Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a very light golden brown with some slightly darker marbling near the head. A couple of visible veins, but the seams require quite a bit of focus to find as they are very well blended and smooth. The head is finished off with a well applied triple cap. There are two bands, the primary being the standard La Aurora band with the secondary being a strip band denoting the Connecticut line. The aroma from the wrapper is a very sweet mix of hay and tobacco with a bit of leather in the background. The foot gives a combination of sweet tobacco and leather. The pre-light draw brings a very creamy leather with a slight spice.

Pre-light Experience

The La Aurora 1987 Connecticut Robusto has a no frills no thrills Connecticut shade wrapper. The wrapper looks slightly dull with minor traces of oil content. Major veins are well pressed and seams tight but visible. Bunch and roll is done well as there is a uniformed give throughout without any soft spots. The head is finished off with a thick double cap. Nosing the wrapper tells namely hay and cedar. Nosing the foot gives a mixture of inviting black pepper spice and mixed nuts. Cold draw is spot on with the wrapper smell, giving the same cedar and hay notes.

First Third

The cigar begins with a slightly dry and also slightly spicy cedar. At a quarter inch in, some cream joins the profile which ends the cedar’s dryness. At an inch in, the creamy and spicy cedar continues. The retrohale is a slightly toasty general wood note. As the third comes to a close, the cedar transitions to a general wood note and still carries some cream and spice. Even with some cream present, the profile becomes slightly drying again. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.

First Third

First third has familiar and traditional flavors of a Connecticut shade cigar with notes of hay, cedar, roasted nuttiness and wood bitterness. Within two samples I smoked, both had a very loose draw, in which when the pull was too hard, the bitterness increased exponentially. Retrohaling introduces black pepper spice and deeper notes of roasted nuttiness. The finish is medium in length with a tapered wood bitterness and mixed nuts. Strength and body is right at medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the general wood note and cream continues while the slight spiciness has gone away. There is also a bit of sweetness present on the very beginning of the draws. At a half inch in, the sweetness is gone and the profile is just a slightly creamy wood note. At an inch in, the profile is a bit dry again and the retrohale carries just the wood note. As the cigar comes to a close, a slight bitterness joins the wood while the cream disappears. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

Second third’s profile becomes nuttier and creamier, highlighting roasted and creamy mixed nuts. The profile also has the same hay and cedar notes but the wood bitterness takes a drop back. Retrohaling gives the same black pepper spice and deeper roasted nuttiness. The finish is also the same with tapered wood bitterness and mixed nuts. Strength and body is still at a consistent medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the bitterness goes away as the general wood note continues and a slight mintiness joins the profile. At a quarter inch in, the mintiness transitions back to bitterness. At half an inch in, some cream rejoins the wood which pushes the bitterness out. At an inch in, the creamy wood is very smooth. The retrohale carries a bit of warmth to the creamy wood note. The cigar finishes out with the same smooth, creamy wood note. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Final Third

Last third mimics the second third. Still a dominantly creamy and nutty profile with good hay and cedar backing. Towards the middle of the last third, the cigar picks up a dry dirt earthiness. Retrohaling is still full of deeper roasted nuttiness and welcoming black pepper. The finish is still medium in length with mixed nuts and slight wood bitterness. Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn line was just slightly wavy but always kept up with itself. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.

Burn

Burn performance was good. Two minor touch-ups required within the first third were the only true mark downs. Aside from that, fairly sturdy ash, relatively even burn and average smoking time of 1 hour.

Draw

The draw was just slightly looser than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

I would label this cigar as a typical Connecticut offering. Nothing fancy and nothing bad about it. Bitterness did pop up from time to time, but the profile always got back on track pretty quickly and gave a primarily woody profile with some cream at times. Performance was very good, so nothing to take your attention away from just enjoying the flavors the cigar provides. If you like the typical Connecticut profile, this is something to check out as the price point is fantastic. For me, I look for a bit more flavor, so I’m not sure I would seek this out, but would gladly smoke one if handed to me.

Draw

The draw was a let down. Having to control the pulls from the very loose draw affected the flavors quite a bit, especially within the first third, quickly making the cigar overwhelmingly bitter.

Overall

It’s been a while since I have been disappointed by a cigar’s flavor profile due to its draw issues. When I took delicate and slow baby pulls, the cigar smoked fine, but the fact I had to nurse it so much was quite a let down. Aside from that, the cigar has a traditional style of Connecticut shade notes and is an easy going smoke especially in the morning or a hot summer day. Hoping Aaron did not have the same draw issues as I did.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.67

Cost/Point

$0.97

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.40

Cost/Point

$1.02

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: La Aurora 1987 Connecticut Robusto