The Good Stuff: La Aurora’s 107 has been a long time coming and I for one, didn’t know if we would ever see the cigar reach final release. The original 107 made it’s debut in 2010 (Check out my review of the Robusto here and Daniel’s review of the Corona here). Shortly after there were mumblings around the cigar community that a 107 Maduro was in the works. About a year later the cigar scene got looks via various social media accounts of the 107 Maduro. Something held up production though and these cigars are just now about to hit the market. This just goes to show the detail in Miami Cigars’ / La Aurora’s process. The cigar took so long to hit the shelves because they were dead-set on how they wanted the blend to turn out and weren’t quite reaching their desired dream. Either way,  we are just glad that this blend has been finalized and will be finding it’s way onto shelves, and into our hands soon. La Aurora 107 Maduro starts out with a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper placed around a Dominican Corojo binder filled with Dominican and Nicaraguan Tobacco. The 107 Maduro was first released in limited quantity last year to TAA members at the TAA convention, but will be released to the public this year at the annual IPCPR show in Las Vegas. The 107 Maduro will come in 4 sizes: Robusto 4.5 x 50, Corona 5.5 x 43, Toro 5.5 x 54, and the Belicoso 6.25 x 52 with a price range about about $6 to $8 depending on the format. Barry from Miami Cigar Company hooked me up with a few samples for review.
Size: 4.5 x 50
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Dominican Corojo
Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan
Body: Medium/Full
Strength: Medium
Price: ~$6
Pairing: New Belgium Dig (American Pale Ale 5.6% ABV)

Prelight: The 107 Maduro starts out with a crazy dark wrapper. You can see from some of my photos that it’s almost as dark as the black table I took them on. The wrapper is beautiful sporting an extremely dark drown wrapper with a reddish hint, and some black webbing throughout the leaf. The wrapper feels really tough, and really firm as it leads up to the round double cap. The construction on these samples are flawless and each cigar only showcases one or two small veins. The cigar itself is very firm and seems to be packed very tightly with tobacco. I really enjoy this format. Love them smaller ring gauges.

The wrapper gives off a very sweet chocolate and tobacco aroma with just a hint of spice white the foot has a much more earthy, tobacco aroma with lots of sweetness. The cap cut VERY easily using my Palio double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces massive amount of sweetness and chocolate with just a bit of spice at the end.

First Smoke: La Aurora’s 107 Maduro starts off with loads of spice, some light black pepper, crazy amounts of sweetness and chocolate with a nice earthy finish. As the spice began to drop and the pepper began to fade out a really nice cedar began to appear in the profile. I wasn’t expecting such a flavor-bomb so early into this cigar and it definitely caught my by surprise. The 107 Maduro not only kicks out a ton of thick, stationary smoke but it also fills your mouth with so much dense smoke from each and every little draw you take. I was scared that it was packed too tightly and would produce a tight draw, but it’s just the opposite. The burnline is dead even and razor-sharp leaving behind a very thick, tightly compacted white and light grey ash.

Halfway There: A lot of the flavors dropped from La Aurora’s 107 Maduro into the second third while others became stronger. The cedar and chocolate are now the main flavors in the mix with some nice sweetness and earthiness while the spice and pepper have removed themselves from the profile. The experience is starting to balance out more creating a very creamy experience. The retrohale is BANGIN’ coating my nasal passage with a very strong, very sweet cedar and spice. I could retrohale this baby all day! The burnline is still flawless as I close out the second third and I am feeling absolutely no nicotine at this point.

Finish:  La Aurora’s 107 Maduro has kept me on my toes so far with some great change-ups and the final third keeps with the same theme. The cigar is burning straight chocolate now with lots of sweetness and an earthy/cedar finish. The flavors haven’t necessarily changed up, but the depth in the flavors had making for an interesting experience. The strength in the cigar has ramped up slightly, but didn’t finish over medium as I am feeling no nicotine as a nub it. There is no harshness but he cigar is burning a bit hot as I take it into the final inch. This cigar burned pretty slow lasting for about an hour and a half from start to finish. The burn was excellent needing no touch-ups or relights the entire experience.

Overview: I’ll be the first to say that it was worth the wait. I wasn’t sure if we’d ever really see La Aurora’s 107 Maduro out in the wild and I am glad that Miami cigar took it upon themselves to make sure the blend was exactly what they wanted before they released it. It’s a dynamite cigar with a bold, yet creamy experience. I really loved all the sweetness and the sizes this cigar is offered in. I’m a sucker for smaller ring gauges. It’s really hard to compare these to the 107 natural. The two cigars seem to be very different in experience while both delivering very sweet, very smooth experiences. It would be hard for me to pick one between the two as well, but given the 107 Lancero natural was so great I would probably reach for that size/blend first. This would depend on the situation of course cause I think the maduro would stand well after a mean, later in the evening, or during a herf with multiple cigars.

To Sum it up: The 107 Maduro is a great cigar for both the novice and the seasoned cigar smoker. The cigar has great depth, lots of sweetness while not being too strong or complex. I would definitely smoke these again and I would buy these again, and due to the price I think this is an ideal box purchase to have in just about anyone’s everyday rotation.

