Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Size: 7 x 52 Churchill
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $18.00 in 2019, $22.00 in 2026.
Date Released: 2019
Quantity Released: Undisclosed but very limited.
Factory: Tabacalera La Flor S.A.
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
None of the usual suspects of reviewers had the same experience. This worries me because I don’t know how to react. Is it good that our palates discern all sorts of variants? Or is it that blending was out of whack? Personally, I give more reverence to a blend where palates basically agree on similar profiles.
This is a limited-edition cigar and since LFD is a popular brand, these anniversary cigars should have sold out long ago. But there are online retailers selling singles, fivers, and boxes of 15. The question that needs to be asked is LFD still producing them? But as I checked, most retailers show these cigars as long ago sold out. My guess was this was a one and done.
The cigar is stinky in a good way with aromas of extreme dark chocolate, baking spices, cedar, earth, and a touch of barnyard.
Using my trusty PerfecPunch, the manhole cover is released and given to the gods of digeridoos everywhere. The tool ain’t cheap but its blades never dull.
The cold draw is more of the decadent dark chocolate, caramel, sweet cream, cinnamon, a touch of mint, and black pepper.
If this stick is truly from the release of 2019, I’m very curious to see if 7 years of aging has done wonders, or will the cigar have aged out.
The flavors begin with a lovely, aged cedar, chocolate, malt, rich earthiness, and corn flakes.
This is going to be a 2-1/2 hour adventure.
Strength is a solid medium but as smooth as my tushy after being smothered in prune byproducts and left over Liva Snaps. Ever wonder what your life would have been if not for your exposure to The Three Stooges? Me neither. I have a list of things I could have done without such as ABBA, fried liver and onions, modern dentistry, and diarrhea while standing in line at Disneyland.
I met Dick Clark via my Eddie Munster project. My press agent set up one tv show after another such as Entertainment Tonight and others. For this one shoot, we were at Dick Clark Productions. And we shot in The Man’s private office. The walls were lined with Dick and the greats of the music industry. As was usually the case, I directed because the on-air talent rarely knew what to do. I know, that surprised me too. As we were staging the thing, Dick walked in to say hello. I was star struck. I grew up watching American Bandstand. He was very cordial and down to earth. The next day, I got a phone call from Clark. He offered me a job as a production assistant. Every PA worth their salt moved up the chain. But the money offered was pitiful. Plus, I was in the midst of promoting Eddie and the Monsters. I had my recording studio. I have few regrets but sometimes I wonder how my future would have changed if I accepted that job.
So far, this cigar is different than most LFD’s I’ve encountered. But if pressed, I’d say the opening rounds are similar to the LFD Suave; a cigar I love. The blend is described as medium/full strength, so a spotted free-range marmot awaits me.
Peanut shells hit hard in inch number two. Baking spices are rendered into a spicy cinnamon. Espresso shows up. As I type my meanderings, strength is upped. Oh no. I have nearly 6” to go. Something I’ve never said to the women in my life.
My last cigar of the day is the proverbial after-dinner delight. A Churchill is my favorite size to delay the act of shutting everything down for the evening. The 6 x 52 toro has become the focus of most manufacturers and we are seeing less and less of the behemoth 7 x 52.
The ash is delicate and falls to my lap easily. Fortunately, I wear radioactive anti-gravity protection gear. The cigar thinks my naughty bits will be burned but as is usually the case for any man over 70, our dingleberries are nowhere to be found because approximating the location of our genus lapidium is a wild goose hunt.
In the late 60’s, I got part-time work at my dad’s structural steel shop. I worked in the blueprint room. A horrible job because there were two massive machines that you’d feed the 30” x 40” vellum on top of the chemically treated blueprint paper. That paper was coated in a yellow film of ammonia that stunk to high heaven. There was a giant ceiling fan whose duty was to remove the lingering stink. The man that was in charge was this little black man who was in his late 40’s. He put up with my stupidity but enjoyed telling me stories of his life. As a kid, he worked in the cotton fields down south. I remember him telling me a specific story that described how hungry they were, so they ate the small, immature cotton buds because they were sweet. I got firsthand look into real poverty.
