La Flor Dominicana Reserva Especial Robusto 25

The Robusto is where most smokers first encounter Reserva Especial, and for good reason. At 5.5 x 52, it delivers the blend's full, deceptively powerful character in a practical, everyday format, without the extended time commitment of the Toro or Super Corona.

The construction is identical to every other Reserva Especial vitola: an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper, light brown with a subtle waxy sheen, wrapped around a rich Nicaraguan binder and estate-grown Dominican Piloto Cubano long-filler from La Flor Dominicana's own La Canela farm. What the Robusto format does particularly well is compress the blend's well-documented flavor arc into a session that fits comfortably into a genuine afternoon or evening without requiring the full commitment of the larger sizes in this line.

The flavor progression at this size follows the same path that has made Reserva Especial one of LFD's most consistently praised releases. Pepper, faint florals, cedar, and a cashew-like nuttiness open the smoke, with caramel and molasses sweetness lingering in the background. The second third turns woodsy and earthy, the nuttiness continuing but less pronounced, with a brief green apple fruitiness appearing along the way. By the final third, licorice takes over as the dominant note, closing on a lengthening, woodsy finish with pepper, minerals, and leather rounding out the retrohale.

What's notable throughout is how the cigar's strength builds gradually rather than announcing itself immediately, a deceptive quality that has led more than one reviewer to describe this as far from a typical Connecticut-wrapped smoke.

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Flavor progression:

1. Opening: pepper, faint florals, cedar, and cashew-like nuttiness, with caramel and molasses sweetness lingering in the background
2. Mid-smoke: woody and earthy notes take over, the nuttiness continuing but less defined, with a brief green apple fruitiness appearing along the way
3. Close: licorice becomes dominant, giving way to pepper, minerals, and leather on a lengthening woodsy finish

Key Features

1. Brand: La Flor Dominicana
2. Line: Reserva Especial (original blend dates to the 1990s)
3. Master Blender: Litto Gomez
4. Factory: Tabacalera La Flor S.A., Santiago, Dominican Republic
5. Tobacco Farm: La Canela, Dominican Republic
6. Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
7. Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
8. Binder: Nicaragua
9. Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano (estate-grown)
10. Construction: Handmade, double-banded
11. Vitola: Robusto
12. Size: 5.5 inches x 52 ring gauge
13. Strength: Medium to Full
14. Flavor Profile: Pepper, cedar, cashew, caramel, molasses, cinnamon, cardamom, licorice, wood, earth, leather, minerals
15. Box Count: 25 cigars
16. Price per Cigar: approximately $9.50