Pairing: Today I reached for a great summertime/spring seasonal beer that differs from your run of the mill light seasonal. New Belgium’s Dig is a new take on the classic American Pale Ale. Brewed at the New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado this Pale Ale is coated with a malty, caramel profile which brings the flavor experience up to a whole new level. Take the malt and caramel, add some sweetness, citrus and hops and you have dig. This zesty, sweet Ale comes in at 5.6% ABV and is the perfect summertime beer. Not only is it perfect for the weather but the balance of the sweetness and flavors makes it a perfect match for almost any sweet cigar. Since it’s not packed with hops it doesn’t easily overpower a cigar. In the case of the 107 Maduro I was actually more concerned with the cigar overpowering the beer but nothing of the sort happened as the flavors blended in perfectly with one another.

The post La Aurora 107 Maduro Cigar Review appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Now let me clarify something, I don’t mean “Average Joe” as in you are not special(I’m sure you’re all special…). I’m more referring to availability to the average person. As you run through Tony’s Top Cigars of 2012, many of them are still very new and haven’t hit some of the far reaching markets, especially not up here in Canada. They will roll out slowly to more shops but some may never make it to local B&M’s. Most of the cigars in my list below are pretty easily available nationwide, with a couple small exceptions, and they have nothing to do with release dates. It’s obviously biased to what’s easily available to me but I think my situation will mimic a lot of our friends out there.

As Tony mentioned in his post, this list is completely home-spun, written for the enjoyment of it, and I by no means consider myself any sort of expert smoker or expert shopper. Everyone’s opinion will vary and these might not be what you expect to see. But I’d love to hear your thoughts, let’s have some fun with this one!

#10 – My Father Le Bijou 1922

I had a bit of a tough time squeezing this cigar into this list, and I have a couple reasons for that. Firstly is the price, most of the vitolas are at or over the $10 range which makes them a little too pricey for most. The savior here is that you can grab the tasty little Petit Robusto for a much fairer price. My second concern was availability, they seem to be available in a lot of stores but also sell out quickly and are slower to re-stock to due the lower yield they have. But this is a cigar I’m constantly looking for, I don’t always buy it because of the price but when I see a sale or a package deal, I’m quick to throw one of these in there. The intense espresso flavors are almost enough for me to want this cigar, but it also gives great cedar, spice and cocoa all backed by a smooth and creamy finish. It’s an all around great cigar and will always be on my shopping list.

My Father Le Bijou 1922 Toro Review
My Father Le Bijou 1922 Box Pressed Torpedo Quick Draw

#9 – Padilla La Terraza Capa Habano

Now this is a cigar I honestly stumbled into by accident. I found it on sale, read a couple decent reviews and opted to grab a whole box for a steal of a deal. And I’m really glad I did! For the price of only about $2 that you can find these, the cigar is spot on and burns very nicely. You will find some woodsy, almond and coffee flavors here, perhaps a bit of a menthol kick at the start as well. All in a nice smooth medium bodied cigar. Just make sure to get the Habano version as the general consensus is that the Maduro just doesn’t match up.

Padilla La Terraza Capa Habano Quick Draw

#8 – Maldonado Dynasty “The Mogul”

This is a name you’ve probably seen pop up on our site before. Paul, leader of the Maldonado Dynasty, has been a great supporter and friend of Casas Fumando but that doesn’t mean we take his cigars lightly. I’ve been lucky enough to smoke through a whole bunch of these cigars, including some pre-release, first release and even a bunch from a fresh batch I received a few weeks ago. Paul is constantly working to make things better and it shows in his cigars. The quality of the sticks continues to rise while the flavors continue to impress. You can expect a silky medium-full bodied cigar with lots of coffee, cocoa, dried fruit and nutmeg flavors that will keep you on your toes. The availability of these is still a bit limited so it was a tough choice for me to add to this list, but if you don’t mind getting them shipped you can definitely find a place to buy these.

Maldonado Dynasty “The Mogul” Review

#7 – Perdomo Champagne Noir

I’ve always been a pretty big fan of Perdomo, they constantly impress me with top-notch construction on all of their sticks. It’s been rare for me to run into burn issues on their cigars and all of their sticks come in at fair prices. This is a definite commitment to quality that I can appreciate. Typically, Perdomo’s don’t make many top 10 lists because they don’t tend to be in the trendy boutique sphere and also don’t do anything too crazy. They seem to stick to their roots and just keep producing good cigars. I was a fan of the 10th Anniversary Champagne and when I heard about the Champagne Noir, I jumped to try it. I was happily greeted by a delicate mixture of baking spices, cedar, espresso and roasted almonds. Not to mention this was probably one of the slowest burning cigars I have ever lit up. The standard Toro size flew past 2 hours easily, normally I burn through a toro in under 1.5 hours.

Perdomo Champagne Noir Review

#6 – La Aurora 107

It’s been quite a while since this cigar was released but I still find myself seeking them out. The flavors never cease to impress and they usually come in at a very fair price, especially if you find them on sale. There is a wide range of vitolas in this line for everyone. Every time I light one of these up I know I’m going to get an amazing mix of cedar, light spices and some fruity sweetness. These are available just about everywhere so if you’ve been skipping them over recently cause they aren’t all new and trendy, I think it’s time to re-visit this stick!

