AFGL: WARNING!, Sosa, LFD Factory Press & Trout
A Few Good Links this week covers anti-smoking nuttery in Nicole Kidman’s homeland, reviews of the Sosa Underground Delphic and the La Flor Dominicana Factory Press IV as well as a little baseball stuff about why somebody thinks my Angels have the best prospect in baseball.
1. Like a colony of ants after being sprayed by water the anti-smoking fascists are all over the place frantically trying to right all that they see as wrong. In America they are working to affect tax increases on cigars and have the FDA regulate the industry far more than it ever has before. All in the name of health!
It turns out that even in the most rugged of the English speaking countries, Australia, the land of Kidman, Wolverine and kangaroos, they have their own frantic as wet ant fascists meddling in the lives of others. As noted by aussiecigars, the Aussie-fascists want to require graphic health warnings on all tobacco products. I’m guessing they’re talking about holes in throats, Swiss cheese lungs and pictures of this. Like our cigar smoking Aussie friend (whose name is Mark but you have to pronounce it with the cool Aussie accent) points out, that sort of packaging – except for the possible exception of the last example, which I linked to – doesn’t work.
But even if it did work is that the right thing to do? Is it moral? Everybody knows that there is a certain amount of risk associated with using tobacco products… and eating fried foods… and doing extreme sports… and having a swimming pool in the backyard… and just nearly everything else. What’s next? Should we put pictures of drowning polar bears on cars because cars cause global warming?
2. Ben over at Nice Tight Ash reviewed the Sosa Underground Delphic. He liked it a lot. Here’s a sample from his review:
Using a Habano wrapper from Nicaragua with a binder and filler also from Nicaragua, the cigar did have a nice spice note. That wasn’t all. The cigar show a nice balance of woodiness, nuttiness (is that a word?) with a nice sweetness through out the cigar. The cigar also had a nice buttery mouth feel with the smoke as well make the cigar a joy to smoke. You really can’t beat this cigar for the price.
3. Dave over at the Tiki Bar reviews the La Flor Dominicana Factory Press IV. Dave really liked this cigar making note of flavors like earth, cocoa and coffee. Sounds like a really good cigar.
4. ESPN’s Keith Law has put Mike Trout at the top of his Prospect List for the second year in a row. Maybe the Angels will keep Trout in the Majors for the whole year. Maybe I shouldn’t hold my breath.
La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel Natural Cigar Review
A while ago I did a review of the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel Maduro and I loved it. In fact, it was my favorite cigar of 2010, which says something. So then I decided to try the one with the natural wrapper.
The cigar is undeniably cool. The chiseled head is unique and the cigar has some heft to it. It’s lighter than it’s maduro-clad brethren and there are a number of superficial veins that run the length of this cigar like some kind of miniature superhighway system. It cuts nice and the prelight draw is good with a hint at what’s to come: spice.
Cigar Stats
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: $155.00/Box of 20 | $8.75/Single
Best First Lines Fire!
It starts out admirably well in the flavor department. There is the perfunctory spice, which every LFD DL should have, and there is dry, salted meat with a little bit of hickory thrown in for good measure. Honestly, this is beating most cigars in the flavor department at this early stage, the first third, but it’s not beating out it’s maduro-ed brother.
While the burn line takes it’s sweet time advancing onto the second third I have to comment on the wonderful draw I get from every Chisel. Out of every cigar I have ever had it is this cigar I would go to if a perfect draw was absolutely necessary for me. The tapered head of the cigar produces a combination of flavor concentration and ease of draw that kicks these cigars up a notch or two.
This is also a fairly strong cigar. But it’s that good kind of strength, the mellow kind that shouldn’t knock you on your backside if you are a seasoned cigar smoker. If, on the other hand, this was the first cigar you ever smoked… well, you get the idea.
The second third of the cigar does see some movement away from the spiciness of the first third. Now, the best way to describe it would be that there is a dusty texture to the smoke and the flavors center mainly around meat, leather and sweet hickory. Actually, it’s a very good mixture and it’s gaining on the maduro version in my estimation.
This cigar really comes into itself during the final third. Spice picks back up a little with leather in the lead. Hickory is still there and, above all of that, the flavors just seem to be purer and more alive.
There never was a harsh moment for this cigar and both the burn and the draw were excellent throughout. But, in the end, I would still go with the maduro version of this cigar. Barely though.
93 points
La Flor Dominicana Ligero Cigar Review
First off, I would like to thank Cigars Direct for sending me this cigar to review. Very kind of you all and, as always, if this cigar is horrible I’ll tell you. If it’s good, I’ll tell you. Just because someone sent me this sample doesn’t mean they’re going to get a good score.
I’ve got to be honest here: I like La Flor Dominicana cigars. They are Dominican, which is always good, and they have a little bit of strength behind them. This cigar, the La Flor Dominicana Ligero L-250 (henceforth known as the LFD L-250) is a decent looking cigar and it is also available with an oscuro wrapper.
The wrapper is oily but it is also marred with many a speckled light spots along with one oil spill-esque light brown spot. I don’t know what you think about imperfections like that; personally I’m of a mixed mind. On the one hand I don’t care about what the cigar looks like if it still tastes good. On the other hand ugly is, well, ugly. So, the look matters to me but not all that much.
