Unlike the prototypical tale of a family steeped in generations of Cuban tobacco heritage, La Flor Dominicana entered the cigar scene in 1994—at the very beginnings of the Great Cigar Boom. After Litto Gomez Diez—soon-to-be cigar craftsman extraordinaire—had his Miami-based jewelry robbed at gunpoint, something "clicked" for Gomez, and he dove head-first into the world of premium cigars.
Litto spent roughly two years absorbing every nuance of the cigar-making process, finally launching his first cigar in 1996—a mild Dominican blend. In the same year, he built the Tabacalera La Flor factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic; this would allow for greater control in the surging cigar market. But Litto was not satisfied with the low-grade tobaccos that were available at the time, due to high demands, and he expanded yet again in 1997—purchasing his own farm in the DR.
With complete vertical integration, Litto's La Flor Dominicana company—named for the beautiful flower of a grown tobacco plant—began crafting unique smoking experiences that cought the attention of critics and consumers alike. La Flor Dominicana (LFD) began showcasing superior quality and consistency, unorthodox sizes and shapes, and the company's signature of intense smoking experiences. Among LFD's more unique vitolas is the famed Chisel (rolled with a flattened cap, resembling, you guessed it, a chisel), which is the only cigar shape to ever receive a patent. The brand is also known for their heavy use of ligero tobacco, making for some of the strongest cigars on the market; with popular choices such as the Air Bender, Ligero, and Double Ligero.
La Flor Dominicana has appeared on Cigar Aficionado's prestigious Top 25 list an astounding 11 times (and counting...), including the monumental No. 1 Cigar of the Year award for the Andalusian Bull in 2016 (including a 96-point rating).