La Aurora 107 Corona Review
La Aurora 107 Robusto Review

#5 – Padron 2000 & Londres

I think most everyone knows about this cigar and has probably had one at one time or another. I know I discovered these long ago when I first started smoking cigars. The prices on these are right in the sweet spot of most consumers and they are very widely available. The whole line is very good but I always tend towards the 2000 and Londres. Both the Maduro’s and Naturals seem to be pretty similar in the flavor department and you can expect to find lots of coffee and cocoa making this one tasty cigar!

Padron 2000 Review

#4 – Illusione 888 & 88

I couldn’t decide on which one of these I enjoy more so I decided to group them together since they are pretty similar in my eyes. The ~88~ and ~888~ are staples in my humidor. I know the prices are a bit high but the flavors and construction on these definitely make them worth my while. When you spark up one of these you can expect to find lots of earthy and cedar notes, but the two real winners here for me are the tarty sweet notes near the end and the amazing smooth creamy retrohale that they offer. If you haven’t tried one of these yet, make sure to pick some up! I added the link to our “~888~ Slam” here, the flavors were very similar to the regular ~888~ but I liked the vitola a little more just because it was more comfortable to hold, but both are winners.

Illusione ~88~ Review
Illusione ~888~ Slam Review

#3 – Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial

The first time I had one of these it was sent to me by Tony and I was just blown away by the awesome flavors and construction. I mean who can complain, almost all the cigars out of the My Father factory are top notch. What really caught my attention and keeps me smoking these is the price they come in. For a premium cigar with some awesome flavors and constuctio, the price is amazing. They are also very widely available which can’t be said for all the My Father products. If you like a solid medium bodied stick with awesome flavors such as spice, cedar, espresso and cocoa, you will love this stick.

Jamie Garcia Reserva Especial Review

#2 – Montecristo No. 2 (Cuban)

I know, I know, this is not an easy one for most of our American friends to track down. But it constantly tops my list and many others as one of the best value for a premium cigar you can find. With the right connections, you can get these for under $8 per stick. They have tons of good flavors ranging from coffee to cedar to earthy to creamy, it’s just so good. They do benefit from a bit of time resting but are easily smokable fresh too, you just won’t get some of the more delicate flavors.

Montecristo No. 2 2010 Review
Montecristo No. 2 2008 Joint Review

#1 – Drew Estate Undercrown

If you’ve been keeping an eye on my twitter feed or the Facebook page, you would have seen quite a few of these pop up over the course of the last year. The meaty and balanced flavors of espresso and spices in the Undercrown just seem to hit the spot everytime. Add on some excellent construction and spot on consistency, and this is a winner. I’m also a fan of the T52 and No.9 but I’ve had a lot more luck tracking down the Undercrowns and their price is also much more digestible as a more frequent cigar. I also love the wrapper on this cigar, it’s so dark and has a ton of toothiness and roughness to it, definitely some eye candy in the cigar world. As I write this I realize I’m running low on them and need to order another box… lol

Drew Estate Undercrown Review

There are tons more great sticks I could go into that are easily available, these are just a few that I’ve been smoking or wanting to smoke this past year. And this list could change completely in the next 6 months so take it for what it is and enjoy. If you have a couple that are on your constant shopping list and have been heavy hitters this year, let me know in the comments!

The post Casas Fumando “Average Joe” Top 10 of 2012 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

“Carlito’s Way”

A nice looking lancero with a Cubanesque construction. There’s are plenty of bumps and veins along the length of this cigar and it’s quite soft when squeezed. The wrapper gave off a nice aroma of cedar and the foot added a bit of fruity tartness to the mix. The cap clipped off cleanly with my double bladed guillotine cutter and a small single flame torch gave me a nice even toasting.
The initial draws brought with it a good helping of cedar with a nice side-note of spice. Perhaps a raw nutmeg? The tartness is still around but it comes and goes between draws. The smoke is nice and full and so far the cigar is burning at a comfortably slow pace. The body starts off in the low medium range and the retrohale has a light spice bite with a cedar finish.
As I smoke this I just read a previous blind review of the 107 lancero I sent someone and I can’t help but think this tastes very similar. I should know since I’ve smoked so many 107’s but I feel this has something different in the mix. Or maybe I’m just psyching myself out?
The spice and cedar seem to be the primary flavors here going into the halfway point, they are balanced well and have a smooth finish. Pretty sure this is not a 107 anymore since I’m not getting any more of the tartness I’m used to from them. Perhaps a DPG Lancero? We’ll see if the spice kicks up a notch in the last half. Ash in moving along nicely, staying tight and clean before being tapped off into the ashtray after an inch or so.
Heading into the last third the body has built up a bit and the spice is developing as well as some nice roasted coffee and nutty flavors. Heading for a nice finish with no burn problems at all. Bite on the retrohale picked up a bit too!
Spice and body definitely ramped up in the last 1.5 inches making me think even more that this could be a DPG stick. No harshness and still a nice balanced smoke. This is definitely not Cuban with this intense spice, or at least not one I’ve ever had. Perhaps maybe even an Arturo Fuente? Let’s crack this envelope open and see…

Reveal: La Aurora 100 Anos Lancero

Post-Reveal Notes: Totally confused me yet again! I’ve only had a couple 100 Anos and I forgot they had a nice spicy kick to them. I guess I was on the right lines with the La Aurora brand and I threw that idea to the gutter too early! lol Yet another reason why I continue to enjoy La Aurora’s, even blind their sticks continue to impress me! This vitola was on my shopping list for sometime in the future and I’m glad I got to try it!