Cigar Stats
Length: 4 ¾″
Ring Gauge: 48
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Ligero
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: $135.00/Box of 24
Spicy and full of dark, brooding flavors. There is also this minor annoyance of a flavor that, while not nearly as bad as bleach, is at least in the same family as bleach. Overall, it starts out decently during this first third.
The second third sees some significant improvement. In addition to the spice and the cessation of bleachiness there is a very nice plum sweetness. It is a great counterbalance to the spice that can be a little overpowering if left to its own devices. But it’s still very powerful and it is only growing in hefty strength.
During the latter part of the second third a hearty chocolate and hickory flavor meld starts to come through. I am actually pretty impressed with the LFD L-250 so far.
The final third reverted back to the spiciness that was so evident during the first third. I cannot say it was a great ending but, overall, it was a cigar that I enjoyed. With lots of flavor, a good draw and burn there isn’t too much I can say negatively about this cigar; except for the way it looked. So pick some up at Cigars Direct.
89 points
La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Cigar Review
I had a couple of the La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Maestros last summer and I liked them. Hopefully another few months resting in the humidor will have made this cigar even better.
Extremely oily wrapper with a number of small veins running from the foot to the cap. It is very uniform in shape and is relatively fully packed. There are a couple of cracks in the wrapper: one near the foot and another by the cap. The one adjacent to the cap will probably prove to be bothersome due to its close proximity to the cap. Too bad, hopefully I can cope.
On a side note, I just saw the other day that Cigar Aficionado put the LFD Air Bender Chisel in its Top 10. That’s one vote for the cigar (in a different vitola).
Cigar Stats
Corona Gorda
Length: 5 ½″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: $7.25/Single | $115.00/Box of 20
Restrepo Flame!
Sure enough after cutting the cigar the crack extends itself all the way through my cut. It probably won’t be too big of a problem in the early goings of this cigar but I’m positive it will make things more difficult the closer to the end I get. That’s going to be especially true once I take off the band because that is what is holding the wrapper together down there right now.
This is one of those cigars where the flavors seem submerged. I can taste the warm spice and the woody flavors but they are echoes of what they should be. During the first third, at least, this cigar is lacking the requisite intensity to keep these flavors interesting. Part of the problem is attributable to the fairly tight draw but I do not believe the crack near the head of the cigar is to blame.
The second third shows some signs of improvement. For example, the spice has come on line a little more strongly now growing from a veiled pseudo-spice to a dry, somewhat sweet spice. It’s a good change all in all. Another flavor that is coming through now is bread dough. At the tail end of the second third there is a graham cracker flavor.
Entering the final third and the main flavor, pretty much its only flavor, is spice. And that flavor is enjoyable enough. But it’s one of those things that you know should be much better, something special. Maybe there was something a little out of phase with this cigar because, honest to God, I remember these cigars being much better. At times with this cigar there are some flashes of inspiration but, overall, it is not that impressive of a cigar. It’s still good though.
Full bodied with a tight draw and an even burn. I think that the Air Bender deserves further investigation and I will probably be doing another review of these cigars in a few months time, perhaps with a different vitola. Normally, I don’t plan on giving mulligans for cigars that I review but this is a special enough case based solely on my previous experiences with this cigar. Right now I’m pegging it as an average cigar.
88 points
La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel Maduro Cigar Review
A very impressive cigar to behold. Oily, dark wrapper. Probably a bit too hard to the touch. There are some veins that run throughout. But, even though it does have some negative aspects to its appearance it is just looks like a cool cigar. Plus, it smells like one. It smells aggressive.
The prelight draw gives off a distinct chocolate flavor along with some spice, which was to be expected. For the couple of Chisels that I have smoked their draws have seemed a little tight before I lit them up. But after I have lit the cigars the draw for each cigar has been perfectly fine.
Cigar Stats
pyramid
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Ecuador Maduro
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: $75.00/Box of 10 | $8.50/Single
Smoke
Sure enough, this cigar starts out very aggressive. Spice and a grassy earthiness. The chocolate flavor is there as well. They mix together wonderfully well and the flavors are fantastically alive. And the draw is great as well. All is good!
In addition to the aforementioned flavors there are some sweet flavors. Toffee, anise and some leather as well. There are a ton of flavors going on in this cigar and they mix together very well.
Full bodied? Sure – but the strength makes sense with this cigar. In no way is it harsh or obnoxiously strong. Exquisitely smooth cigar. Oh, and the burn is even. Yeah!
Slow burning gem of a cigar. A little over an inch in and the flavors are still wonderful. Leather and meat are taking over as the major flavors but all those other flavors are still there and they are great.
While the flavors do not match up perfectly there is a smoky-woody flavor grouping that seems right for this LFD. But just because the flavors do match up perfectly I do not see that as a problem. This is a very complex cigar, there’s bound to be a flavor or two that I don’t think matches up perfectly.
At the halfway point now and meaty/salty flavors are taking the lead. Really complex cigar.
Somewhere around the two-thirds mark the flavors do begin to lose some of their luster. It’s still a very good cigar but just not as much. And that, unfortunately, brings this cigar down a notch. A very, very small notch since this cigar after losing a bit of its “luster” is still better than most anything out there in my book.
94 points
Another View from Cigar Jack.
