La Flor Dominicana Reserva Especial

The name and symbol of Litto Gomez and Ines Lorenzo’s cigar company, La Flor Dominicana, translates appropriately to, The Dominican Flower. Since breaking into the tobacco industry nearly four years ago, Gomez and Lorenzo have become one of the major players in the Dominican Republic. Starting with just 150,000 cigars in 1994, when the brand was known as Los Libertadores, La Flor Dominicana quickly expanded production, making three million cigars in 1996. Los Libertadores, a cigarmaker in the Dominican Republic, offered Gomez a position as the manager of its manufacturing factory in 1994, and he accepted. Gomez and Lorenzo entered into a partnership with Los Libertadores in early 1994 with the intent of producing high-quality cigars. But the couple soon learned that their partners were more interested in entering the high-volume market of cheaper cigars rather than the premium market that they had envisioned. A serious rift developed that proved irreconcilable. A year later the partnership of Los Libertadores was dissolved, and although Lorenzo and Gomez owned the Los Libertadores brand, they decided to start fresh with a new brand instead, and La Flor Dominicana was born. The couple spared no expense in the production of cigars at the state-of-the-art facility they own in Tamboril, outside Santiago, the capital of cigar manufacturing in the Dominican Republic. The factory, a converted disco, is itself something of a showcase. In the entranceway are columns that have been painted to resemble lit cigars, and a huge tobacco flower, the company's logo, bursts from an adjacent stucco wall. Everything about the factory is impressive, from the fermenting room, to the rolling gallery, to the two modern 330,000 cigar humidor rooms where everything in the finished cigar coalesces. In fact Litto, contests that his greatest advantage is that their manufacturing facility is one of the best in the world, "It's a state-of-the-art factory. I dedicate my life to what we do and, to me, this is not a business. I never look at anything in the manufacturing process as a business. We just do the best possible work with the best possible material. We never cut corners anywhere. We're dedicated to quality. I wish everyone could visit our facilities in the Dominican Republic and see how dedicated we are in every aspect--in every little detail--to the quality of the finished product." The La Flor Dominicana line has received high praise from several well known publications including Cigar Aficionado, Smoke, and CA’s Cigar Insider with scores ranging from the mid 80’s to lower 90’s. Our panel loved them and think you will too. We’ve elected to feature a Belicoso from the Reserva Especial line, which is a fuller-bodied, more complex version of the company’s classic Connecticut shade line and a Grand Corona from their newly introduced and extremely well-received maduro line. We know you’ll love these smokes! For more information about the La Flor Dominicana cigar line, call Premium Imports, Inc. at 800-543-7131.

A very well constructed cigar offering a perfect draw, even burn and firm ash all bundled in a silky smooth golden brown, gorgeous wrapper. Look for lots of creaminess as well as woody, leathery, and earthy characteristics in the body of this medium-bodied cigar. We found it to end on a slightly spicy note. This is one that will only get better with age. Overall, a very smooth, creamy and damn tasty cigar. You might pair it with a malty Bock which are generally brewed only this time of year or smooth small batch bourbon.