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La Palina "1948"

Plasencia "Alma del Fuego"

Initial Smoke

Borderline full-bodied straight from the get-go, this cinder block of a blend opens with a creamy texture that tells me that Cuban-seed tobacco is most certainly at play. Get beyond the impressive texture of the smoke, and you will discover a mixture of both raw and roasted pecans and almonds. Milky, comforting, toasty, and not a bit influenced by baking spices, spicy peppers, or peppercorn, the start to this smoke rests deep within the clouds. As predicted, the draw detected via my V-cut is almost too open and makes me regret sidelining my punch.

1st Half

Roasted pecans eventually emerge as the primary cigar flavor profile in the first third of the stick, and are backed by an unsweetened nougat-like secondary note. Retrohales remain incredibly creamy, as does the smoke that is felt upon the tongue, and over time, an interesting floral and milk chocolate mixture takes on a life of its own.

Full-bodied, but closer to medium-full in flavor, with strength just now starting to scratch the surface, the graduation from the first to the second third is punctuated by traditional cookie and cake baking spices and an increase in sweetness. Creamy almond milk eventually replaces the drier roasted pecan top note, and as it does so, an iced coffee flavor forms underneath. This transition is well timed, beautifully executed, and incredibly gratifying, as you power past the midway mark on the barrel and move onward into the second half.

2nd Half

Darker and gradually growing more dedicated to coffee and chocolate by the puff, the lower section of this toro grande goes even bigger than before, all while keeping a few surprises in store. That sun-grown wrapper sings with warmth and lightly roasted overtones, as cedar and soil slowly uncoil in every smoke ring. Is that a dried berry taste that I detect? Blueberry mixed with raspberry or blackberry, perhaps, or maybe even a bit of mulberry. Whatever it is, it is buried deep and seems to be intended only for those searching for third or even fourth-tier flavors.

Meanwhile, back on the forefront, bolder tastes of bittersweet chocolate have removed much of the nutty, milk-like flavors from before, and replaced them with chewy nougat. It's a mixture that works well in this stick, as it absorbs the bolder, toastier notes within the final third, along with the spiciness that has built in controlled amounts. Oddly enough, a hint of floral bouquet mounts a last-minute attention grab on retrohale here, which seems odd at first, but works well with the sun-grown tobacco top notes previously mentioned.

Body has remained full since the first third wrapped up, with flavor resting a rung below in the medium-full range. Strength, however, has gradually grown as the blend has burned, and falls somewhere between medium and full by the time you reach parting puffs. This is likely due to the hulking size of the cigar, so I am curious as to what strength levels in a smaller vitola are like.

Parting Puffs

Richer and more self-confident than Elon Musk sipping a Mai Tai on Mars, parting puffs places you right in the center of all of the action, while simultaneously offering your taste buds a soothing massage. Floral notes overflow from the nose and down onto the tongue, as those dehydrated berry notes that were once buried below belly-up to the tiki bar and ask for something strong and nutty to drink. Smooth, round, richly layered, and not a touch bitter or spicy beyond an acceptable amount, the closure to this blend is a full-on sun-grown affair that I found difficult to put down.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Sadly, I encountered some considerable combustion issues with this vitola... again. While it may not have been nearly as catastrophic as some of my other encounters, there was a need for a two-stage correction in the first third of my review smoke. Even after that, the burn on the cigar tended to wander more than I would have liked, and the overall heat felt from the cone was hotter than what should be allowed in a 60-gauge smoke. This was likely due to the excessively open draw, which could have been countered by a cigar punch, but was substituted for a V-cut at the last minute.

But bonus points associated with the sensationally creamy, increasingly full-bodied smoke that formed earned quite a few points back for the blend. I also only had to break out the lighter once, even though the carbon ring remained a touch wonky for much of the time thereafter. 

Final Thoughts

Gradual build-up blends like these that don't let you down in the end are what make reviewing cigars for a living so satisfying sometimes. Granted, wading one's way through a quagmire of subpar sticks that have been filled with mediocre tobacco mixtures in order to find that one winner can be a chore. But when you do finally find that one stick, it all seems worthwhile.  

So yes, circling back to Flor de las Antillas after all these years was definitely worth it. Even with a grande-sized touch-up, some high heat levels, and a flow rate that even the Hoover Dam would envy, this blend delivered a damn good smoke session. 

Of particular interest was the texture of the smoke, which was outstanding from start to finish. I also enjoyed the way in which the cigar started off with zero spiciness and gradually began to incorporate pepper heat in the final third in controlled quantities. I also found the shift from a nutty, creamy, milk chocolate start to a darker, more coffee and bittersweet cocoa note to be well timed and perfectly positioned. 

But it was the little surprise shots of dried berries, smooth cedar stuffed inside sun-grown tobacco leaf, and those fantastic floral aromatics found within certain smoky retrohales that truly made me step back and reassess everything. Even after all these years, this cigar still has the ability to amaze, and I would not hesitate to spark one again if the moment arose. Just perhaps in a slimmer vitola next time...

Overall Balance & Repeatability