Luis J. Falto has been blending Falto cigars at the La Aurora factory in the Dominican Republic for decades. It remains a niche brand to some, but Falto offers a deep dedication to craft. The brand’s diverse flavors should appeal to most serious cigar enthusiasts. You’d be well-served by getting a Falto in your rotation.
The cigar vitolas of Falto are the blends. So, a robusto will have the “right profile” for a robusto, and the Lonsdale has a blend of its own. It’s a traditional method of blending, and that’s part of what makes these cigars special.
I spent some quality time with the Falto Lonsdale prior to lighting the cigar. I enjoyed the scent at the foot, feeling the wrapper and giving it some cold draws. I discovered some berry crumble aromas straight off–both nutty and jammy. On light, the cigar met me in that same space, with deeper nuttiness and some sweet cream, too. On occasion, there are flashes of a Dominican earth profile, but all-in-all, the notes stay in line with that crumble I mentioned.
A tequila often has the right flavor notes for a pairing of this kind, probably because of the similarly tropical and nearly regional climates they both come from. I sipped Espanita Añejo from a snifter for the full experience. Orange, lemon, vanilla and spice rounded out the flavors and added some freshness and balance to the smoking experience in this case. This añejo delivered that familiar oakiness that aged tequilas have from their time resting in bourbon barrels, too. It’s a stellar blend.
A Lonsdale is a very enjoyable size for flavor and smoking time. Lonsdales were once a best-selling cigar size, but popularity waned somewhat over the years. The traditional cigar vitolas have just started making a comeback, though, and I’ll welcome Falto’s Lonsdale to join the growing list of these old-school vitolas (coronas, lonsdales, lanceros, petit coronas) that are once again making a big splash.
6.5 x 42 Lonsdale
Wrapper: Sumatran
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Strength: Medium
MSRP (cigar): $7
MSRP (tequila): $35
