Issue: Cigar Aficionado, Jan 01, 2015

Score: 93

Abraham Flores has emerged as a new force in the world of premium cigars. If his name is unknown to you, that's understandable. Up until recently, the partner in PDR Cigars Dominicana has spent much of his time on contract brands, meaning he makes cigars that appear with other company's brand names. (Among his works are the Gurkha 125th Anniversary and the La Palina Classic, two cigars from the Cigar Aficionado Top 25 list of 2013.)The A. Flores 1975 Serie Privada Capa Habano SP52 might take the award for longest name ever to appear on our Top 25 list. The 1975 is for Flores's year of birth, the Capa Habano for the Cuban seed used for the wrapper. Flores makes his cigars in his factory in the Dominican Republic, and he has his workers construct cigars with mounted heads, a style of cigarmaking common to Cuba but seldom seen in the Dominican Republic.The construction on the cigar, with its sharp box press, is superb. The flavor is even better, balanced and very tasty, with pleasant hints of vanilla, coffee bean and cocoa.Remember the name Flores. He is making superb cigars.