“The Untouchables”

A nice dark wrapper surrounds this lancero vitola cigar with quite a few bumps and veins. It’s got a very soft feeling near the foot but gets a little more firm at the halfway mark. The cap clips cleanly off and the pre-light draw brings with it lots of cedar and a good helping of peppery spice.
Initial draws bring more cedar but less pepper than the pre-light. At this point I have no clue what I’m smoking…
The cigar is starting off on the high side of mild bodied and burning even and slow. Just the way I like it! I started to get a bit of coffee flavors after about an inch which balanced out the profile even more and made it very tasty. A little bit of leather also mixing in with the existing flavors and so far very enjoyable through the first half. Ash is lasting about and inch and falling off into the ashtray by itself. The retrohale has a nice little bite and a smooth cedar finish.
I’m getting a bit of a funky burn a little past the halfway mark that was quickly fixed with a touch up from my lighter. The flavors are starting to intensify into the last third, more roasted coffee and cedar with a little more spice into the mix, almost a spicy paprika type here. The flavors are definitely keeping me interested and on my toes.
Body built up a bit more as well as a bit more spice and coffee into the nub. A tiny bit of harshness but not off-putting. It did get really soft and hot near the nub but all in all, a good finish. Still no clue what this is…

Reveal: Don Lino Africa

Post-Reveal Notes: This was a very interesting cigar and one that has actually never been on my radar. I’ve seen people post about it on various social media sites or blogs, but I never read much into it. This is the beauty of these blind reviews, they really open your eyes to brands you may have never even considered.

Just to wrap up these reviews, it was yet another successful and fun blind tasting for me and I’m very glad I participated. I hope you enjoyed reading these and seems we get a lot of good feedback from these types of reviews so be assured you will see more in the future!

The post Mobster Movie Themed Mystery Cigar Roundup – Part 2 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

#10 – Tatuaje – Tabacos El Triunfador

Recent blends by Pete Johnson and Don Pepin have all been successful. This particular one may have fallen off peoples radars since it was released earlier this year. The cigar offers a sweet and nutty mild-bodied smoke that is accented with some cedar and subtle spices all wrapped in a gorgeous looking package. They do smoke a bit fast but the experience is very enjoyable.

View the full review here

#9 – Padron – Family Reserve 46 Years

Padron is a company who continuously rocks the cigar community with top rated blend, after blend and 2010 was no exception. The Padron Family Reserve 46 years is the newest extension to the Reserve line, and it a flawless addition indeed. From the awesome box-press vitola, to the deep cedar flavors the 46 year will be making the ranks of top cigars of 2010 lists everywhere. Although we loved the hell out of this cigar, the price tag was just a little too steep to put this cigar higher in the list.

View the full review here

#8 – Casa Fernandez – Aganorsa Leaf

This is a well constructed cigar from Casa Fernandez that packs itself with a fair bit of full body. The cigar is well balanced and plays mainly on some peppery spices and cedar notes but mixes in some coffee, nutty, and leather flavors to keep it interesting right down the nub.

View the full review here

#7 – CAO – La Traviata Maduro

CAO had a big hit with its well priced La Traviata and the Maduro wrapped version of that cigar did not disappoint. With the same favorable price range, this blend maintains its tasty flavors of spice and cedar, the full body, it’s perfect balance and consistency while adding a nice chocolate and coffee sweetness that the Maduro wrapper offers up.

View the full review here

#6 – My Father Cigars – Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial

Great blending seems to run in the family, this offering from Don Pepin Gracias’ son, Jaime, is a beautifully constructed cigar. It has an oily dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, kicks off with a typical Pepin spice and pepper and is complimented with nuances of coffee, cocoa and cedar. The smooth and balanced cigar offers a fantastic medium to full smoke, take you time and enjoy it!

View the full review here

#5 – La Aurora – Serie Anniversario 107

Miami Cigar has turned out a lot of great cigars this year and the 107 is a very tasty smoke that generated a lot of buzz in the online community. Although released earlier this year, a lancero vitola was made available later in the year which is another great way to experience this line. It’s sweet and fruity flavors are complimented by a smooth spice that offers a great balance in a medium bodied cigar.

View the full review here of the Corona or here of the Robusto.

