La Flor Dominicana Volcada Cigar Review by Zach Riley and Boston Jimmie

Ask my wife and she will tell you I am like the worst dancer in the world, no rhythm and flailing arms. But if I was to pick a dance to learn, I have always been intrigued by the Tango. It is like a love battle on the dance floor. The woman moves in close and then away from the man until they embrace as they slide along the dance floor in unison and finally she tips in or away as the man holds her, as if saving her from falling. It is beautiful. That “tip in” is known as the Volcada move in the dance as shown in this short clip .

I think one of the most beautiful interpretations of the Tango is the scene in the movie “Scent of  Woman” when Al Pacino dances with Gabrielle Anwar.

So why am I  talking about the tango anyway? Because that was Litto Gomez’ inspiration for the La Volcada cigar. As the story goes, Litto, who was born in Spain, actually grew up in the birthplace of the tango – Uruguay. Litto wanted to pay tribute to the land of his youth and so he decided to name his latest release after one of the most alluring moves in the tango – La Valcada.

The LFD La Volcada

Today’s review is a collaboration between my friend Zach Riley and myself. We each smoked a La Volcada but at different times and from different shops in different parts of the country. I picked mine up at my local B&M – the Executive Cigar Shop  and Lounge in Melbourne, FL. Zach’s came from R&R Cigars in Tuscaloosa, AL and was gifted to him by his friend Blake Malone.

As I mentioned, this is the latest release from La Flor Dominicana (LFD) and it is a beautiful looking cigar. It comes in only one 7 x 48 vitola that is finished with a well  applied coiled cap and retails for about $12.00 USD. The company describes the blend as:

• Wrapper – Mexican San Andrés
• Binder – Ecuadorian Corojo
• Filler – Dominican Republic

Closer examination of the La Volcada shows a dark brown, almost black, cigar that has a fine oily sheen to it. The wrapper has a few veins running along the barrel along with some mottling to it. I  would describe this particular San San Andrés wrapper as having a fine grit (light tooth) to the touch. The cigar is packed solid from head to foot. As Zach does not normally offer pre-light aromas in his reviews, allow me to fill you in with the rich curing barn aroma I got off the barrel and the deep pepper off the foot.

The La Volcado is adorned with a two bands.The primary band has a design that breaks from what I consider a classic LFD band.  It uses a black, white, and red motif featuring a red silhouette of a tango dancing couple performing the volcada move. The white letters LFD are scrolled across the band. The secondary band uses the same motif and declares the cigar was the La Volcada.

Whenever I am presented with a twirled or pigtail cap, I tend to bite it off instead of using a cutter. I believe Zach cut his. We both agreed the cold draw was tight. As far as flavor, I picked up earth and pepper while Zach noted it was extremely earthy, with a light hint of leather.

For the rest of the review I will offer Zach’s notes first and then mine.

Zach’s Take

First Third: The first third La Volcada is a really interesting Beast. I’m getting a bitterness, but not in a bad way. It is a very, very strong cigar. There is a lot of heavy spice, but it leans toward the black pepper side of the spice. Through the nose I’m getting a spice so strong you have to be a real man to retro hale it. Holy cow! I am also getting a hint of vanilla, and some hints of cocoa.

Second Third: We are in the second third of the La Volcada, and boy has it morphed. It went from a bitter Beast to a sweet cup of coffee with a hint of natural cocoa. The early spice is still there, though not nearly as overpowering as it was before. Through the nose I am getting a spice, but it is morphed into a white pepper spice. The spice is much more subtle now. I am also getting an intense vanilla and creamy flavor. On the very back end of the nose I am getting a little tickle of cedar.

Final third/Finish: We are into the finish of the La Volcada. The final third is almost like a chocolate milkshake. If you like chocolate malts,hats the flavor I am getting. It is a pure cocoa note that tastes absolutely fantastic. The spice is almost completely gone, with just a linger on the very tip of my tongue. Through the nose the spice has almost completely dissipated. I am still getting light hints of a vanilla sweet cream cold brew.

Overview: This was a cigar I have been seriously excited about trying, and I have to shout out to my brother Blake Malone for picking one up for me. Without him this review wouldn’t be possible. I really liked this cigar. Would I smoke it again? Yes. I was impressed by the diversity, aroma changes, burn quality, and overall notes in the cigar. As we all know taste is subjective, but for the most part, this was a really good cigar – flavor wise.  I’m happy to have gotten the chance to take my hand at reviewing it, and I did it with my best friend Blake while he smoked it as well. I hope you enjoyed this rendition of another review from me, and as always I will be back soon. Until then stay smokey!

Boston Jimmie’s Take

LFD La Volcada

LFD La Volcada

LFD La Volcada

LFD La Volcada

LFD La Volcada

LFD La Volcada

LFD La Volcada

LFD La Volcada

• Heavy pepper on the initial light
• Citrus and mineral notes to start 
• White, slightly flaky ash rests on a medium char line
• Medium volume of smoke through tight draw 
• Little more than an inch in I pick up some caramel sweetness and a pronounced plum note 
• Ash fell after two inches 
• Flat and fairly well centered burn cone
• White pepper spice enters 
• Spicy floral aroma
• Certainly a tango between the spice and sweetness 
• Earthy notes enter near midway
• Strength is moving the needle toward full – oh yea this is a Litto Gomez Cigar!! 
• IPA like bitterness grows
• Burn cone looking better in second half 
• Flavor maintains through second third 
• Wrapper is oiling well
• Moving towards the end of the second third a graham cracker note spikes
• Another hint of sweetness 
• A short nuance of mint enters the final third
• Finishes with a dry fruit component
• Medium to Full in Strength
• Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 20 minutes

LFD La Volcada