The PDR A Flores 1975 Gran Reserva Desflorado Torpedo rolls out a 6.5" x52 figurado celebration for master blender Abe Flores' birth year. This Dominican-made torpedo blends Ecuadorian Connecticut Desflorado wrapper leaf with Olor binder and Nicaraguan/Dominican fillers, hitting that sweet spot between mid-range pricing and premium craftsmanship. The snowy-white band hugs a firm roll that burns like a slow fuse - plan for 90+ minutes of evolving flavors.
The oily golden wrapper hides zero soft spots - these torpedos could double as drumsticks. Initial puffs deliver sweet cashew notes with dried apricot undertones, peppered (literally) by white pepper on the retrohale. By the 1-inch mark, the smoke turns creamier than a Dominican cafecito, pushing coffee bean and leather to the forefront.
Watch for the flavor curveball at the halfway point: baking spices crash the party while the pepper dials back. The draw stays airy but never loose, producing billowy clouds that smell like a tobacco barn after rain. Newbies might tap out here - nicotine buildup creeps up faster than the band suggests.
Last two inches amp up the cocoa powder bitterness, saved by molasses undertones that cling to your palate post-puff. The ash holds firm despite the narrowing cone, though purists might dock points for the slightly uneven burn line in humid conditions.
PDR's box-pressed torpedo does the heavy lifting for flavor chasers who enjoy retrohaling. While not quite a daily driver at $10.50/stick, it outshines most Dominican blends in its class. Keep your torch lighter handy - that tapered foot demands extra ignition care.