#4 – Illusione – Singulare Phantom

One of our favorite manufacturer’s really stepped their game up this year producing his first limited release to date. Dion Giolito of Illusione cigars raised the bar (and my future expectations) when it comes to quality when he released this year’s Singulare series “The Phantom”. The Phantom is a milder blend jam packed with sweet tobacco, honey, and creamy earth flavors resulting in an all around stellar smoking experience.

View the full review here

#3 – AVO – Limited Edition 2010

AVO is known for their milder take on cigar blending, but they really stepped out of their comfort zone when they created the LE10. Knocking it out of the ballpark with a strong mix of Ecuadorian, Mexican, and Nicaraguan tobaccos which, when mixed properly produce a flavor bomb full of just enough body to cure all your cravings. The only con to this cigar is the fact that it’s so limited.

View the full review here

#2 Drew Estate – Liga Privada Unicos Series Dirty Rat

Drew Estate does it again with another remarkable addition to the Liga Privada line. The Dirty Rat satisfies not only the boldest of cigar smoker’s needs, but the complex cedar, earthy, cocoa notes wrapped up into a tiny little corona sized package are enough to make any smoker fall in love at first draw.

View the full review here

#1 Miami Cigars – La Sirena 

Photo Courtesy of Jackie at Bonita Smoke Shop

Miami Cigar’s La Sirena came out of nowhere and blind-sided the cigar community with a late start this year. We can personally say that we didn’t expect the diamond of a cigar that the La Sirena is, but I won’t be surprised to see this cigar at the top of most, if not all the lists this year. Pepin puts forth a fruity, coffee, sweet tobacco, and spicy blend all in a full body package. Who could ask for more?

We know, we know, this is the ONLY cigar in our top 10 that we do not have a review for. But Trust us, as soon as we get my hands on more (we were too busy “enjoying” them)

Honorable Mentions

Cuban Cohiba Behike
Although it didn’t make the top 10, we still think the Cuban Cohiba Behike should be mentioned. This is an absolutely amazing cigar. From the construction, to the flavorful and attention grabbing blend, the Behike stands alone. The only factor keeping it out of the race was the price. At $40 – $80 a stick we just couldn’t justify having this cigar top the list

K.A. Kendall’s 7-20-4 Dogwalker
This cigar would definitely have made this list but unfortunately it is not a new line this year, only a new size. The small size packs the same delicious flavors of cedar, subtle spices and a very interesting sweet dried raison, all in a short smoke that can be easily enjoyed on cold days or your drive home.

View the full review of the 7-20-4 here

Tatuaje Petit Reserva & Verocu No. 5
Another two cigars but Pete Johnson that are short quick smokes but pack the flavors of their full sized brothers. There some sweetness, spice, cedar and coffee notes on both of these cigars. I got a little more sweetness on the Verocu No. 5 and a bit more body and spice from the Petit Reserva but both were very tasty!

The post Casas Fumando’s Best of 2010 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The La Aurora factory has recently released this new line called Guillermo Leon. The Leon family business, Grupo Leon Jimenes, has been around for over 100 years and La Aurora is one of the many companies under its umbrella. Guillermo had his hand in creating this blend and was out to create something that is complex and a bit stronger then some of their other offerings but still brings lots of flavor to the table. The Guillermo Leon line is also the first cigar by La Aurora which is made with two binders.

The two binders in this cigar both have a specific purpose. The Cameroon binder offers a smooth sweet creaminess to the blend while the Dominican Corojo offers some spice and strength. The concept is interesting and I’m excited to see how they blend together as I smoke it. The Guillermo Leon line is currently available in Corona, Gran Corona, Belicoso and Gran Toro. They were recently released in mid-October 2010 and should be in your local shop already or arriving very soon. Today’s review will look at Belicoso vitola as I sit outside on a chilly afternoon.

Cigar: Guillermo Leon
Drink: Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Tawny Port (2005)
Vitola: Belicoso (6.25 x 52)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Vuetta Arriba
Binder: Cameroon & Dominican Corojo
Filler: Peru, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Nicaragua
Price: MSRP of about $8.50
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• A soft cinnamon brown colored wrapper holds this cigar together
• The wrapper has some bumpiness to as well as some medium sized veins, none appear to be a potential problem though
• The cigar is firm but springy and consistent the whole way through
• The foot appears fairly well packed but not overly filled
• The cap is amazingly clean, almost impossible to see unless you really examine it
• Cutting was easy and effortless, I started with a small cut and got plenty of draw, so make sure not to over-cut on this vitola
• Got a bit of tar build-up that I commonly see with tapered heads, I cut off a bit more and problem was solved. I think my initial cut was too small

Burn:
• Toasting was a bit slow but still produced a nice evenly glowing foot
• The burn started out by creating a bit of a peninsula but it quickly corrected itself without my help
• Past the half-way mark and I’ve had no issues with the burn
• The cigar stayed lit with very little effort and allowed me to enjoy slowly
• A couple minor corrections were needed near the end

Smoke & Ash:
• First few draws are producing a ton of smoke
• The cigar gives off a moderate amount of resting smoke which gives off a nice cedar aroma
• Ash is a bit wavy and rigid but appears fairly strong
• The color of the ash is a bit on the darker side, leaving alternating lines of light and dark grey
• Ash held on just past an inch before being gently tapped off into the ashtray
• This cigar was a smoke machine the whole way through, never letting down and always producing a nice aroma

