Flores y Rodriguez 10th Anniversary Reserva Limitada | Cigar Review

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican Olor
Filler: Piloto Cubano (Aged 7 Years), Nicaraguan (Jalapa)
Size: 6 x 54 “Grand Toro”
Body: Medium
Price: $10.00 MSRP

Today we take a look at the Flores y Rodriguez 10th Anniversary Reserva Limitada.

BACKGROUND:
Factory: Tamboril, Dominican Republic
From the PDR web site:
“Our factory has been in motion now for 10 wonderful years. Our goal for this blend was to create something different to salute all the hard work that everyone at PDR Cigars has put forward. This is a mild to medium body blend that we are proud of, as we move right into the next 10 years!”

DESCRIPTION:
This is a big stout stick. Reminds me of the Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva in color. A light/medium brown with hints of honey color in the sunlight.
Seams are tight. Not too many veins. Solid. Smooth as silk. Perfect triple cap. And the double cigar bands. The green on white background is gorgeous. Although it has an uncanny resemblance to the Drew Estate Herrera Esteli Norteño.

SIZES AND PRICING:
Robusto 5 x 52 $9.00 MSRP
Grand Toro 6 x 54 $10.00 MSRP
Wide Churchill 5.125 x 58 $11.00 MSRP

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
The shaft gives off aromas of spice, orange zest, earthy tobacco, wood, baking spices.
The clipped cap and foot give off aromas of dark cocoa, strong spice, herbal notes, earthiness, wood, clove, and cedar.
The cold draw presents flavors of chocolate, spice and citrus.

FIRST THIRD:
I read a few reviews and there is a common thread running amongst them. What is that thread? That the cigar is a disappointment. Almost every review said they wanted to like the cigar but it just didn’t perform as expected. Since I have only one other cigar review that I will do tomorrow, I chose to do the “supposed let-down” blend first; and then the winner last. Go out on a high note.

Let’s light ‘er up.
Good draw for such a packed cigar.

Very heavy and difficult to balance on my lips and not my teeth. I’ve kicked the chomping habit for good.
Strength starts at medium body. There is a touch of red pepper. A bit of creaminess and chocolate. And a well-rounded earthiness along with some cedar and molasses.

The char line is spot on.

I would like to thank the generous reader that sent me a 5 pack of the Flores y Rodriguez 10 Anniversary Reserva Limitada and a 5 pack of AJ Fernandez Enclave. It was totally anonymous with the return address an online cigar I shall not mention. No packing slip. Thanks, mate. Cheers!

The flavor profile has sort of stopped in its tracks. I’m not a fan of PDR cigars. Abe Flores has put out a few good blends but on the whole, he aims at the bundle buying market with substandard blending techniques. I can’t blame him. He found his niche. But the experienced palate is not what he aims for. I liked the AFR-75, the Flores y Rodriguez, and the Serie Privada line. But that’s it. His PDR blends just don’t have a sophisticated flavor profile. But if you go to the PDR web site, you will see a whole list of highly rated blends. So who am I to judge?

And this fancy shmancy cigar that is gorgeous in presentation and cigar bands is beginning to taste like any other PDR blend. Blah.

And then, like the schmuck I am, flavors begin to bloom. Other reviewers go back and remove their stupid comments. Not me. I want you to know how stupid I am. Good for the soul to keep me humble. Plus I do it in real time which maybe only 25% of reviewers follow suit in.

I’m getting a mild steak sauce flavor. I can’t tell if it is A-1, Worcestershire, or Heinz 57.
Plus, the flavors begin to find some complexity. Wow. Wasn’t expecting that as this is my second cigar. I smoked a week after receipt.

The char line continues on its path of righteousness.
Here they are: Spice, creaminess, cocoa, cedar, earthiness, toffee, and steak sauce (tomato, raisin, malt, apple, orange, herbs, and a touch of balsamic vinegar).

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 30 minutes.
The Flores y Rodriguez 10th Anniversary Reserva Limitada is turning out to be better than I had expected.
Strength is medium/full.

It is flavorful. Much more so than the reviews I read. But then I review first thing in the morning when it is my first cigar of the day. Plus, I’ve had the cigar in my humidor for a month. So many reviewers want to be the first on the block with a review and therefore smoke the cigar green.

Sweet Spot 1.0 kicks in. Beautiful. A warm, cozy blend of subtle and nuanced flavors with just about a touch of everything in the kitchen sink.

Complexity has fully kicked in. It is definitely steak sauce. I went years without tasting steak sauce in a cigar. Yet, in the last year, I’ve tasted numerous cigar blends with this flavor profile. How interesting. Maybe I’m just hungry. But then I never use steak sauce on a good steak. Might as well put ketchup on a Chicago hot dog.

Phooey on all those reviewers who are used to only smoking the finest cigars around because either they can afford to buy them or because they are in the pocket of the manufacturers…which I would like to be, of course. But not at the price they force you to pay: A rave review every time.

So some reviewers just get used to being cigar snobs. I’m one. I cannot stand the $2-$3 bundle brands. Might as well smoke hay. But then I don’t have to smoke expensive cigars. There are plenty of good inexpensive smokes out there as “The Katman’s List of 143 Great Cigars in the $5.00-$6.50 Range” shows you. As well as “The Katman’s Best 187 Boutique Brands/Blends in the $6-$9.50+ Range’ does too.

