Flor de las Antillas TAA 2018 (SMFRW)

[Dr vonPuffenberg]

Flor de Las Antillas TAA 2018

 

(I hope El Presidente sleeps late because its already past 6AM in Brisbane and the drawing is “Wednesday morning”)

 

Hi guys.

 

I started smoking cigars seriously about 7 or 8 years ago.  I credit a bar called Stogies in St. Augustine, FL with getting me to start trying something besides the usual gas station stick I would buy on the way to the golf course.  Getting home to Chicago, I searched out local cigar shops and found a place called Neumann’s Cigars and More with 2 locations not to far from my house.  Neumann’s is a member of the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA) which is an organization of 80 retailers and 40 producers “Established in 1968, the Tobacconists’ Association of America has a tradition of providing our members with the tools and relationship-building opportunities that will optimize their success in the Brick and Mortar business” It was there that a fella named Sean told me that I needed to try something with a little more teeth than what I may have smoked in the past.  He handed me a My Father Flor de las Antillas toro.  I headed over to the local forest preserve where my buddy Mike (also on FOH) and we smoked our sticks.  That cigar really opened my mind and palate as to how enjoyable this hobby can really be.  I didn’t know how to describe it, but the cigar was so tasty and complex.  That was really the moment that my cigar journey began.

 

Fast forward to 2018, I haven’t had any Cubans by that point but I was buying and smoking what I could, and purchasing some rare or collectable cigars to save for a “special occasion”.  Many producing members of the TAA will release limited edition sticks that are only sold at TAA stores, helping to draw aficionados into their local business instead of shopping deals online.  This cigar, Flor de las Antillas lancero, was on the shelf with a TAA exclusive foot band.  I had never seen it before and never smoked a lancero, or anything that skinny for that matter.  I bought it and buried it in the bottom of my humidor.  I never forgot about it, but I always saved it for some special occasion of unknown name.

 

Fast forward to this morning.  My wife is working in the city as opposed to our home office.  My 2 year old daughter is at her grandparents’ house as opposed to grandma coming over here to watch her.  What’s a man to do?  Leave work early and smoke my skinny cigar I’ve been holding on to!

 

On to the stick.

 

I pulled the cigar out of the “private reserve” at the bottom of my humidor.  The cellophane (I know, NC) had turned a very dark yellow, see attached picture.  The color of the wrapper and the aroma were beautiful.  I’ve had toro sized Flor de las Antillas in the past that were aged about 2 years and they were fantastic.  I’m not great at picking out flavors unless they are marshmallow/graham cracker or cream.  That said, I just don’t know how to describe the flavor of that cigar except maybe some stone fruit.  I was really hoping for that with this stick.  I cut, perfect draw.  I light with 2 matches, lights great.  The flavor, underwhelming.  Again, I’m not a professional smoker but there wasn’t much going on here except a pleasant smoking experience lacking some substance.  After about an inch, the cigar unexpectedly went out.  I got it relit and continued smoking.

 

As the second third rolled around, the flavor picked up.  A few touch-ups with the lighter and the cigar was becoming very enjoyable.  Besides tasting, I like to hold the cigar sideways and let the smoke from the foot waft into my nose.  For the life of me, I can’t give you a flavor.  I can just say that this a a very pleasant and enjoyable aroma.  To all the CC-only smokers out there, I would say that there is a whole other world out there to discover.  The very best cigars I have smoked are Cuban, but there are some really great non-Cubans to be had, and if you are in the States they are easy to obtain.

 

Heading into the third third, the stick went out again.  Perhaps it’s the 37 degrees F and 80% humidity here in my lounge (my unheated garage with the door open).  Got it relit with the lighter and it’s smoking fine, although a little bitter.  As some of you may know, this is common with NCs.  The aroma is still nice, but the flavor is currently unpleasant.  I’ve found it hard to ‘smoke through’ the bitter taste when this happens because it seems to coat your tongue and the puffs after that are still masked by the bitterness.  I’m currently at the point I have reached with many NCs, enjoying the aroma, enjoying the nicotine relaxation, but my palate is a little burnt out.  Perhaps it’s the Belgian Quadrupple and my expertly mixed bourbon Manhattan that are not letting my tongue get a break, but I think this cigar is past it’s prime.

 

It’s time to let this stick go. (How to use its versus it’s, I may never know)

 

I’m thankful to FOH for inspiring me to finally smoke this cigar.  I think that the way NCs can turn bitter (like the Olive lancero reviewer) can be equated to the production inconsistencies with CCs, but that is a story for another time.  I’ve been smoking this cigar for 1:45.  Would I recommend it? Unfortunately, no.  Would I recommend the toro vitola, yes.

 

Final score:  81

An enjoyable and rare cigar.  Would I buy another if I found it? No.

[helix]

Robusto Maduro is my fave of the line.

[hrs1]

Sounds like an almost perfect day - great review!

[Corylax18]

I've still got about a dozen of the toros from the batch that won cigar of the year in 2012. I try to throw one into my Dad and I's rotation every 18 months or so. It's still the only NC cigar that regularly delivers at a very high level for me. I just thought about it and we haven't smoked one yet this year, considering it's the 10 year anniversary, we better light one up soon!

Thanks for the reminder!

[Brewhoser44]

Definitely stick with the Toro. Nicely done my friend, you broke your cherry!