Here are more short reviews of cigars I got at the Big Smoke in Las Vegas last year:

Cusano Habano LXI Sun Grown

Size: Gordo (6.2 x 54)

Price: $6.89

I remember smoking an inexpensive sandwich cigar by Cusano several years back, but to date that was the extent of my experience with this brand.  The LXI Sun Grown is a higher-end offering, although not as lauded as the Cusano 18. 

It featured a camel-brown wrapper (a hybrid of Ecuadorian and Domincan seeds) with some tooth beginning to bud near the foot.  Prelight aroma was light and earthy.  The first few puffs were spicy but the cigar didn't have any lasting bite.  It fell to the upper range of Medium in both body and taste.  The finish was acceptable. 

Overall verdict: This was a solid cigar with a touch of spice.  Good to pair with a glass of strong bourbon (Willet's) or a light single malt scotch (Aberlour).  I would certainly purchase or try again, but it was not any more memorable than other cigars in the same range.

Dona Flor

Size: Robusto

Price: $4-5

Dona Flor is a puro made exclusively of Brazilian tobacco.  The brand was first introduced in the U.S. in 2005, then pulled from the market due to extensive trademark lawsuits over the brand name.  It was finally reintroduced on July 4, 2012. Brazilian tobacco is thought to be less earthy than Nicaraguan tobacco, and less spicy than Dominican.  It is smoother, sweeter, and usually medium-body and medium-strength.  

The cigars given out at the Las Vegas Big Smoke were from the Tradicional Blend line, featuring a Mata Fina binder and wrapper, and filler that is a mixture of Mata Fina and Mata Norte.  These two sun grown leafs from the Recôncavo Basin are "Brazil's Dark Treasure", according to the Dona Flor USA website.

With such a unique background and pedigree, I hate to say:  I intensely disliked this cigar.  Maybe it was the Brazilian tobacco, I don't know. The construction was good, but the cigar was mild, bland, grassy, and had a bad aftertaste.  I remarked when I was smoking that it was no better than a $1 Boardwalk cigar, which is really only acceptable if you don't care whether you finish.