Stogie Reviews: La Flor Dominicana Ligero L-500 Cabinet

17 Jun 2009

As far as I’m concerned, the centerpieces of La Flor Dominicana’s extended lineup have to be the Coronado and the Double Ligero (the latter of which is especially tasty in the Chisel format). The company, operating out of the Dominican Republic and holding an office in Miami, has several other fine blends—including the Premium Line, LG Diez, and Reserva Especial—but those are the two that immediately come to mind when I think of La Flor.

LFD Ligero L-500 Cabinet Maybe that’s why I had been subconsciously avoiding the regular old Ligero blend before I embarked upon this review. Or maybe I was simply confused by the fact that this line includes two different varieties (three if you count the Double Ligero under the Ligero umbrella, as some do): an Ecuadorian Sumatra-wrapped “Ligero” and an Oscuro sun-grown “Cabinet.” According to one online retailer, both include an “extensively aged blend of Dominican ligero tobaccos to create a peppery, full-flavored smoke.”

I sampled two Ligero L-500 Cabinets for this review, a vitola that sells for around $5-7 apiece and measures five and ¾ inches by 60 ring gauge. Smaller sizes, specifically the L-250 and L-300, have scored ratings of 90 in Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Insider in recent years.

On the color scale, the L-500’s clean wrapper ranks between a natural and a maduro leaf. And that’s about how it smells pre-light, too—deeper and richer than a natural but not as sweet or chocolaty as a maduro.

Given the wrapper type and the use of ligero tobacco—leaves known for their strength and peppery taste—it comes as no surprise that this cigar hits the ground running. After establishing a thorough light, which takes some work, and after the gray ash starts to build solidly and evenly off the wide foot, the initial flavor includes lots of black pepper, earth, and spice.

The finish at this point is better-rounded than you’d expect. Still, the taste is as advertised: medium- to full-bodied and fairly powerful.

Either the profile mellows after the first few inches or my taste buds simply grow accustomed to the flavor. Regardless, I notice a significant decrease in spice. But don’t let that fool you; this stick still packs plenty of that ligero punch that many seasoned cigar veterans crave.

And that leads to my main complaint: the LFD Ligero L-500 Cabinet is too one-dimensional to earn a spot in my regular rotation. Although I’m guessing many of you may disagree, I just can’t find anything that exciting here. Maybe more balance—some sweetness or subtlety perhaps—would win me over.

For now, I’ll hang onto this for occasions that call for a cigar with plenty of flavor that doesn’t necessarily merit my full attention. An evening barbeque, perhaps. I’ll save the Coronados and Double Ligero Chisels as after-dinner companions. Slightly disappointed by what you get for the price, I give the La Flor Dominicana Ligero L-500 Cabinet three stogies out of five.