Pre-light Experience

There are some color variations and mottling on the wrapper that take the color from a medium brown to a shade darker. The veins are pretty well hidden by the color variations and the seams would be invisible if not for the same thing as they are so smooth. The caps are mostly applied very smoothly with the final cap having some wrinkles. There are two bands on this cigar, the main is the traditional La Aurora band while the second strip band designates that this is the Corojo wrapped offering. The aroma from the wrapper is a light sweet hay. The foot aroma is a much sweeter hay. The pre-light draw brings more sweet hay and a bit of red pepper. There is also a fairly intense red pepper tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The La Aurora 1962 Corojo Robusto has a silky smooth, medium brown wrapper. There are quite a few major veins protruding. The seams are tight and invisible. One major soft spot is felt roughly 2 inches in. The head is finished off with a wavy double cap. Pre-light wrapper aroma gives slight barnyard and cardboard. Foot aromas consist of white pepper spice, dry nuts and cedar. Cold draw tells white pepper zing, cedar and dry cardboard.

First Third

Initial draws bring a sweet and spicy cedar. After a few draws, the sweetness and spiciness fade away and are replaced by some black pepper that mixes with the cedar. A quarter inch in, some cream comes into the mix which tones down the black pepper a bit. Three quarters of an inch in, the creamy cedar and black pepper create a very nice mixture. The retrohale carries some cedar and a red pepper zing. At an inch and a quarter, the black pepper fades out leaving a slightly creamy cedar. The retrohale is an even creamier cedar. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

From first draw, the Dominican Corojo delivers full force, deep and rich dry white pepper spice. The spice leaves a thick coating of oily pepper zing on my entire tongue. In addition, distinctive notes of charred wood and bread. Half inch in, a nice medium bodied sweet cream enters the profile, thankfully combating with the powerful spice. Through the nose, thick and nose stinging white pepper spice and bread. The finish lingers with charred wood, pepper zing and seeded jalapeno like spiciness (the kind that’s spicy but still able to taste flavors). Strength starts out medium but only a half inch in, ramps up to a medium full, giving me a cloudy head. Body is at a consistent medium throughout the entire first third.

Second Third

As the third begins, the cream increases again to even out with the cedar. The retrohale is creamy cedar as well but has a little bit of pepper with it. A half inch in, the creamy cedar becomes fuller with a little bit of black pepper on the finish. At three quarters of an inch in, the pepper goes away and some mustiness comes in to mix with the creamy cedar. At an inch and a quarter, some pepper comes back and is really only on the finish. The mustiness has increased a bit while the cream has decreased some. As the third finishes, the mustiness drops back and the pepper and cream goes away just leaving cedar. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

The second third is essentially a mixture of the first third in various intensity levels. The oily pepper dies down (but still a dominant note) allowing the bread and charred wood to move up front. There is still a tasty medium bodied sweet cream, thankfully combating the powerful spice. Through the retrohale, still thick and nose stinging white pepper spice and bread. The finish lingers with cedar, oily pepper zing, and jalapeno like spiciness. Body continues to be medium. Strength is moving towards full, but still more towards the medium full mark.

Final Third

As this third begins, the cedar picks up a slight spice. A quarter inch in, some mintiness joins in as well as a decent spice being felt on my lips. Half an inch in, the mintiness ramps up while the cedar is in the background. The retrohale is a musty cedar. At an inch in, the mintiness dials way back and the cedar comes back up front. This is how the cigar finishes. The strength in this third was medium-full.

Final Third

The last third mimics the second third in every way aside from the strength. The strength is now full, making me want to reach for sugar to tame my numb state of mind and body. Still notes of oily pepper zing, bread and charred wood. Through the nose, still thick and nose stinging white pepper spice and bread. The finish continuously lingers with cedar, oily pepper zing, jalapeno like spice levels and cedar. Body is still at the medium level.

Burn

The burn was very good. A slight wave here and there, but always caught itself back up. The ash held on in inch and a half segments.

Burn

The burn was good. Total smoking time clocked in at a great 2 hours and 40 minutes. The ash was flaky at all times but never falling on me or the floor. Ash marks averaged 1.5 inches. The cigar burned nice and slow for the first two thirds, but unfortunately burned fairly hot within the last third.

Draw

The draw was pretty snug the entire time and is probably the cause for the extreme mintiness and strength increase in the final third.

Overall

This is a really good, budget friendly cigar. While price doesn’t factor in to our scoring, it is worth noting. The flavors in the first third were very good, then dialed back a bit in each third, probably due to the snug draw. This would be approachable to any level smoker and some may find it as an ideal daily smoke. I’d love to try this again, hoping for a better draw where it would rate even higher. I definitely recommend that you give one a try to see if it would be a good addition to your rotation.

Draw

The draw was a tad on the loose side of the spectrum, but was still very good. I had no issues tasting all the notes of the cigar.

Overall

This is a heater! A rich and powerful Dominican Corojo that will make any full strength lover salivate. I wish the wood and sweetness was more prominent to combat with the spice levels. The spice and strength was a bit too much, at times over-shadowing the non-spice notes. I’m looking forward to giving this cigar age so that hopefully the cigar melds together and will provide more of a harmonious smoking experience.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.60

Cost/Point

$0.83

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.87

Cost/Point

$0.80

Scoring System