La Flor Dominicana Carbon Flower

Collaborations in the cigar industry are nothing new, but I’m always intrigued to see a collaboration that I haven’t seen before, which is why I was intrigued by the La Flor Dominicana Carbon Flower, a project between the cigar company and ProjectCarbon, a company that makes a number of cigar accessories, most notably travel cases

The cigar is called Carbon Flower, and it’s a 6 x 54 toro extra with a blend that features a Mexican San Andrés wrapper atop tobaccos from La Flor Dominicana’s farms in La Canela, Dominican Republic. The company calls it a full-bodied profile.

“We loved this collaboration from day one, ProjectCarbon is a beautiful brand that I’ve always admired,” said Tony Gomez of La Flor Dominicana in a press release when the cigar was announced in April. “The cigar had to be something unique to the project and made for a special challenge. Carbon is solid, it is textured, and it looms with a sort of ominous presence. We took those characteristics and translated them into a blend that we think perfectly hits the mark.”

But what might be most notable about the La Flor Dominicana Carbon Flower release is the packaging, as instead of traditional boxes, the cigars come in a five-count carbon fiber case from ProjectCarbon. Pricing is set at $200 per set. Production is limited to 1,500 sets.

“Not all collabs work, but this one does. The Carbon Flower case embodies the ProjectCarbon aesthetics of dark carbon fiber tones, a symmetrical design, and modern feel,” said Alan Shea of ProjectCarbon, in a press release. “I think the aesthetic translated perfectly to the cigar both visually and in the blend. Holding it in your fingertips will be something quite different; the color of the leaf, the shape and size with its pigtail set expectations of something dark and bold. Two unlikely partners, where heritage meets functionality, it’s very exciting.”

• Cigar Reviewed: La Flor Dominicana Carbon Flower
• Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
• Factory: Tabacalera La Flor S.A.
• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic
• Length: 6 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 54
• Shape: Round
• MSRP: $40 (Case of 5, $200)
• Release Date: July 15, 2026
• Number of Cigars Released: 1,500 Cases of Five Cigars (7,500 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

If looking at the cigar head-on, and assuming I haven’t heard anything about this project, I’m not sure I would know this is a La Flor Dominicana project. The band design is familiar, as is the main logo, but the lack of color and any LFD logo or wordmark feels like someone could have been taking a bit of creative license with the design. It’s a dark cigar, and the bands reinforce that darkness, largely black with only silver used for the text and designs. That dark color hides most of the seam lines, though the second cigar has a spot where a vein prevents a seam from lying flatly, something the color isn’t able to hide. As for the coiled heads, all three look good, though knowing that I will soon clip them off, I have to admit I don’t give them much attention. The first cigar is quite firm, a touch denser than what I’d call average for cigars these days, and while the second is a bit better, the third may be even firmer, a statement I make wishing I had checked the three cigars side-by-side. The first cigar’s aroma is really interesting; at first, I get some very crispy bacon that eventually turns into the burnt edges, but then I get a rich, red wine aroma that is sweet, tannic, and acidic. The second is a combination of chocolate and espresso, not quite a chocolate-covered espresso bean, but more like the flavor of a baked dessert, with the espresso being the more dominant of the two. The third has a little bit of the espresso but it is wrapped tightly in chocolate, with a bit of the espresso acidity returning on the finish. The first cigar’s cold draw is a touch open but nearly ideal, though the flavor is mellower than the aroma, and it feels like I get a bit of red wine sweetness on top of some light earth, with very little pepper in the profile. The second cigar’s draw is smooth and darn near perfect, while the flavor is smooth and almost creamy, with a little bit of the oiliness that can be found in some dairy products. The third cigar has a slightly open cold draw and a flavor that has just a little bit of chocolate, though the more cold draws that I take, the more the flavor leans toward a mild earthiness.

The La Flor Dominicana Carbon Flower starts with a fairly familiar profile, combining wheat toast, a bit of earth, a little creaminess and some black pepper. The opening puffs are medium in intensity and seem like a good starting point for the flavor to evolve. Retrohales have pepper and the sensation of crispy but not burnt bread, and I can envision little bits of toast breaking off as I spread something on it. Even though there is some creaminess in the profile, I find it to be both on the dry side as well as mouth-drying, two aspects that aren’t always companions. Retrohales in the early going have a middle-of-the-road pepperiness that is enjoyable and familiar. There’s some subtle tanginess joining the profile next, latching on to a little bit of wood, though in the third cigar, it adds more woodiness than tang. The aroma catches my attention, as it picks up a sweetness that is somewhere between a floral bouquet and bubblegum or a really light and fruity candy. Even with those descriptors, it’s not as sweet as it sounds. At the end of this section, the finish becomes much more peppery and I get some eye irritation as well. Flavor is medium-plus, body is medium and strength is mild. Thus far, construction is very good. If anything, my biggest note is that the moke production is solid, and it feels like the cigars continue to produce smoke for a decent amount of time after each puff.

