It’s Black Friday, and Thanksgiving is just a fuzzy memory of a number of adult beverages, one dangerously warm raw turkey, an exploded Pyrex dish, and a cornbread stuffing that was accidently augmented by the addition of yellow cake mix. I am now trading in the crowds taking advantage of retail sales for a pot of coffee and a cigar.
Since I hope to enjoy another cigar this afternoon, and don’t want to obliterate my taste buds with a palate killer, nor do I want to make my empty stomach sick with a monstrous amount of nicotine, I select the lone candela in my humidor, a La Flor Dominicana (LFD) Double Claro #50.
The green robusto, 50 by 5 inches, is free of any flaws or thick veins. Removing it from its cellophane, it has an enticing scent of sweet, grassy, fermenting tobacco. The cap comes off cleanly as I am forced to use a knife, as I cannot find a cutter or a punch to do the deed. A prelight draw undermines the mild nature of the candela wrapper, exhibiting a base leaning towards spice rather than vegetation as anticipated.
The initial light offers the only detracting experience of the entire smoking experience, having a slight paper like flavor that quickly dissipates as the foot is toasted and begins to glow. Once the cigar gets revved up and burning like a champ, though, a full-flavored, delightfully spicy body graces the tongue, and leaves with a warm roasted nut backend.
As the cigar progresses, it becomes increasingly more mild, but retains the basic profile till it starts to singe my walrus like whiskers. While little change occurs through the stogie, a complex blend of pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg offers enough interest to make this one of the best cigars I have smoked in quite a while. With none of the metallic or acrid flavors that can develop in even the best non-Cuban cigar, this is a must try for the serious mild cigar smoker, and a must have for my humidor.
Happy smoking, and happy holidays!
I brew and drink beer, smoke pipes and cigars, eat till I’ve had more than my fill, and escape in pulp rags till my eyes turn buggy. I don’t claim any expertise in any subject other than the chase of my own earthly pleasures. I write to help others find their own pleasures so that together we will decay in spirit with these lesser pursuits.