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper has a soft cedar aroma on it, very light and pleasant
• The foot has more cedar aroma but is complimented but a fruity sweetness and a touch of spice
• The pre-light draw brings a mixture of interesting spices, I’m getting some pepper, nutmeg and a bit of cloves paired with a smooth cedar
• Initial draws bring more cedar, the same interesting spice mix and now I’m getting a flavor of freshly baked bread, starting out great so far
• The spices are slowly settling down and balancing nicely with the cedar and toasted bread flavors
• The body started in the low end of the medium range and is holding steady so far
• Retrohale is very smooth, there is no bite but has a great creamy finish
• As the cigar progresses near to the half way mark the creaminess from the Cameroon binder starts to become more apparent giving the cigar a very tasty finish
• Past the halfway mark and the spices are coming back a bit, mixing nicely with the new creaminess
• As the cigar progresses I can feel the body ramping up a bit but it’s so smooth you can almost barely tell
• The retrohale has developed a small bite now but still has that great smooth finish
• The flavors balanced excellent right up to the end giving a nice variety but blended into a smooth experience

Final Thoughts:
This cigar was right up my alley, it had a fantastic blend of flavors, body, construction, smoothness and balance. Even before you light it, the Guillermo Leon had a great aroma on it that just drew you right in. The cigar started off with a burst of various spices and the balanced out nicely with the cedar and toasted bread. The finish on this cigar never disappointed. It also never left my palate dry. The sweetness and creaminess from the Cameroon binder and the strength from the Corojo binder really showed through and I think they achieved their goal with this dual binder creation. I enjoyed every bit of this cigar and the flavors changed just enough to keep me interested the whole way through. The MSRP prices fall just below the $10 mark. Some people may see this as a bit high, especially when taxes are mixed in, but I think they are worth their cost. The body may be a bit much for a new smoker but are definitely worth a try. I will be looking for more of these, I’m especially interested in trying the corona vitola. Give them a try and let me know what you think.

Pairings:
I’ve paired Tawny port with a variety of cigars and I always find it pairs best with something that has a bit of body and spice to it. This pairing didn’t disappoint at all. The berry, oaky and tart flavors of the Grahams Late Bottled Vintage Tawny Port from 2005 was just right. The price of the bottle is also very accessible and offers lots of flavors. This is a good starting point if you’re interested in trying out some Tawny Port. Some other good pairings would include scotch, coffee or a dark soda.

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Getting back to my story, Jose sent me an invitation to attend an exclusive seminar he was hosting. I was leaving for my vacation the next morning and hadn’t even packed yet but I couldn’t miss out on the opportunity. Jose took us through the process of how they choose the blends for a cigar and explained a lot of the processes involved as well as what to look for when you are smoking a cigar. Aside from being a great person, he is also very knowledgeable and very willing to share all of his knowledge. It was a wonderful experience and on-top of the exclusive invitation he also gifted me with a few La Aurora cigars, including the one being reviewed today, the yet-to-be release 107 Corona.

The La Aurora 107 was created to commemorate the La Aurora company’s 107 years in business. The factory was opened in 1903 by Don Eduardo León Jimenes near Santiago, Dominican Republic. The company has remained family owned and is now under the watchful eye of Mr. Guillermo León, a fifth-generation León. The factory is also home to León Jimenes line of cigars. You can read more about the company on their main website, http://laaurora.com.do

The La Aurora brand is distributed by Miami Cigar & Company in the United States. Their headquarters is in, you guessed it, Miami, Florida. Miami Cigar represents a variety of brands and has ben happily working with La Aurora for over 20 years. You can read about the press release for the La Aurora 107 on the review that Tony wrote on the La Aurora 107 Robusto. You can also follow Miami Cigar & Company on twitter: @MiamiCigar

The La Aurora 107 is currently available in 3 vitolas, Belicoso, Toro and Robusto. The Corona vitola should be hitting shelves soon so keep your eyes open. The cigar has a nice blend of leaves and promises to be a complex cigar without crossing into the full-bodied category, making it an all-around good smoke for anyone. Check out Tony’s review of the La Aurora 107 Robusto vitola and then compare the notes and see how our opinions differ.

There has also been chatter about a Lancero vitola coming soon for the 107 line although there is no definite timelines. I think this would be a fantastic addition. The Corona size really brought out the lively flavors of the wrapper and I think the Lancero would make them pop even more. Keep your eyes peeled for more information on this…

Cigar: La Aurora Serie Anniversario 107
Drink: Havana Club Silvery Dry Rum on the rocks
Vitola: Corona
Wrapper: Sun Grown Equador
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
Price: Gifted by Jose Blanco (@joseblanco809).
Burn Time: 1.5 Hours

Construction:
• Even diameter throughout the length
• No major veins on the wrapper to be seen
• Has a fair bit of softness and a good spring to it
• Nice and clean triple cap
• Foot looks well packed, one small hole in the center
• Wrapper has a nice golden brown color to it with just a bit of oiliness
• Cut was very clean
• Great draw, just enough resistance
• Band slid off easily with no damage to the wrapper

Burn:
• Toasting was nice and even with no dark spots
• These seem to have great burn, always nice and even with a razor sharp edge
• No need to baby-sit this cigar, allows you to enjoy it nice and slowly with no extra draws
• I did not have to touch-up or purge this cigar at all, a great experience through and through.

