Just to prove that I actually do read the ol’ e-mails that people send, I’m going to do this review based on a request from Jack W. who hails from Marysville, MI. Jack e-mailed me saying that he enjoyed the La Flor Dominicana Air Bender and wanted to know my thoughts, specifically on the Maestro Size. So I moseyed on out to the humidor and picked up a 5’er of these 5.5”x52 sized cigars. The first thing I noticed is the oily Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that encompasses the all Dominican blend which is sure to packed full of usual ligeros that are the hallmark of blender Litto Gomez.

The cigar itself is heavy in the hand and has a pre-light aroma familiar to blends that utilize well fermented tobaccos. As I light up one of these puppies I’m reading about the history of La Flor Dominicana… Turns out founder Litto Gomez started up the company after his jewelry store was robbed of about $400,000 in merchandise! Go figure…

Right about….now, I’m about half an inch in and I am noticing a light spice on my palate as well an enjoyable flavor upon exhaling through the nose. I’m not that far into the cigar and already I can tell that it is going to be full bodied – something that the bulk of La Flor’s releases are known for.

I’m about half way through this here Bender of Air and I’ve noticed that the spice has dissipated, but there is a nice amaretto like finish that I am actually finding myself enjoying. The strength hasn’t let up at all. In fact, I am having trouble typing at this point.

One thing that I should point out about this cigar is that I’ve had to relight it a few times and the burn I found to be less than perfect. Aside from that, I am enjoying the blend which seems to pair well with my ‘Best of Johnny Cash’ collection that I have pumping through the headphones. As far as price goes, well, the MSRP may cause a few folks to take a second glance, ranging from $140 - $165 a box.

I’ll wrap up this review since I’ve gotten near the end of the cigar. I must say, the blend does seem to be heading south a bit. I’m starting to get some harsh flavors that are turning me off to the cigar. I found this same characteristic to be present in each of the Air Benders that I burned through. So, to sum it all up – I enjoyed the first half, but the second half – not so much. Was that first half worth $7+? To me…no. But as always, taste is subjective. So pick a few up and try them for yourself!