As the second third gets underway, the smoke picks up a softer texture, an interesting development given the increase in pepper that began at the end of the previous section. I really like the flavor profile of the La Flor Dominicana Carbon Flower near the end of this section, leading with creaminess before delivering a fuller sensation with hearty, rich earth and lightly charred black pepper. The smoke from the third cigar feels just a touch thinner than the other two, a difference that seems to yield just a bit less flavor. The La Flor Dominicana Carbon Flower more or less holds pretty steady through this section, getting a touch sweeter at the end, but not providing much to write about. Flavor is medium-plus, body is medium and strength is mild. Construction remains very good, and I have nothing of note to report.

The final third of the La Flor Dominicana Carbon Flower starts by nudging the intensity of the wood up a bit, which dries the flavor out a touch, but also gives it better layering and complexity. It reminds me of a dry spirits barrel, maybe one that held a sweet-leaning bourbon. There’s some vanilla-flavored creaminess in there as well, standing out most in the third cigar, which has continued to offer a different experience from the other two, and I’m at a point where I’m not sure which one I like best. There’s some toasted marshmallow sweetness in all of the cigars, a flavor that I don’t often experience in real life, but one that I like finding in cigars. Entering the homestretch, the flavor gets a bit fuller, the smoke gets a little dense, and the profile becomes a good bit more peppery. There’s more wood, more earth, a bit more pepper, and a backing note of creaminess that would be great on its own, but here plays a supporting role. It’s a bit chaotic, but I like it, and it’s a solid end ot the cigar. Flavor is medium-full, body is medium-plus and strength is medium-minus. Combustion isn’t perfect as I need to touch-up or relight the cigars, but none are terrible and all keep the draw smooth, the burn line even, and the smoke production plentiful.

Final Notes

• The head of the first cigar was very firm, almost uncomfortably so at some points.
• When it comes to the case, I’m not an expert on carbon fiber, but this didn’t immediately catch my attention, one way or another.
• My colleague, Charlie Minato, who has used a carbon fiber Visol case for about a decade, told me he thought it felt thinner, and the texture of the carbon fiber weave on the inside is not as pronounced as it is on the Visol. He said the inside almost felt like it had been sanded down.
• If anything, my issue is that I don’t think I would use a case like this. A five-cigar case feels too big for this format; were it three, I’d be a bit more agreeable, but at that point, it’s likely not fitting in my pocket, so I’d just use my XIKAR case.
• For those curious, ProjectCarbon sells a similar case for $89.99.
• I’ve never been a big fan of carbon fiber; it’s fine and all, but I’ve never been one of those “carbon fiber everything” people.
• The head of the third cigar came off before I cut it; I think it glanced against the palm of my hand and just detached, leaving me to tidy up the head a little bit.
• Carbon Flower was part of La Flor Dominicana’s new offerings at the 2026 PCA Convention & Trade Show this past April.
• The La Flor Dominicana Carbon Flower didn’t offer much in the way of nicotine strength.

• The company lists these as a 6 x 54 toro gordo. The numbers above are the measurements we took of the three cigars used in this review.
• Final smoking time was two hours and 30 minutes on average.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Site sponsor Small Batch Cigar carries the La Flor Dominicana Carbon Flower.

If you’d like to win the empty cigar case pictured in this review, leave a comment below.

Contest Rules:

• Must be 21-years-old or older to enter.
• Only open to U.S. residents with a continental United States shipping address.
• Comments must be left on this post on halfwheel.com. 
• Only one comment per person will be counted as an entry.
• Prize is (1) La Flor Dominicana Carbon Flower case. No cigars are included.
• The winner is selected randomly using random.org.
• Winner will be announced on Sept. 18, 2026.
• Total value is $89.
• Contest rules are here.

Alan Shea
La Flor Dominicana
La Flor Dominicana Carbon Flower
ProjectCarbon
Tabacalera La Flor S.A.
Tony Gomez
Toro
Toro Gordo