A touch of honey laden orange peel enters. Creaminess rears its beautiful head. The balance is now a perfect 50/50 Sweet v. Savory.
My team for bringing a finished product of Katman 2.0 is congealing. I have a couple video editors chomping at the bit. My consultants are gold.
Unfortunately, I’ve foisted seriously unprofessional videos and shorts upon you. But I need to start somewhere and watching, cringing, and note taking is paramount for this next challenge. My beloved advisor, Cara, is working on an animated outro. Her advice on every move I make is invaluable.
The flavor profile doesn’t make sudden jerks. It flows like slow moving lava. Subtlety is the key adjective or noun depending on placement of the suffix. Nicotine is minimal. The cigar shines with real depth. Flavor points are subordinate to the natural tobacco taste. Litto Gomez thought about smokers who love to age their cigars. Your average cigar will lose momentum. The premium paid for expensive cigars is that they are very likely to do well with extended rest. The 25th is turning into an explosive blend whose main attraction is understatement with delicate even keeled body.
My hero told me: “Cigar manufacturers don’t make a lot of money. Why would you settle for tens of millions of dollars…when you can make hundreds of millions.” My thoughts exactly.
The first half took over an hour. Not a single criticism from me. A totally enjoyable cigar that should cut through the detritus of a big evening meal.
The cinnamon morphs into graham crackers and a slight fruitiness. The balance shifts to 70% savory with the sweetness factor a fetching afterthought.
Creaminess becomes the bedrock. Earthiness is stunning. Transitions are perceptive to my palate. Nothing obtuse about this blend.
Strength is medium/full. But I’m handling this first cigar of my day with aplomb. I was out of apricots.
I’m McLovin this cigar. LFD blends are usually brash and full of attack. Gomez is showing his softer side with the 25th. Sometimes, manufacturers get into a safe lane and never move from it. AJ found his niche regardless of how many blends he’s produced. Viaje is similar.
About 5 years ago, a woman who was prosecuted for stalking Stewart Copeland, found my blog and my stories. She contacted me. Turns out she has serious mental health issues that were serious because of her delusional behavior. I contacted Stewart about this, and he put me in touch with a New York firm that did high end security for people with a lot of money. They were keeping an eye on her as this had begun a few years earlier. They generously offered to monitor my communications with this crazy woman and promised to provide physical security if things moved to the next level. For several years, I couldn’t get this woman to leave me alone. She sent me nude photos. She sent me deranged manifestos on how Copeland loved her and it was she that wrote all the songs by The Police. She said that Stewart and Sting were secretly communicating with her via bizarre wave lengths of unknown origin. She found my phone number online and called the house. Charlotte answered and lit into her, screaming at her never to call again. I spent years trying to get this screwball to stop haranguing me and all it took was my German born wife to scare the hell out of her. She posted her encounter with my Frau Blücher on social media. And wrung her hands telling her massive social media following that I was married to a cruel and crazy woman. After that, she never contacted me again.
I thought I lost Sammy the Cat last week. He became very ill. After a small fortune was spent at the vet, the final diagnosis was he was constipated. He’s now on a steady diet of MiraLAX and air dried ferrets.
Ever accidentally slam your wiener in the silverware drawer? Me neither. I mention this because it is a reminder that a dongus imperfectus is not my fault.
The second half is anything but a letdown. The strength is easily maintained. Nicotine is low. The balance moves to 90% savory. The earthy depth is the star. Flavor points are meaningless because the intensity of profile is aimed at a sophisticated palate that can appreciate what a good cigar means. A flavor bomb was not in the cards.
I highly recommend the LFD 25th Anniversary. It’s expensive but due to its 7 x 52 size, you get real bang for your buck.
Because this cigar was released in 2019, most retailers are sold out. I found your best bet with non-sponsor Neptune Cigar. If you use their Wheel of Fortune, you can get 10%-18% off which brings this delicate being down to $18-$20 per stick.
RATING: 95
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Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
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