Breaking away from LFD's usual powerhouse profiles, the Suave Grand Maduro No.7 emerges as their "training wheels Maduro" with its 5½" x 42 corona format. Priced at $171 per 25-count box, this Connecticut Broadleaf-wrapped Dominican blend offers cigar novices a gentle introduction to maduros while giving veterans a reliable morning smoke. Its modest ring gauge allows concentrated flavor delivery without overwhelming nicotine presence.
The oily maduro wrapper glistens under light, revealing careful fermentation. Cold draw offers sweet raisin notes with minimal resistance. Initial puffs deliver roasted cashews and milk chocolate through creamy smoke, burning slower than typical Dominican cigars.
Dominican earthiness anchors the profile, with cashew butter and baking spice emerging through the nose. White pepper tingles fade quickly, leaving a short caramel finish. Ash holds firm for 1.5 inches with slight canoeing.
Woody notes intensify alongside developing espresso flavors. The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper shows its sweet char characteristic, though some find the caramelized sugar taste becomes cloying by halfway point. Retrohale introduces damp cedar.
Strength climbs to medium-bodied territory with leather and black tea notes. Tar accumulates faster than average in the last inch, prompting early retirement for 80% of smokers. Final smoke time averages 65 minutes.
Eight samples showed minor wrapper tears near the cap - likely due to Broadleaf's fragility. Foot tobacco appears less densely packed than LFD's ligero-heavy lines. Requires frequent ash-tapping to prevent flaking. Sweet spot emerges after first inch, maintaining stable combustion when smoked slowly.
