Last month we ran a news storyabout a cigar that La Flor Dominicana had released as a store exclusive for New York-based Tobacco Plaza — the La Flor Dominicana TP Triple Threat. La Flor Dominicana owner Litto Gomez helped launch the store exclusive at a dinner on October 18. The Triple Threat is named such because of the three ligero tobacco leaves and three maduro tobacco leaves that are included in the cigar.

Danny Ditkowich of Tobacco Plaza describes on its website how the Triple Threat came about:

The blend is the brain child of our own Danny D based on a dream he had several months ago. It had been a particularly warm evening and Danny awoke with a start early the next morning shouting the words “Triple Threat!” Later that day, he relayed the story to yours truly and went on to speak with Litto about creating a TP Exclusive which would combine triple ligero and triple maduro tobaccos in one rich, full-bodied smoke! Intrigued, Litto crafted the LFD TP Triple Threat which was unveiled at our Cigar Dinner at the Carltun.

This isn’t the first store exclusive in recent history. Here is a list of the cigars that they’ve had made in the last two years to celebrate its 40th anniversary:

Tobacco Plaza Exclusives 

  • Tatuaje Tobacco Plaza DD (6 x 58) — March 13, 2012 — 500 Boxes of 10 Cigars (5,000 Total Cigars)
  • Tatuaje Tobacco Plaza DD (Wet Pack) (6 x 58) — April 19, 2012 — 500 Boxes of 10 Cigars (5,000 Total Cigars)
  • Padrón 1926 Serie TP40 (6 1/4 x 60) — April 17, 2013 — 218 Boxes of 10 Cigars (2,180 Total Cigars)
  • Quesada TP40Q Round (6 x 56/65) — July 18, 2013 — 50 Boxes of 10 Cigars (500 Total Cigars)
  • Quesada TP40Q Box Press (6 x 56/65) — July 18, 2013 — 50 Boxes of 10 Cigars (500 Total Cigars)
  • La Flor Dominicana TP Triple Threat (6 1/2 x 52) — October 18, 2013 — 75 Boxes of 10 Cigars (750 Total Cigars)

Here is what the box looks like:

La Flor Dominicana TP Triple Threat Box 1La Flor Dominicana TP Triple Threat Box 2

La Flor Dominicana TP Triple Threat 1

  • Cigar Reviewed: La Flor Dominicana TP Triple Threat
  • Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
  • Factory: Tabacalera La Flor S.A.
  • Wrapper: n/a
  • Binder: n/a
  • Filler: n/a
  • Size: 6 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 52
  • Vitola: Toro
  • MSRP: $16.99 (Boxes of 10, $134.95)
  • Date Released: October 18, 2013
  • Number of Cigars Released: 75 Boxes of 10 Cigars (750 Total Cigars)
  • Number of Cigars Smoked for Review: 2

Picking up the LFD Triple Threat it feels like a hefty stick and giving it a squeeze there is no give whatsoever. The even, dark brown wrapper is slightly rough and oily to the touch with a handful of noticeable veins. With only the classic LFD band on display, there isn’t any other band identifying this stick. The aroma coming off the wrapper is very earthy with a slight cocoa note. The cold draw brings more earthy notes, along with chocolate and some significant pepper.

The Triple Threat starts out the first third with some slightly harsh earth notes mixed with rich tobacco. Thankfully the harshness subsides after only a few draws leaving an interesting profile consisting of meaty and earthy notes sprinkled with the peppery kick you would expect from something containing so much ligero. I’m having to do a couple of minor touch-ups, nothing too significant, just a small area that lagged behind the rest of the burn line. The spiciness is a little more extreme than your average fare, going well past black pepper and closer to that of a jalapeño. Draw on the cigar is firm, but still well within acceptable limits. While there isn’t a lot of smoke production, it doesn’t seem to me that it’s related to the draw. The overwhelming spiciness from earlier has calmed down a little and is now just a very spicy, meaty profile.

La Flor Dominicana TP Triple Threat 2

Surprisingly enough, the second third’s pepper level is much more reduced and instead of a more pepper-like bite, the best way I can describe it is a more rich roasted pepper taste without the burn. Smoke production continues to be medium at best. The burn has evened out nicely and has been steady ever since my few touch ups early on.

La Flor Dominicana TP Triple Threat 3

The final third continues the meaty pepper, but more earthiness and some cedar has crept into the mix. Interestingly enough, the smoke production has increased towards the end, though the draw seems unchanged. The cigar ends with zero bitterness or harshness, though the strength of the cigar at the end is quite apparent.

La Flor Dominicana TP Triple Threat 4 

Final Notes:

  • This was probably one of the more unique flavors I’ve tasted in a cigar, and not because it was a completely foreign flavor for cigars, but one I just can’t remember tasting before. The hot pepper notes usually stay consistently “spicy”, though the roasted pepper flavor minus the kick was quite interesting.
  • If you count the two shapes of Quesada exclusives made for Tobacco Plaza as one release, the Triple Threat is the smallest release they’ve had yet.
  • As stated above, there is no secondary band identifying this as a special release, although the box does have the Tobacco Plaza logo on it.
  • Speaking of the box, it’s almost identical in design to the one made for Foxtoberfest. This means you get to have fun prying it open and good luck closing it after opening.
  • If you thought we were done reviewing La Flor Dominicana single store releases, we actually still have not reviewed the La Flor Dominicana Mickey Blake’s Edicion Exclusiva.  
  • At the time of writing the review, Tobacco Plaza still showed these in stock on its website.
  • These cigars were sent to halfwheel by Tobacco Plaza.
  • Final smoking time averaged a little over two hours.
89 Overall Score

Overall Tobacco Plaza has had great success with its exclusive cigars from the different manufacturers and this cigar is no different. La Flor Dominicana has produced a very solid cigar that fits right into that lineup. While the profile wasn’t overly exciting and didn’t really progress much, the unique peppery notes in the profile created something that was quite enjoyable. Save a minor touch up early on in the cigar, the rest of the cigar had no burn or draw issues. Overall it is a solid stick with a unique enough profile to catch my interest. It might not be a cigar I would smoke daily, but it is definitely a cigar I can suggest you seek out before they’re all gone.

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Brian Burt

I have been smoking cigars since 2005 and reviewing them as a hobby since 2010. Initially, I started out small with a 50-count humidor and only smoking one or two cigars a month. Not knowing anybody else that smoked cigars, it was only an occasional hobby that I took part in. In March of 2010, I joined Nublive and Cigar Asylum, connecting me with many people who also shared an interest in cigars. Reading what they had to say about brands I had never heard of, I quickly immersed myself in the boutique brands of the industry and it was then that cigars transformed from a hobby into a passion.