Every legacy has a beginning. Hard to argue with that, isn't it? Abe Flores chose that slogan for his PDR Cigars company because he wants to build a legacy. In almost 20 years of business, Abe has certainly set the foundations for one. The Flores legacy had very humble beginnings though. He began selling cigars literally out of his backpack on the street. When he was all sold out and had received feedback on the blends, he'd return to a small factory in the Dominican Republic where the blend would be tweaked. Then it's back on the streets to empty the backpack again. In order to keep that satchel full, sometimes Abe and his partners would have to climb up on the roof of the factory and lay down some shabby tarps in order to stop the torrential downpours from leaking through and destroying what little tobacco they had. With hard work and perseverance, Abe Flores has taken his PDR brand from only 10 rollers in 2004 to employing approximately 400 people and pumping out around 5 million cigars a year. Legacy engage!
The Deets
Cigar: El Trovador Rosado Corona Gorda
Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: PDR Cigars - Tamboril, DR
Size: 6 x 46
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Rosado
Binder: Double, Nicaraguan / Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Nicaraguan Ligero, Nicaraguan Viso
Appearance 10/10
I really liked everything about the look of this cigar. Your eye is immediately drawn to the vibrant & elegant band which is slightly embossed. The image on the band is of a dude laying down some tasty riffs for his lady friend. We all know how that story ends! Beyond the power chord driven band, there is more for the eye to behold. The wrapper is equally impressive with a lot of visual texture on it while still being quite smooth. It feels like a thick n oily fresh piece of smooth leather. Pretty awesome.
Draw 9/10
This cigar was spot on for almost the entire time on both samples. One cigar was perfect the entire session. The other only required one minor poke on the last third to open things up a bit. Aside from the lone jab, I found the draw on these to be very nice.
Burn/Construction 8/10
Things went pretty well burn wise. Each cigar needed a couple flame whispers after dropping some ash, but that was all that was needed to keep the burn line straight. Neither cigar produced any abnormal swelling or developed any cracks during the smoke. The firm ash was hassle-free.
Taste 9/10
1/3 - Beginning puffs deliver a sweet floral note that is very much forward, but not in an overpowering way. It's not overly sweet, nor is it a floral bludgeoning. There is also some citrus leather, a mild spiciness, and a delightful note of sunflower seeds. Milk chocolate begins to drip in by the end of the 1st third.
2/3 - The 2nd third has moved away from a bright, citrus leather and has become more of a warm and broken-in leather. Floral has stepped down and passed the mic, but still hangs around. It's not as sweet now and there is a soft sensation on the retro from it. Milk chocolate drips have now accumulated into a noticeable puddle. The spiciness had grown to medium.
3/3 - Moving into the final, a warm spice takes over. Nutty flowers sounds like it should be two different tasting notes, but I don't know, it seemed like a hybrid note this time around. So nutty flowers it is. In the back there are accent notes of charred cinnamon and cloves.
Overall 9/10
These were enjoyable cigars no doubt. They have a sharp look, little to zero maintenance during the session, and most importantly, have a tasty profile. The transitions between thirds were gradual, but noticeable. It wouldn't take a lot of convincing to buy a box of these. I'm already looking forward to smoking these again.
**Number of cigars smoked for the review: 2