Don Lucas has a heavy duty stick in its AL Series

Don Lucas began its cigar tradition in 1992 in the Dominican Republic. Their factory is not far from the Punta Cana resort area in the Dominican Republic so a side trip from the resort would be interesting for a smoker. Today Don Lucas is still a boutique brand but proudly so with 4 blends aimed at different flavor groups ranging from mild to eye widening strong. I met them again at the 2015 IPCPR in New Orleans and they provided me with a sample of their AL Series robusto gordo, a 5 ¼ by 60 handful. The AL series is Lucas’s blend targeting people that appreciate rich and robust flavors. The size profile for the AL Series is quite broad with 10 sizes ranging from 4 X 54 to 7 X 50.  If there isn’t a vitola in there for you, please contact Don Lucas directly.

The AL Series blend is almost a Dominican puro. The binder and filler are Dominican but the wrapper is both Dominican and USA broadleaf. The robusto was firm and had an earthy aroma. The initial flavor was earth and white pepper. This was joined later by espresso.  The flavors are strong in this full bodied cigar. The draw and smoke volume were slightly above average and the burn edge remained even for the entire 1 ½ hours it took to smoke it.  The ash was outstanding with a very even shape and color. This medium strength full bodied cigar was average in appearance but above average in construction and flavor.  However the SRP is $12.50 when purchased individually and we think this is a little high so the overall rating is 3.5.