Smoke & Ash:
• Lots of smoke right off the bat, fills your mouth nicely
• Moderate amount of resting smoke that has a nice woodsy aroma to it
• Ash appears strong and steady for the most part, no flaking
• Ash fell off nicely into the ashtray just short of an inch, Id say that’s just about perfect for this vitola
• The following ashes continued to fall calmly into the ashtray making this an effortless experience

Tasting Notes:
• Wrapper aroma is fairly woodsy and earthy with a touch of spice
• Foot aroma has some woodsy to it but is dominated by a mix of fruity and citrus notes, very appealing
• Pre-light draw gives flavors of earthiness, woodsiness, spice and a bit of floral
• Initial draws are very woodsy with some slightly spicy undertones
• Each of these that I’ve smoked have had a great retrohale right from the start, it starts with a small bite and a smooth floral finish
• Body has been mostly mild for the first couple of inches
• As I approach the half-way mark a nice spice has begun making it’s appearance and the retrohale is now getting the fruity notes added to the floral notes, a great touch!
• The body is slowly increasing into the medium range as the cigar burns on
• The cigar has been nice and smooth throughout, no dryness or harshness as I approach the last 2 inches
• I’m really enjoying the contrast in flavors between the regular draw and the retrohale, it’s almost like smoking two different cigars
• Nearing the end, I’m picking up a nice tart-like citrus flavor. This is something I didn’t expect so close to the nub, another nice touch
• The body was dancing on the edge of medium-full, making this a perfect smoke for me with lots of flavor
• No real harshness all the way down to the nub and most of the flavors stuck around to the end

Final Thoughts:
Yet another great cigar added to my list and to my must-try recommendations. I found this cigar to have a nice unique flavor profile that I don’t find too often in other cigars. La Aurora has some fairly expensive offerings in it’s inventory, thankfully this is not one of them. The price is very fair actually and you get a great smoke on all levels, multi-dimensional flavor, solid construction, perfect burn and overall wonderful enjoyment. The body was also in the mild-medium range which can make it a great go-to smoke for any time of day and any level experience of smoker. I’ve had the chance to try the Robusto and Toro sizes as well and although they were all enjoyable I found the flavors in the Corona vitola to jump the most. This is another cigar that really gives a great retrohale and I’ve been doing that more often then usual. I think you’ll be missing a fine point to this cigar if you don’t retrohale. Even if you don’t retrohale though, this cigar still has some great flavors throughout.

If you haven’t had the chance to try a La Aurora 107 yet, definitely give it a go. If they don’t have the Corona vitola in stock yet, try one of the other vitolas as they were all top-notch smokes. Thanks again to Jose Blanco ((@joseblanco809)) for giving me the chance to try this great cigar, I will definitely be seeking out more of these in the near future.

Pairings:
I still haven’t stocked up the beer fridge yet so I decided to keep going on with the Havana Club Rum on the rocks. As I mentioned before, it’s a well priced Rum with some good flavors. It actually made a good pairing for the floral and fruity notes in this cigar. I think Port would have also made a great pairing here. Some other suggestions would include coffee, a dark lager or some sweet tea.

The post La Aurora Serie Aniversario 107 Corona appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

I recently got a nice little package from our good friends over at www.toastedfoot.com. If you are unfamiliar with these boys I would strongly urge you to pay them a visit. Great people, with amazing reviews. I actually had the pleasure of doing a review swap with them a few weeks ago. In case you missed it you can find Toasted Foots guest review on Casas Fumando of Ashton’s San Cristobal here, and our reivew on Toasted foot of Drew Estate’s Liga Privada Flying Pig here. Anywho, in that package, amongst tons of other goodies I found a La Aurora Serie Aniversario 107. I have been dying to get my hands on this cigar. Needless to say, I wasted no time firing this one up. Keep in mind I only had one of these sticks and this review will be based solely on this one cigar.

I started to look for some information on this stick and quickly found multiple postings of this press release. I really don’t think I could go more into detail, so I am just going to stick the release in here and get on with it!

The Good Stuff:

MIAMI FL — Miami Cigar & Company, the exclusive distributor for La Aurora brands in the United States, announces the release of the La Aurora Serie 107 Anniversario to mark the company’s 107th year of operation in the Dominican Republic. As part of a year-long campaign to Rediscover La Aurora, 107 retailers across the U-S will be giving away 107 robustos on April 30th. The list of participating retailers can be found at http://rediscoverlaaurora.com.

