INTRODUCTION
In August of 2024 La Flor Dominicana started shipping their 30 year anniversary humidors which contain 60 special cigars that are formed in their trademarked Chisel vitola. These humidors are the first dive into the workings of LFD’s new box factory. The humidors share an image of both of the companies founders, Lotto and Ines Gomez on horseback over flowering tobacco leaves. This image is a brilliant tie into the company’s original branding of the tobacco flower. This 30 anniversary commemorates the two’s start in the tobacco business where LFD had started later in 1996.
UNDER THE LID
Under the lid of the beautiful 30th anniversary humidor unveils the original branding pink flower band dressed on top of the popular chisel size consumers can find in both the Chapter one and two releases. There is a thinner chisel size found in a variety of other LFD offerings such as the ligeros and air bender. The cigar removed from the cellophane is a gorgeous tan wrapper that is complimented by the dark glossy brown hue from the cigars primary and foot bands. The gold words of “30 years” glimmer in the light announcing both Litto and Ines amazing accomplishments they’ve done not just for tobacco cultivation in the Dominican, but the overall health of our amazing premium tobacco industry. The wrapper is silky smooth with visible tight seams and no veins. It has a slight oily feel and is consistently packed with a small give upon pressure.
The aroma of any LFD cigar is always very aromatic. The foot has subtle notes of stewed fruit, hay, cedar and leather. While I usually use a straight cut, a slight pinch to the cap of the LFD chisel typically gets the job done. The draw is smooth with perfect airflow. The cold draw shares similar aromas but adds a distinct cinnamon that pronounces the stewed fruit.
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
- Binder: Cotuí Dominican Republic
- Filler: La Canela, Dominican Republic
- Vitola: 6 ½ x 58 box-pressed Chisel
- Factory: Tabacalera La Flor S.A.
- Released: August 10, 2024
- Box Quantity: 2,000 60 count humidors
- MSRP: $30 (humidor of 60 cigars $1,800)
PERFORMANCE NOTES
FIRST THIRD
The LFD 30th opens up with a floral sweetness that is rounded out by a creamy oak wood and leather. When drawing from the cigar a black pepper nips the front of my tongue but subsides once the draw is complete. The finish on the palate shows this is aged tobacco from LFDs farms because it leaves a thick musty cedar lingering for a medium finish. The smoke production is great and quickly fills the room with an aromatic smoke that is reminiscent of a navy blend pipe tobacco with dark fruit, leather and a touch of red spice. The retrohale starts with a blast of black pepper that is quickly followed by dark oak, a floral sweetness and a buttery cedar that floats to the top of my palate. The retro balances the finish on the palate and allows an anise spice to mesh with the creamy oak and leather. The burn is fairly even with the left side just mildly lagging behind. The draw is controlled since the chisel allows a 58 gage cigar to be drawn from a narrow opening. Overall the beginning of the LFD 30th keeps true to the overall profile of the brand’s tobacco, but kicks it up a notch with its spice and aromatic supporting aromas from its well aged tobacco. The strength and body sit at a comfortable medium.
SECOND THIRD
The LFD 30th Chisel is showcasing the consistency of LFDs tobacco by holding its core flavors into the second third but really refining them together. The black pepper is still dominating the retrohale but is more of a texture than a sensation through the nose. The creamy oakwood has blended together with the leather where they are hard to distinguish until the finish. The floral sweetness is slowly fading out of the profile and is instead being replaced with an espresso. There is a grape skin bitterness towards the finish of the cigar that leaves a dry mouthfeel which is both unique and delightful. The burn has evened out on the first sample while the smoke production stays consistent. The body of the cigar has started increasing to medium+ from the darker notes of the Dominican tobacco taking center stage. The mouthfeel is similar to that of an old world cabernet where it is a dry finish that is only rehydrated by taking another puff allowing the spice and creamy oak to coat the palate.
FINAL THIRD
After removing the band the final third continues with that the first and second cigar has been doing so well. The black pepper has been reintroduced and blasts on the retrohale and sprinkles onto the creamy oak that has remained on the palate. Close behind is the rich oak wood, espresso, leather and earth that has defined this cigar smoking experience. The finish is medium with primary flavors of dark oak, leather, espresso and black pepper. The sweetness has vanished completely allowing the body and strength of the Sumatra wrapper to top off the experience of the LFD 30th Anniversary chisel.
- Core Flavors: Floral, oak, earth, leather, espresso, black pepper, baking spice and dried fruit
- Strength: Medium
- Body: Medium+
- Complexity: Medium
Smokin Experience
It’s amazing when a consumer is able to celebrate a company’s milestone through an exclusive cigar blended to commemorate the occasion. Further, it’s amazing when the blend stays true to the approach in blending that brought them to their milestone. The LFD 30th anniversary chisel brings you on Litto and Ines Gomez’s accomplished journey with tobacco while throwing in a few surprises behind the foundational aromas that make LFD a must have in all humidors.
The construction on all three samples was consistent and required no touch ups. While the burns started uneven they quickly corrected themselves. This is a cigar I suggest smoking inside during the cold months because many supporting flavors are subtle and can easily be missed in a cold environment. Plus, the room note from an LFD is unparalleled and will leave you itching for another draw.
Purchase recommendation: Five pack
Smokin Facts
- The chisel size was introduced in 2003 through the Litto Gomez chisel.
- The chisel was created organically when Litto was driving to work one day chewing on a pyramid cigar. He found that the tapered tip that resulted felt good in his mouth and thus the chisel was born.
- The chisel size is a great way to taste LFD’s tobacco since you get the benefit of a bigger gage burning cooler to allow proper aromas, with the draw and mouthfeel of a smaller gage.
Smokin Wrap
Cigars Smoked for the Review: Three
Average smoking time: 2 hours and 32 minutes average
