Today we are taking the bull by the horns in our La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull review. A cigar named after the southernmost region of Spain’s rich heritage for bullfighting, it exudes matador status with its distinctive, old-school shape and bold, refined blend. The creative mastermind behind Cigar Aficionado’s sought-after ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ for 2016 is none other than La Flor Dominicana founder and master blender Litto Gomez.
Paying tribute to Spain, the country of his birth, Gomez replicated an antique cigar mold he discovered in Belgium to construct this mesmerizing figurado. The attention to detail is something to be admired. Cloaked in a rich mahogany and slightly oily Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper, the Andalusian Bull has a delightful reddish-clay tinge.
Enveloping an all-Dominican recipe of Criolla ’98 tobacco and Pelo d’Oro, would it live up to the company’s reputation for producing bold and powerful smokes?
Brand overview
La Flor Dominicana translates to “the Dominican flower,” and they’ve grown to be the benchmark for full-bodied and full-flavored Dominican stogies. Gomez and his wife Ines founded the company in 1996, but the Andalusian Bull differs slightly from La Flor Dominicana’s core lines. It’s made in limited (yet ongoing) production batches, meaning it’s only available in much smaller quantities.
While we’ve already discussed the wrapper, binder, and filler, you can’t fail to be impressed with the emerald green backdrop on the gold band, similar to the Andalusian flag. Still, there’s much more to unearth.
Spanish painter Pablo Picasso loved to paint bulls, and the ‘Andalusian Bull’ font style is based on his almost illegible handwriting. The scrollwork is indicative of that found on a bullfighter’s uniform, making this finely-tuned stick as intriguing in appearance as it is in flavor.
Cigar specs
- Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
- Strength: Medium - Full
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo
- Binder: Dominican Republic
- Filler: Dominican Republic
- Sizes Available: La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull (6.5 x 64)
Cold draw
Smooth to the fingers, aromas from the wrapper include sharp wood and leather, with the foot giving off similar notes, save for some rich cedar. The cold draw presents a pleasant trio of cedar, leather, and cocoa.
First third
The extra girth at the foot means more patience than usual is required to get the Andalusian Bull riled up. However, once lit, the burn and draw are flawless. Black pepper and leather are rampant off the bat, with cedar entering the ring after a few puffs.
While the finish is nice and creamy, the cedar's transition astounds me the most. It takes on a natural smokiness, almost like a bacon tang, similar to hickory.
Touches of chocolate and earth also seep towards the first third's conclusion. Already it’s proving to be a very complex cigar, with its sweet and spicy elements teasing off against other in the best of ways.
Second third
As the middle third of the cigar unfolds, the flavors intensify and ramp up beautifully, with the Andalusian bull maintaining very thick ash.
A hearty and earthy spice mix of cumin and saffron fills the profile, while nuances of leather and hickory stay rocking in the background. The black pepper has disappeared, with a caramel note climbing above the earlier chocolate note to give me some creamy respite.
Some orange sweetness taunted my nose as I headed into the final third of the smoking arena.
Final third
While I wasn’t overly concerned about the vanished black pepper in the previous third, it came charging back on the palate and tongue with an impressive strength. The saffron and cumin spice had toned back its own potency, with the accompanying creaminess, earthiness, and tangy smokiness balancing out the pepper.
The strength in this third had bumped up to full. There’s a nice finish of coffee, adding another flavor hit to this indulgent stogie that will comfortably give you over an hour of smoking this dynamic Dominican blend.
Conclusion
Gomez and his son Tony collaborated on the Andalusian Bull, spending a fair amount of time perfecting the blend. It’s proven to be time well spent, producing a slow-burner that increases in strength and radiates with complexity from the very beginning.
Some cigars fail to live up to their hype, but the La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull is deserving of its reputation and worth a prime spot in your humidor. It would pair exceptionally well with a high-rye bourbon, so if you get your hands on one or a box of 10, don’t wait, as this bull won’t be charging around for long.