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LFD 2000 Series Robusto Cigar Review
By Jesse | March 24, 2008
This review comes to us from Tom (cigarfan) of Keepers of the Flame as part of our Anniversary Contest. Tom writes some great reviews and often puts together some wonderful details about the cigars you won’t find on other sites.
Some cigars just don’t get no respect. La Flor Dominicana released their 2000 Series just prior to the dawn of the new millennium, but you won’t learn that from the LFD website. The 2000 Series carries the Cameroon flag for LFD’s standard line platoon, but the website mentions only the pricier Cameroon Cabinet selection. Is the 2000 Series being phased out? Has it been assigned stealth status and hidden in reserve? Or is it simply not worthy?
I’ve been paying more attention to cigar manufacturers’ websites since Jesse started analyzing them on Cigar Jack, and after noticing the conspicuous absence of the 2000 Series on the LFD site I thought I should investigate it to see if I could uncover its secrets.
It’s safe to say this line is made in the Dominican Republic with a Cameroon wrapper. Beyond that, details get a little fuzzy. Cigarcyclopedia.com says it has a Nicaraguan binder and filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican, but the text description adds Brazil to the filler. Most vendor sites agree on Nicaraguan binder and Brazilian filler, but deny the inclusion of Nicaraguan filler. One even suggests Mexico as a source in the blend. (Mexico ?)
The No. 5 is an attractive 5 x 50 robusto with a serious square press – it’s almost rectangular. The roll is solid and the head is beautifully wrapped. Some glue spillover near the band is the only flaw in the smooth and finely toothed wrapper. Cameroon is notorious for its fragility, but the only instance of that here is its tendency to rip when removing the band. (Again, the glue. Must have been a bad day for the anillador.)
It has a firm but easy draw and scores well on all other construction attributes. It takes a light without incident and then embarks on a flavor acceleration that goes from 0 to 60 in the slow lane.
It starts up very mild, almost flavorless, but with a pleasantly spicy aroma and a creamy texture. After an inch the solid white ash hangs tight and the flavor gradually picks up a sharp minty accent. By the mid-point the flavor gets tangier, focuses on a woody center, and the minty notes fade into cedar. Meanwhile, the finish grows from nothing to fairly substantial and the aftertaste takes on a spicy (but not peppery) character. By the last third the 2000 robusto has shed all of its early edginess and is simply a smooth and creamy, mildly cedary medium-bodied but full flavored cigar: a solidly woody smoke with hints of refreshing mint. (I thought I could walk into the house and kiss my wife with impunity, but that minty fresh flavor is apparently a little subjective.)
I thoroughly enjoyed this 2000 robusto and I have no idea why it doesn’t figure more prominently (or at all) on La Flor Dominicana’s website. In my opinion it certainly deserves a spot in the lineup – especially since I picked up a pair of these locally for under six bucks each.
Unless these really are the last of a dying breed. Based on the two I smoked for this review, I sincerely hope that’s not the case.
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Tags: Bash Entry, Cigar Reviews, Cigars, La Flor Dominicana Cigars
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