Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserve Figurado by PDR Cigars. We have assessed the Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserve before, but in different sizes -most recently in the Robusto size back in January 2017.
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Ecuadorian Corojo/Jalapa Habano (Double)
Filler: Criollo ’98 Condega Nicaragua, Dominican Corojo
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic (PDR Cigars Factory)
Figurado: 6 1/2 x 52
Back at the 2016 IPCPR Trade Show, Abe Flores and PDR Cigars released a limited production ultra-premium offering known as the Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserve. It’s a cigar that has performed very well on Cigar Coop, including capturing the #11 Cigar of the Year for 2016. Today we take look at another size in the line, the Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserve Figurado.
As the name indicates, the Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserve is highlighted by a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. The blend also incorporates a double binder of Ecuadorian Corojo and Habano from Nicaragua. The filler is mostly Nicaraguan, but there is some Dominican Corojo incorporated in the blend. The Figurado measures 6 1/2 x 52. The cigar features a tapered footer that is open and a closed tip at the head of the cigar.
Bold mocha notes have been a signature of Gran Toro and Robusto sizes of the Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserve, and the Figurado size is no surprise. The mocha delivered a nice fusion of chocolate and cocoa. Along with the mocha, there are notes of cedar, black pepper, citrus, and hay. Early on the mocha notes dominate, but later in the cigar experience some more earthy notes surfaced. In addition, as the cigar experience progressed, the cedar and pepper notes increased. This was a cigar that started out medium to full in strength and body. While the cigar pretty much maintained its strength level from start to finish, the cigar did progress to full-bodied in the second half.
Overall, the Flores y Rodriguez Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserve is one of the best cigars Abe Flores has to offer. My preference is still toward the Gran Toro size, but the Figurado still offers an excellent cigar experience. This is a cigar that I would recommend to a seasoned cigar enthusiast. For myself, the Figurado is a cigar I would smoke again. While it carries a $19.00 price tag, this is still a cigar worth picking up multiples to keep in your humidor.
Summary
Key Flavors: Mocha, Cedar, Black Pepper, Earth, Citrus, Hay
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium+
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Medium to Full (1st Half), Full (2nd Half)
Finish: Very Good
Rating
Value: Buy Multiples
Score: 92
References
Previous Assessment: Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserve Robusto by PDR Cigars
News: PDR Cigars Debuts Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserve Broadleaf Maduro at 2015 IPCPR
Price: $19.00
Source: PDR Cigars
Brand Reference: PDR Cigars
Photo Credit: Cigar Coop
