Cigar Info
La Aurora is celebrated 110 years back in 2013 with two anniversary releases. Calling back to the first cigars made in the Dominican Republic by the company, the company released Corojo and Cameroon blends that honor the first in its portfolio. Both blends use Nicaraguan and Dominican filler tobaccos (including some Piloto Cubano), and both are bunched with an Ecuadoran Sumatra binder. But the Cameroon Edition has a Cameroon wrapper leaf, and a different set of vitolas.
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
The La Aurora company we know today started out in 1903 under Eduardo León Jimenes three rollers working out of a small town located between Santiago and Tamboril. They now produce as many as 10 million cigars each year. The limited edition smokes are medium-bodied, a bit of a contrast to the overall trend toward fuller-bodied smokes over the last few years. The Cameroon comes in 5 by 38 Corona, 5 by 50 Robusto, 6 1/4 by 52 Belicoso, 7 by 50 Churchill, and a tubed Sublimes at 5 by 38. The Corojo comes in a 5 1/4 by 43 No, 4, a 5 by 50 Robusto, a 6 1/2 by 50 Gran Corona, a 7 1/2 by 50 Double Corona and a Belicoso at 6 1/4 by 52. This cigar is value priced with a range of $5.00 and $6.80.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Lonsdale
Length: 6.5″
Ring Gauge: 41
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Nicaragua and Dominican Republic
Factory: La Aurora S.A.
Blender: Manuel Inoa
Number of reviewers: 5 – Matthew T. (A Huge Nerd) Jason H. (Jokey Smurf) Gregg (McGreggor57) Matt C. (Big Matt) Ashley C. (Ashley C.)
Price: $5.00
Age: 2 Months
Release Date: August 2013
Contributed by: Blind Man’s Puff
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 88
“This lancero has a very rustic feel. Pretty veiny and the seam was very visible with a few soft spots. A nice medium brown color.” –Ashley C. (Ashley C.)
Aroma: 93
“This cigar has an aroma that just dares you to smoke it! It is slightly spicy, yet sweet at the same time. Really nice!” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
First Third
Flavor: 89
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“The first few puffs from this cigar have flavors of spicy black pepper, with pepper on the retrohale, and a pepper finish. Now, I’m no scientist, but I detect a pattern here. Plenty of smoke output finally starts to deliver some variety later in the first third. This variety comes with flavors of cinnamon, aged tobacco, and a sour leather finish.” –Matthew T. (A Huge Nerd)
“This cigar has really started off on the right foot. The smoke is heavy and savory, bursting with flavors of creamy leather, and just a hint of salty cashew. The retrohale has a hint of pepper, but just a hint, making the retrohale easy and enhancing the leather notes.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
Second Third
Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“The return of some spice transitions the oak to cedar and creates just a bit of harshness. Thankfully the leather increases and helps create a better mix of flavors. Assorted baking spices remain on the finish.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
“In the second third, the strength and body progresses to the medium tier and I doubt the strength will move much further, which is nice as the body of the cigar continues to ramp up and tackle the mouthfeel and my damn taste buds. The retro is a damn creamy tobacco and is still proving to be very aromatic and floral. Cedar is now easily detected on the exhale/palate with the bread and grass. The burn is excellent. Grass and hay take a backseat on the cigars profile in this third.” –Matt C. (Big Matt)
Final Third
Flavor: 92
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“The cigar seems to be settling in. Oak, cedar and leather with baking spices on the finish provide a nice ending to this smoke. The balance of flavors is very good. I only wish this transformation happened earlier.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
“For me right at the start of the final third is when I felt a little bit of a spice kick on the retrohale. By the end of the final third the cigar mellowed back out to that slightly sweet nutty finish.” –Ashley C. (Ashley C.)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 92
“I find the draw for this vitola to be hit or miss. This one, however, was spot on.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
Burn: 93
“The burned started off a little wonky in the beginning but quickly corrected. No relight needed.” –Ashley C. (Ashley C.)
Construction: 91
“My sample wasn’t the best looking cigar but it was good, as this premium cigars offering gave me no complaints.” –Matt C. (Big Matt)
Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium
Experience Overall: 89
“This vitola is right in my wheelhouse, so I was hoping for more. In the end, I just can’t recommend this cigar. The sour notes were too much for a flavor profile that was already simplistic and lacking depth. It was not memorable, and I doubt I would ever reach for this one again.” –Matthew T. (A Huge Nerd)
“Ok…I like lonsdale and Lancero cigars but this was a very good cigar. It had depth of flavor and was very interesting. Construction was excellent, and the performance was really exemplary. I will gladly recommend this to anyone who is ready to move from mild to medium. Now to find out what it is so I can buy a box!” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
“I think the intense pepper of the first third numbed my palate to some additional flavors and nuances. For the most part I felt the balance was off and a bit one dimensional. During the final third everything came together to provide a very tasty smoke.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
“This is a very good cigar in a lonsdale vitola. It started off mild-medium both in the strength and body but easily moved into the medium category in the second third. The Bubble Yum on the retrohale was a first for me and I would like to smoke another to see if it was a fluke or not. This cigar has all the flavors a cigar guy like myself yearn for; copious amounts of cream, bread, grass, hay, dianthus flowering plants, molasses, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon annnnd cedar. ‘Nuff said.” –Matt C. (Big Matt)
“This would be a cigar that I would be willing to smoke again. I think this is a cigar I could potentially enjoy with my morning coffee.” –Ashley C. (Ashley C.)
Smoking Time (in minutes): 69
|
Reviewer
|
Appearance
|
Aroma
|
1/3
|
2/3
|
3/3
|
Draw
|
Burn
|
Constr.
|
Overall
Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew T. | 85 | 85 | 85 | 88 | 85 | 83 | 90 | 83 | 85 |
| Jason H. | 95 | 97 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 95 | 92 | 97 |
| Gregg | 85 | 90 | 88 | 88 | 90 | 92 | 95 | 90 | 88 |
| Matt C. | 87 | 90 | 88 | 90 | 90 | 95 | 90 | 88 | 90 |
| Ashley C. | 92 | 95 | 92 | 92 | 95 | 88 | 92 | 92 | 95 |
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.