Originally published at Tiki Bar Online
Robusto, 5” x 52 ring gauge / SRP ~$8-12 (Thanks to Chris Edge of Dona Flor for sending this cigar for review)
If you’re reading this review, then odds are you are familiar with the Montecristo cigar brand. And maybe some of you may even know that it was started in 1935 by a wealthy tobacco entrepreneur by the name of Alonso Menendez, alongside partner Jose Garcia. It has been said that this was the start of the modern cigar industry.
So, one may ask what does this have to do with a review about the cigar brand named Dona Flor? Well, allow 80 years to pass, witness a revolution, and live with the decision to leave a troubled country with your family, and you have the start of a new life and the foundation for a new company.
The Menendez family moved to Brazil, and it is here where Alonso’s son, Felix, currently leads the family company Dona Flor. Named for the Brazilian story turned movie “Dona Flor y Sus Dos Maridos”, Dona Flor cigars are made from Brazil’s Mata Fina and Mata Norte tobaccos, sun-grown in the rich Reconcavo Basin. After contending with a trademark lawsuit (not related to the film or book) and a U.S. distribution lawsuit, Dona Flor finally came back to the U.S. market last year and it is my pleasure to test their product.
Wrapped in a golden Connecticut shade wrapper, this Brazilian cigar had a little mottling but nothing too distracting and no large obstructive veins. With a Mata Fina binder, and filled with Mata Fina and Mata Norte, I smelled a bit of a fresh cut field from the foot and after my cut, had good clean cold draw. After lighting, I had initial notes of hay and a hint of sweetness like molasses. Throughout the first 3rd, there was an even balanced creamy taste, with that hint of molasses from earlier.
Moving into the second third of the cigar, I noticed a nice dash of pepper as the primary profile. It remained throughout the middle of the cigar, blending with the sweetness. The finish was smooth and there was still plenty of smoke from each draw.
Finishing up with the last third, the cigar took on a bit of a woodsy flavor with a hint of leather. It maintained a smooth finish throughout and had a mostly even burn the entire cigar, with just one touch up to set it straight again. It was a mild-medium cigar, but not one to overlook. If you want something to start your day, or to relax and chill such as before bed, then this is a great cigar for you. I can’t wait to try the rest of the Dona Flor line.
Body: 7/10
Strength: 6/10
Complexity: 6/10
AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10
