First introduced at the RTDA show in 2005, the La Flor Dominicana Factory Press series has grown to six different releases, two of which are identified as Limitados. The first Factory Press Limitado was offered for sale in 2007 and was the same size as the Factory Press II from 2006 at 6 1/4 x 54, but used a totally different blend. The newest Factory Press Limitado not only has a size unique to the Factory Press series at 6 1/4 x 60,
La Flor Dominicana owner Litto Gomez had this to say about the original idea behind the Factory Press series:
For years I have been fascinated with our cigar box-pressing system. Many times I have thought how great it would be to share the process with our fans. That is why I’m offering a very special cigar shipped in the actual factory press. Because the concept is so special we needed to blend a cigar that will be totally unique to La Flor Dominicana. We started by obtaining Connecticut broadleaf wrappers that have been aging for several years. The filler is Corojo aged from the very first crop our farm produced in 1997, while the binder is a Sumatra seed (also grown on our farm) put to age for the last eight years.
The press release had some information about the cigar:
Factory Press Limitado – We’ve aged and set aside the darkest Sumatra wrappers we could find for the 2nd installment of this special release. Combined with a Nicaraguan binder and our estate grown Dominican fillers, this cigar provides a rich and powerful flavor worthy of its prestigious name.
We covered the La Flor Dominicana booth at the IPCPR show back in July, and had some addition details on the release:
A second edition of the Factory Press Limitado was unveiled in a single 6 1/4 x 60 vitola. It uses an aged Ecuadoran Dark Sumatra wrapper with a Nicaraguan binder and Dominican filler, and the band is updated to say “Factory Press Limitado” instead of Limitado
Twelve count boxes with an MSRP of $14.50 per stick and $174.00. Production numbers are limited by the amount of tobacco in the warehouse, but Antonio Gomez estimated it at around 100,000 cigars.
With the addition of the Factory Press Limitado, there have now been six different releases in the Factory Press series. They are:
- La Flor Dominicana Factory Press I (6 1/2 x 60) — 2005
- La Flor Dominicana Factory Press II (6 1/4 x 54) — 2006
- La Flor Dominicana Factory Press Limitado (6 1/4 x 54) — 2007*
- La Flor Dominicana Factory Press III (6 1/4 x 58) — 2008
- La Flor Dominicana Factory Press IV (6 1/2 x 60) — 2011
- La Flor Dominicana Factory Press Limitado (6 1/4 x 60) — 2013
The boxes of the La Flor Dominicana Factory Press Limitado look like this:
- Cigar Reviewed: La Flor Dominicana Factory Press Limitado (2013)
- Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
- Factory: Tabacalera La Flor S.A.
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Dominican Republic
- Size: 6 1/4 Inches
- Ring Gauge: 60
- Vitola: Gordo
- MSRP: $14.50 (Boxes of 12, $174.00)
- Date Released: August 2013
- Number of Cigars Released: n/a
- Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 2
Like the rest of the Factory Press family, the Factory Press Limitado has an extreme box-press that feels good in your hand. The wrapper is a mottled mocha brown color that is fairly smooth to the touch although there are some prominent veins. There is a little resistance when squeezed and the aroma coming off of the wrapper is a combination of strong barnyard, leather and espresso overlaid by a wonderful sweet chocolate note that is strongest from the foot.
The La Flor Dominicana Factory Press Limitado starts out the first third with distinct notes of leather, earth, bitter espresso, and a bit of cedar, along with a wonderful sweet milk chocolate flavor that really adds to the overall profile. There is a surprising lack of pepper either on the retrohale or in my mouth at this point in the cigar, although every once in a while I get a whiff of it. The smoke production is extremely copious, and both the burn and draw are excellent so far. The cigar is surprisingly mild so far, ending the first third well below the medium mark, although I do expect that to increase before the end of the cigar.
There are few changes in the La Flor Dominicana Factory Press Limitado during the second third with a bit more black pepper on the retrohale that starts to pick up around the halfway point and a shift in the dominant flavor from leather to more of a creamy cedar note. Other flavors of espresso, earth, and licorice ebb in and out, each fairly distinct. The overall construction continues to impress with a razor sharp burn and a draw with the perfect amount of resistance. As expected, the strength bumps up a fairly significant notch and easily hits the medium mark just as the second third finishes up.
The final third of the La Flor Dominicana Factory Press Limitado says the course for the most part with essentially the same flavors: leather, creamy cedar, earth and bitter espresso. The sweetness has turned a bit generic, but is still very much present, and combines well with the rest of the profile. There is a tad more black pepper noticeable then in the second third, but it comes and goes, while the smoke production actually increases a bit. Construction-wise, the burn and the draw are a carbon copy of the second third, while the strength ends up right in the middle between medium and full by the end of the cigar.
Final Notes
- Each Factory Press release has come in chests of 10 factory press molds with 12 cigars in each mold totaling 120 cigars. These are the only size boxes that they are sold in.
- I have said it before, and I will say it again: I absolutely love the one the feel of the box-press while smoking, it works very well with cigars in larger ring gauges. There is no way I thought of this as a 60 ring gauge cigar as I was smoking it, and that is a good thing.
- There is no set amount of cigars being released, but Antonio Gomez told us the total amount produced was around 100,000 cigars.
- The band says “F.P.L.” instead of Factory Press Limitado. I guess that makes it easier to tell the difference between the 2007 and 2013 versions, although they aren’t the sizes.
- The naming scheme that La Flor Dominicana uses can be a bit confusing at times. There is not only another cigar with Press in the name – the Double Press – but any number of releases with the word Limitado as well.
- The smoke production during the entire cigar was extremely copious, dense and billowy. An almost perfect cigar to blow smoke rings with.
- I took too much off the cap in the first sample and as a result draw was a bit loose, albeit still within acceptable ranges. I cut less off the second sample, and the draw was perfect.
- The first time I looked at it, I thought that the band on the La Flor Dominicana Factory Press Limitado was one single band, but it turns out it is two separate bands glued together.
- I really love the fact that you can buy these in trays of 12, and they look pretty cool, in my opinion.
- One of the cigars smoked for this review was provided by La Flor Dominicana at the IPCPR trade show in July and one of them was purchased by halfwheel at a local cigar shop.
- The final smoking time for both samples that I smoked averaged one hour and 40 minutes.
- Site sponsor Atlantic Cigar has the Factory Press Limitado in stock, while Best Cigar Prices, Famous Smoke Shop and Superior Cigars all carry La Flor Dominicana.
Much like the La Flor Dominicana Mystery, I found the blend of the La Flor Dominicana Factory Press Limitado to be significantly sweeter and have less overt strength than I was expecting, and that is a positive trait, at least for me. The construction was excellent on both samples I smoked and I literately could not ask for more in that regard. Although the flavors in the profile is not overly complex and does not change up all that much as it progresses, I really enjoyed the flavors that were present. While the Factory Press Limitado is not going to knock out my favorite La Flor Dominicana, the Cameroon Cabinet, it is a very solid addition to their lineup.