FDG 20 Aniversario
Last year we met Yadi Gonzalez at the Las Vegas IPCPR and I recall how pleasurable it was to sit and chat with her about Flor de Gonzalez (FDG) and cigars in general, so of course, FDG was on my must see list this year – not just for Yadi, but to see what FDG was introducing. When we met up Yadi at the FDG booth, she gave us a warm introduction and was proud to show us the new FDG 20 Aniversario.
As she described, the new cigar she explained how it is way to pay homage to the original Flor de Gonzales Gold Series that started the company 20 years ago, hence, the 20 Aniversario cigar. Just like the original gold series, the FDG 20 Aniversario comes in Connecticut and Maduro wrappers, in this case, an Ecuadorian Connecticut and Connecticut maduro.
The 20 Aniversario is a beautiful looking cigar and the band adorns it perfectly like jewels upon a queen. It is an eye-catching combination of Gold Silver, Red, and Beige with the letters FDG emblazoned in the center and the iconic FDG tobacco leaf logo above in gold.
The words Flor de Gonzalez are printed below, along with the Spanish phrase “Marca Fundada en 1995” (Brand Founded in 1995). Scrolled above on both sides of the center is the date 1995 . The secondary band is just as elegant as the primary band with the silver phrase “20 Aniversario” centered in a gold background and the letters FDG printed in silver on both sides. This is clearly a cigar that was made with great pride.
Regardless of which wrapper you choose the binder and fillers are Nicaraguan.
The 20 Aniversario comes in three vitolas:
- Robusto (5.5 x 50)
- Toro (6.5 x 54)
- Torpedo (6.5 x 52)
For this review I sampled the Broadleaf Toro that was given to me by FDG cigars.
Examing the FDG 20 Aniversario broadleaf, you notice it is a dark brown, soft box pressed cigar with a sweet and vanilla scent on the foot. It has a gritty wrapper but no noticeable veins. The first touch of the cigar to my lips, after cutting it, was spicy red pepper with a perfect draw.
Once fired up, the first puffs of smoke had a medium pepper burst that faded nicely into a smooth delectable smoke with a hint of refreshing fruit. The ash was snow-white with a perfect pin point burn and a thin char line.
As it transitions into the second third there is a dance of cocoa and coffee moving about with a long finish of the early fruit note which receded to a back note in the profile. The ash holds tight to the secondary band, where a floral aroma develops off the foot. As I removed the secondary band the perfectly formed ash fell. I will still put this into the best ash gallery.
FDG 20 Aniversario
This is an excellently constructed cigar.
As the FDG 20 Aniversario nears the end of second third the flavors are well-balanced and the smoke is extremely smooth while the strength is a solid medium. The smoke was cool all the way to the nub. The flavors don’t transition much at this point until the final third, where there is a spice note that enters for a about a half-inch or so just to tease the palate a little. .
Overall, the FDG 20 Aniversario is a medium strength cigar with a full body of smoke, delicate flavor transitions, and a perfect burn and draw. I would highly recommend this cigar to any cigar lover. I am sure this would pair very well with a nice sweet espresso, aged rum, or perhaps a root beer and some dark chocolate covered cherries. Nice job FDG, this truly represents a proper anniversary celebration.
FDG 20 Aniversario