La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Chisel and 2008 Leorie Vineyard

The Cigar

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Chisel

Wrapper: Habano

Binder/Filler: Dominican

Size: 6.5 x 54
laflordominicana.com

$10.19 Smoky’s of Northville, Michigan

I don’t recall ever smoking a cigar with this chisel shape.  When I bite on it, it reminds me of the plastic tips on those drug store cigars.  I imagine that those guys who like the V-cut should like this shape. 

Off the light the cigar displays a nice earthy style (dried leafs), a mild-medium coffee, and a touch of spice.  I think the chisel shape does control the smoking experience like a V-cut would.  Here on the first third of this cigar I think the chisel shape makes the smoke a little cooler, the amount of smoke is controlled of course, the overall body feel comes across milder so to say.  I would guess with a normal round butt there would be more smoke thus more body.  I am going to say the cigar is a 4 on my strength scale and that would place it in the mild-medium range. 

Mid-Point: the earthy style still makes me think of dried leafs and soil, the coffee is medium bodied, and the spiciness is showing some green and black peppercorn like qualities. 

Down the Stretch: The mouth feel seems fuller at this point in the smoking experience.  The cigar has a good Habano spice quality.  The earthy notes seem to be soil mixed with some oaky tones.  There is some bittering to the taste at this point.  I’ll have to give it a 5.5 on my strength scale here in the stretch. 

My Strength Scale: 5 overall.  Starts off mild-medium and builds to a solid medium through the mid and finish. 

The Wine

I paired this Air Bender Chisel with a red wine.  The wine is Black Star Farms 2008 Leorie Vineyard.  It is a blend of: Merlot 76% and Cabernet Franc 24%.  This is a Michigan wine from Suttons Bay. 

Appearance: garnet body with a ruby edge.

Aroma: fresh red berries with a dusting of earth.  Light overall.

Flavors: Red currant, plum, spice from the oak, cocoa powder, and black soil.

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The Pairing

This was a very pleasing pairing.  The spicy notes from the cigar played off the oak and spice qualities of the wine for a delicious experience.  The earthy tones and the coffee note of the cigar mingled with the fruits of the wine to add some good body to the overall mouth feel of this pairing. 

The cigar did not overpower the wine.  The two seemed to work well together.