La Flor Dominicana

Double Ligero Chisel Natural (2003)

Now this is a cigar I’ve been looking forward to. It’s no secret that I love LFD. When it was my turn to pick the CotM, I picked a Litto Gomez cigar. So you can imagine my elation when myfirstandlastname sent me this original release Double Ligero Chisel. For reference, the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero line came out way back in 2003, so this stick is at least a decade old. Holy cow! Antonio Gomez suggested that the stronger LFD lines were the best for aging, and it doesn’t get much stronger then Double Ligero! As someone who is already a fan of LFD, already a fan of Double Ligero, and already a big fan of the chisel vitola, this is going to be one hell of a smoke!

Statistics

Shape: Chisel







Size: 6″ x 54







Country of Origin: Dominican Republic







Wrapper: Ecuadorian Ligero Sumatra







Binder: Dominican







Filler: Dominican







Color: Colorado Maduro

Colorado Maduro





Strength: Full







Price Paid: Trade

Trade





Smoke Date: February 4, 2014

February 4, 2014





Age: 10+ years

Accessories Used

Silver & Chrome Vector Stratos single-flame torch lighter, Handmade English walnut ashtray made by wedgewoodrings. (No cutter used)

Pairing

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye in a pint glass. One of my favorite seasonal brews, Ruthless Rye is sweet, citrusy, and spicy. The sweet, citrusy flavor went well with the fruity notes in the cigar, enhancing the sweetness.

Appearance/Nose

The wrapper was thick and rustic, with a lot of oily sheen and tooth. There were dark veins, light veins, and an overall mottled color. That said, it was still a sight to behold. Maybe it was the chisel vitola, with it’s unique flat head. Maybe it was the old-style LFD band with a flower on it, but this stick just oozed charm. It wasn’t going to win any beauty pageants, but it might win in a competition for character. The nose was faint, but still had notes of black pepper, despite the stick’s age.

Construction

The wrapper was thick and veiny and had a few small bumps here and there, especially about an inch below the head on the side with the back of the band. The stick felt firm and springy throughout, and the chisel head was masterfully applied. The burn line got a bit wavy at times due to the thickness of the wrapper leaf. Of course it doesn’t help that the chisel head makes it more difficult than usual to rotate the cigar. Still, it never need a touch up and the waviness always corrected itself a few puffs later. The ash was light gray and a bit flaky, but managed to hang on for over an inch each time.

Cold Draw

One of my favorite things about the chisel vitola is that no cutter is necessary. Just pinch to open and peel off the excess cap! This also means that very little leaf is lost and you get that much more cigar to smoke. I popped the chisel open with a pinch, and it made a highly satisfying snapping sound. The cold draw was a bit tight with notes of tobacco, bread, and a spicy tingle on the tongue.

Smoking

First third

My first impression was that this stick hagn’t lost much kick with age. The first puffs were peppery and sharp, and loaded with black pepper. There was a rich, chocolate/coffee flavor underneath that tickled the palate. The smoke production was quite high.

There was a lot of complexity going on here. I tasted chocolate, coffee, cherry, peach, pecan, caramel, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, and a host of other spices. So far it tasted quite a bit like a young Double Ligero.

About an inch in, the flavor mellowed significantly. The complexity of the flavor was tremendous, and they all blended together. Notes of chocolate and caramel melted into fruity flavors which gave way to spice.

The retrohale was surprisingly smooth, and mostly enhanced a sort of nutty, cashew-like flavor underneath the spice. By about an inch in, the draw had loosened up to an easygoing smooth pull, with tons of smoke in each puff.

A sort of sweet bitterness crept in after the first inch, reminiscent of almond. The burn got a little bit wavy, but I decided to hold off on a touch up for the moment. The ash came off at a little over an inch in a flaky gray chunk.

Second third

In the beginning of the second third, I began to taste something unusual: chocolate cake. It was like smoking a slice of excellent chocolate cake, dusted with cinnamon. There was so much chocolate and cinnamon sweetness that I felt like I was eating the richest dessert of my life.

The strength of the stick was starting to kick in. Though definitely not as strong as a fresh one, even with ten years of age, a Double Ligero is no joke. The cherry flavor came back and some of the cinnamon spice subsided again. This stick was incredibly rich at this point. Decadent, even.

The age was beginning to shine, as all the flavors were satisfying, complex, and married to one another. The smoke volume was still impressively magnificent. The retrohale was fruity and spicy with notes of rich black tea. Another wavy burn popped up, and as I was inspecting it, ash in the lap! Whoops! I need to pay more attention to ash length and stability sometimes. Immediately after, a huge freak gust of wind blew through my yard, so I guess I would have lost the ash anyway. Shortly after, that, the age really began to come through. I tasted some notes I’ve never had in a cigar before. A very smooth, scotch-like note emerged. I’ve tasted this before in aged (20 years plus) oolong teas, and it is truly a treat.

Final third

The scotched flavors continued in the final third. The chocolate and fruit were pretty much gone, but this new combination of scotch, spice, and wine-like muscatel was divine. This cigar tasted old, but in the best way.

Woody, oak and cedar notes along with a rich scotch finish with cream were my rewards for each puff. The strength had all but subsided. This was definitely a much mellowed stick than when it began.

After the band came off, a honey sweetness began to grown on the front of the flavor. The sweetness turned into honey, and a honeyed scotch taste with a bit of pepper stayed for the remainder of the cigar.

Notes

Draw: Smooth of a pinch-open

Smooth of a pinch-open





Body: Full

Full





Primary Flavors: Cinnamon, black pepper, chocolate, black cherry, scotch

Cinnamon, black pepper, chocolate, black cherry, scotch





Smoke Output: Full

Full





Smoke Time: 2 hours

Overall

So many transitions! From spicy black coffee to spicy fruit to spicy chocolate cake to spicy tea and punch and back again through every delicious flavor before settling into a honey-scotch at the end. The only constant was spice on this roller coaster of smoking pleasure. Unlike a young Double Ligero, the spice was never overbearing and not so strong it overwhelmed the rest of the flavors, which were plentiful. The only minor complaint is that the ash was flakier and less robust than what I expected. The age most definitely improved this cigar. Normally I would rate a DL chisel at the high end of “LIKE” or the low end of “LOVE”. This one, however, was one of the best smoking experiences I have ever enjoyed.

Rating