Released way back in April of 2009, the Coronado by La Flor Maduro Corona Especial never really caught on with consumers. Intended as an experiment of sorts, this release is the exact same blend as the regular Coronado by La Flor, with a Maduro wrapper from Ecuador replacing the Nicaraguan rosado wrapper on the original blend. Only 83 boxes of 24 were produced, and more than three years later, there are still a few available for purchase.

Here is what I said in my original review back in May of 2009:

I did not overly enjoy this cigar as it is now, but I bought a box to put away, since I think some time on these will tone down the Power, and allow the great taste to come through…

And here is what I said in my first redux back in August of 2010:

To me, the La Flor Dominicana Coronado Maduro is one of the best examples of how a non-Cuban cigar can improve greatly after aging for a specific timeframe. The first time I smoked this cigar, any flavors that it had were overwhelmed by the strength that was present. Now, after six months, the strength is still there, albeit diminished greatly, but instead of it being the main component, the strength now compliments the other flavors which have had time to develop into a much more complex and enjoyable smoke. Having said that, the cigar did get a bit harsh at the end, and I think I will let the rest of these rest for another year or so before trying again, as I think they can be even better then they are now.


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But enough of that, let’s get down to business, shall we?

  • Cigar Reviewed: Coronado by La Flor Maduro Corona Especial
  • Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
  • Factory: Tabacalera La Flor S.A.
  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
  • Binder: Dominican Corojo
  • Filler: Dominican Republic
  • Size: 5 7/8 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 47
  • Vitola: Corona
  • Est. Price: $10.00 (Boxes of 24, $240.00)
  • Date Released: April 2009
  • Number of Cigars Released: 83 Boxes of 25 Cigars (2,075 Total Cigars)
  • Number of Cigars Smoked for Redux: 1

As was the case both times before, the first thing you notice about this cigar is the almost coal black wrapper, still covered with copious amounts of oil. The cigar is heavy when held in the hand, and is nicely firm when squeezed. There are quite a few bumps and veins present, and while the wrapper still has the distinct odor of dark chocolate, it is not even close to as strong as when I did the first redux two years ago.


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The profile of the Coronado by La Flor Maduro Corona Especial starts off with some strong dark chocolate, along with some bitter espresso, black pepper and a tiny amount of spice on the lips. There is a little bit of sweetness present, but it is much more of a general sweetness as opposed to a certain flavor, and while it is nice, it is just not strong enough to really impact the profile in any major way. About two thirds of the way in, the profile starts becoming more muddled, and the flavors become more mellow. This continues for the rest of the cigar, and at the end, I am only left with a straight tobacco flavor, as well as a bit of black pepper on the retrohale. The chocolate is gone, the sweetness is gone and the profile rapidly goes downhill, until harshness takes over with about an inch left in the cigar. Coronado Maduro Corona Especial Overall construction was fine, with a great draw and a decent burn that had to be touched up a few times. However, as with the first redux, the cigar got extremely hot and harsh at the end, forcing me to put it down before I wanted to and proving me wrong about that aspect changing with more age. Smoke production was average, but one of the largest changes was the strength, which has dissolved quite a bit from where it was in both former reviews, and ends this version at a solid medium.


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The Bottom Line: When I first reviewed this cigar three years ago, the strength of the blend overwhelmed any nuances that could possibly be tasted. After aging for a year, that strength died down as expected, and the flavors that came through were exactly what I imagined they would be. However, after aging another two years, it seems that this blend is headed downhill. While it still has some decent flavors at certain points overall, the richness that was present for the first redux just was not in evidence. The profile was quite a bit more mellow than I expected, and shall I say—almost boring. Adding to that the fact that the strength was much reduced—and you have a cigar that is a shadow of what it was at its best. Honestly, I should have done what I said I was going to, and reviewed it sometime in 2011, as it seems that was the point at which the cigar was at its best. I will hold on to a few of these to continue to see how they age, but at this point, I am not hopeful.



Original Score: 83

Redux Score: 89

Second Redux Score: 79

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Brooks Whittington

I have been smoking cigars for over eight years. A documentary wedding photographer by trade, I spent seven years as a photojournalist for the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star Telegram. I started the cigar blog SmokingStogie in 2008 after realizing that there was a need for a cigar blog with better photographs and more in-depth information about each release. SmokingStogie quickly became one of the more influential cigar blogs on the internet, known for reviewing preproduction, prerelease, rare, extremely hard-to-find and expensive cigars. I am a co-founder of halfwheel and now serve as an editor for halfwheel.