigar for the first time; especially, fourteen years later. For me, I'll always remember the first time I lit up a LFD. It was 1999, I made my usual routine stop by the cigar shop, to pick up some cigars for the weekend. As I strolled through the humidor, my eye was caught by a new cigar brand the shop just started to carry, the La Flor Dominincana.
I
quickly grabbed a few and was on my way. Later that weekend, I sat down to
relax in my office and smoke. Reaching in, I found the cigars I purchased just
several days earlier and immediately began to get excited. Yes, I admit it. I
do get excited when I get to try a new cigar that I've never smoked before.
Sometimes, it's a disappointment, but sometimes, like was the case that
weekend, you find a cigar brand you will smoke for the rest of your life.
There
is much to be said about Litto Gomez owner of LFD. He is a true innovator and master at blending.
He rose from humble beginnings working as a dishwasher among a barrage of other
jobs. He worked his way to the top and is a true testament of how hard work can
pay off. Today, he is master at what he
does best, blending cigars. You won't find one of his cigar lines that isn’t
different from the other. They run the gamete from mild to double ligero lines
that are fully bodied and strong.
Today,
we are taking a look at three different lines. The LFD Factory Press IV, the
Habano Corona, and Double Ligero; all available here at Corona Cigar Co.
A
large luminous cigar that weighs in with a whopping 6.5” x 60 ring gauge. The
box press in some aspects makes the cigar look larger then it is. It's wrapped
in a beautiful Mexican wrapper that is flawless to the naked eye. The binder
and filler are made up of Ecuadorian and Dominican tobaccos.
After
I toasted the foot, I found burnt hay and raisin notes. The draw was loose,
offering the pull you want in a cigar, without it being too loose or overly
hard to draw air through.
The
first third, you will find light peppery notes with hints of chocolate. The
burn thus far is impeccable. The second third, you will have a flaky white ash
that tends to fall off. The raisin and peppery tones remain along with a spicy
and cedar aftertaste. If you're not used to smoking box pressed cigars, it may
feel awkward, especially given the large ring gauge. Outside of that, it's been
a superb smoke thus far.
The
final third, large amounts of white smoke bellow out of the large 60 ring gauge
cigar, as you can imagine. The flavor profile remains pretty consistent with
the raisin, chocolate, pepper, and cedar tones. The pepper profile kicks up a
notch on the back half. Offering a stronger medium body tone compared to the
first two thirds. A well constructed cigar as I had no issue with the burn or
draw whatsoever. I would definitely classify this as a medium body cigar and I
personally could smoke this anytime of the day.
A
strong vegetable and green pepper tone emerge immediately. It hits you right on the tip of your tongue,
from the very first draw. A quality cigar that’s packed tightly, but has a good
draw and stays consistent. I'm smoking the corona 5-5/8” x 46 size. With a
price point of 8 dollars you really can't go wrong.
The Habano Corona is everything you would
expect from a cigar made by Litto Gomez.
A
third of the way in, I’m beginning to get more of a black pepper tone. The
spice aspects are starting to culminate as well. The earthy tones mentioned
earlier remain in the background throughout the smoke. To the halfway point,
I'm impressed with this cigar. Although, I should have expected nothing less
considering it's pedigree.
The
back half is just as reliable as the first half and the flavor profile is
kicked up a notch. Large amounts of smoke, smooth flavors that include nuts,
spices, and dry grass. A medium bodied cigar in nature. It's pleasant and works
well as an after lunch smoke.
A
dark rich looking maduro wrapper that is oily in nature wraps the 6 7/8”x 49
cigar. A pre-light inspection finds an earthy aroma that is pleasant and
beckons me not to waste anymore time lighting up. Minimal veining with several
minute bumps that appear on the surface subtract very little from the
appearance. As I began my smoking journey into the cigar, I was blown away by a
dark heavy coffee bean flavor that was heavy on the palette. This you will
notice as you toast the foot of the cigar and begin smoking.
A
little farther in, tones of black pepper and spice are quite evident. A thick
heavy aftertaste lingers on the palette at this point, reminding me of earth
and green pepper. As I always like to do at some point during the review, I set
the cigar down to test whether or not it will stay lit for any length of time.
At about one third of the way in, I let the cigar rest for five minutes. I was
pleased to see that it stayed lit and with a few puffs it was bellowing out
white clouds of smoke.
At
about the halfway point, I noticed slight hints of fruit that I couldn’t
exactly place. This did not last very long and vanished rather quickly. The
cigar to this point has been superb noting no flaws in the burn or draw. The
flavors have been rich and enticing. The cigar has moments that break from the
full bodied mold and revert to more of a medium body cigar. They don’t last
long and the full bodied flavors quickly return.
For
the last half, the flavor profile gets stronger with the dark rich and heavy
peppery tones in the forefront, along with coffee beans. Notes of mushroom and
greens are also found along with a raw onion. If you enjoy full bodied cigars,
you will enjoy this beauty. I would give it 9 out of 10 stars.
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