The Flores y Rodriguez 10th Anniversary Reserva Limitada is a lovely cigar.
It makes a quantum leap in the flavor profile department by blossoming even more and becoming more complex. The blend is super creamy and delicate.

HALFWAY POINT:
Smoke time is an hour.
Strength remains at medium/full body.

I’m digging this cigar. The malt becomes more definitive: Biscuit Malt, Caramel Wheat Malt, and Mild Ale Malt. (See Malt Chart).
Here they are: Creaminess, coffee, caramel, nuts, toasty, spice, chocolate, steak sauce, cedar, and a rich earthy tobacco element.

I expected this blend to be stronger. It wavers between medium and medium/full.

Once again, the construction has performed beautifully. Only one minor burn line touch up and that was more for a nice photo than actually necessary.

Sweet Spot 2.0. I love the transitions that the Flores y Rodriguez 10th Anniversary Reserva Limitada makes. Like a ball rolling in the grass, it swerves and bounces, the flavors do the same by making unexpected turns that delight the palate.
But to be honest, it is very similar to the PDR A. Flores 1975 Serie Privada Natural. This is a great cigar that I would love to have in my rotation. And not surprisingly, the same price range. Is the Flores y Rodriguez 10th Anniversary Reserva Limitada a better blend? Not too sure. They are so similar. I’ve smoked both the Natural and Maduro versions of the Serie Privada but only reviewed the maduro so I can’t go back and read my thoughts on a cigar I didn’t review. My bad.

It is amazing how different our palates are from one another. Other reviewers gave it a so so rating while a few really dug the cigar as I do. The ones that liked it were the smaller guys like me. I take a gander at Google and it turns out very few reviewers wrote about this cigar. Hmmm…wonder why? It hasn’t been out that long after its debut at IPCPR this summer. But still…

Bam! The cigar hits full body like a 2 x 4 to the head.
The steak sauce element takes over the flavor profile.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 30 minutes.
Nicotine kicks like a mule.

I have enough trouble focusing. And for chrissakes, go to Go Fund Me and stop being such Scrooges. I need help. You like reading my reviews? Consider this a PBS drive. I can’t make the medical payments on my own. I need you help lift the load. Just $10 from everyone will make a huge difference in my life. I’ve got $185 towards my August 1 payment of $800 and at this rate, I won’t make it.
Thanks to the readers that have donated. They understand compassion. By the way, your contribution is tax deductible. Does that help?

OK. Back to the Flores y Rodriguez 10th Anniversary Reserva Limitada.
Swimmingly good cigar blend.

I have no idea what the other reviewers were smoking..the ones that were disappointed.
I smoked one a week after I got them and it tasted like what they reported. Case closed.

I’ve had to really slow down between puffs. Nicotine.

Charlotte and I are very excited. She starts her new job at Buddy Squirrel on September 21. She will work 10-4 M-F. This means no more going to bed at 8 or 9 pm. No more getting up at 4:30. And no more back breaking strenuous cleaning.
AND…she gets 40% off of anything they sell. Their sugar free chocolates go for $32 per lb. Ouch. But I can finally get to eat really good chocolate instead of the cheap crap. You should take a look at the Buddy Squirrel web site. They are family owned and only in the Milwaukee area.

Back to business.
The chocolate is gone. So have the coffee, citrus, and the caramel. Leaving: Nuts, toasty, steak sauce, malt, cedar, earthy tobacco, and spice. The steak sauce and malt are doing the heavy lifting.

I found a post (October, 2012) about my time as Eddie Munster’s manager back in the early 80’s. It’s pretty long and I will prepare it for tomorrow. Good story. Lots of dirt and the inside track of what it is like to do a rock video in several locations.

The last 1-1/2” is just cruising. Transitions are minimal. Flavors have dropped out.
But still, a good cigar.

OK. Here is my score. I rate it an 89.

The Flores y Rodriguez 10th Anniversary Reserva Limitada finishes very full bodied with a boat load of nicotine.
It’s not harsh or bitter or hot.
Final smoke time is just shy of two hours.

PRICE POINT:
The Flores y Rodriguez 10th Anniversary Reserva Limitada is a good cigar. No doubt. Lots of complexity. Loads of flavor. But $10.00? Hmmm…I don’t know. I guess a commemorative cigar blend will be expensive. But these days, $10 is not out of the ordinary. I took a look at Cbid and they are going for about half the MSRP. So yes, this cigar is definitely worth $5-$6.

SUMMATION:
I came into this review fearing the worst after reading other reviews. Timing is everything. Sometimes a few days of humi time can make all the difference in the world.
The cigar started out bland but came to its senses fairly quickly.
Then it was a barrage of great flavors and intensity. A nice complexity. Good balance. And a long finish.
Would I buy it for $10? Probably not. I would definitely consider it on Cbid for half the price. Clearly, the street cred for this cigar ain’t so hot or it wouldn’t be going for half the price.
I am going to review the AJ Fernandez Enclave tomorrow. It is a $6-$7 cigar and going for as much as $9 on Cbid. Idiots can really screw things up for the rest of us.
If you can score a 5 pack for $25, do it.