Miami Cigar president Nestor Miranda says, “We have represented La Aurora for over 20 years and feel this is one of the best cigars they have made so far. We believe so much in the 107 that we are giving cigar smokers the chance to try it for free. All anyone has to do is buy a cigar, any cigar, at one of the participating retailers on April 30 and we’ll give you a free 107.” La Aurora vice president Guillermo Léon adds, “We realize that while our family has been making fine handcrafted cigars for more than a century, some cigar smokers still have not tried our products and others remember when we only made cigars in the mild range. La Aurora has been developing medium to full bodied cigars with full flavor and we want to let people know how we have changed. The Rediscover La Aurora is part of our outreach to those smokers.”

The 107, which uses a Sun Grown Ecuador wrapper over 6 year old fillers and binder from Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, will come in boxes of 21 with a suggested retail price between $6 to $8, plus any local taxes. There will be 3 sizes: Robusto (4.5×50); Toro (5.5×54); and a Belicoso (6.25 x 52). The 107 will only be available at brick and mortar tobacconists.

Prelight: The La Aurora Serie Aniversario 107 is a short, nubby little stick, topped off with a rounded little cap. The wrapper is medium to light brown with little spots and speckles of a darker brown leading up to a darker shade towards the head of the cigar. There are quite a few larger veins running through this 107 that I hope don’t interfere with my burn. As I said, I only have one stick so there won’t be any benefit of a doubt points handed out on this one. The cigar itself is really firm and the wrapper feels very fragile as most Ecuadorian wrappers in my experiences do. The construction is near perfect minus the fact that the cap could have used a bit more attention. It seems as though it was carelessly placed on the head of the cigar and not really nurtured the way it should have been. There are quite a few uneven points, and bumps pushing through the head. The band resembles a similar color palette and design from other La Aurora cigars. It’s even sporting the lions head we have seen pop-up as of late, and a gold ring running the length of the band that carries the words “Serie 107 Aniversario”.  The wrapper smells very sweet with hints of honey, graham cracker, and tobacco while the foot of the cigar gives off more of a oat type smell with a dash of spice. The cap cut off very clean and easily with my Palio double bladed cutter. The cold draw flavors produced from the La Aurora 107 carry more of an oat and grain character with again, just a hint of spice thrown in the mix.

First Smoke: The La Aurora Serie Aniversario 107 lit up with extreme ease under my triple flame butane torch. The first flavors I was able to pick up was just a little bit of up from pepper followed by grain, tobacco, nutmeg, pine, and hay. There was also this awkward bitter taste that only lasted through the first few draws and then diminished. The draw produced by the La Aurora 107 was spot on. The draw was very large, effortless, and produced a mass amount of really thick grey smoke. There isn’t a whole lot of stationary smoke coming off this cigar, but what is produced smells of wood, and straight tobacco. Probably not the most public-friendly smelling cigar. The retro hale is very smooth, and helped me pick up a bit more of the pine and woodsy notes. The burn line is a lot thicker than I expected, but it is burning relatively even leaving behind a dark grey, semi flaky ash. The ash was a bit loose and surprisingly only held on for just short of an inch before giving way.

Halfway There: Now the La Aurora Serie Aniversario 107 is really starting to shine. I was fearful that the oat and grain would be the bland, prominent flavors produced by this stick. Instead, into the second third the woodsy, cedar, honey, sweet tobacco flavors just take off. I’m not sure if it was the apricot infused India Pale Ale beer I paired this cigar with or not, but I am getting a slight hint of lime off the aftertaste. The retro hale is extremely enjoyable at this point. Outside of the great flavor profile, the 107 did however start to see some burn issues. One portion of the cigar, about 1/3 of the ring was left trailing way behind the rest of the burn line. I touched it up shortly after the first ash fell and it has been rocking solid ever since. The burnline is still pretty wide, and I don’t expect that to really thin out much through the rest of the experience. At this time I feel absolutely no nicotine from this cigar.

Finish: I was scared that I was smoking this cigar too fast and that I would build up quite a harsh end to such a smooth cigar, however that was not the case at all. The final third of the La Aurora Serie Aniversario 107 finished incredibly smooth, and flavorful. This cigar did smoke pretty fast, about an hour total even after I slowed down halfway through. The cedar/woodsy flavor was still in the driver seat, backed by the sweet tobacco and honey notes I grew to love. The burnline was still pretty wide with the occasional wave, but it didn’t require any further touch ups what so ever. There were no signs at all of nicotine from this stick. Very mild, very smooth, and very enjoyable.

Overview:  The La Aurora 107 is a cigar best taken slow. Kick back, take your time, and enjoy this stick. If you speed through it with excitement you are bound to miss out on a great, complex flavor mash-up. The 107 for me, was mild/medium from start to finish. Although the very last of the final third ramped up slightly, I don’t think the body of this cigar ever went above medium. For the relatively low price of this stick I would honestly recommend anyone who catches them in store to pick a few up, heck even a box will do. The all around smoothness of this cigar is great for a breakfast or lunch break, and appeals to not only the novice cigar smoker, but complex flavors will keep even the greatest aficionado entertained.

Pairing: I decided to pair my La Aurora 107 with some of Dogfish Head’s Aprihop Apricot infused India Pale Ale. It was surprisingly a great pairing as the sweet fruit, and bitter, hoppy beer helped me pick up even some of the deepest flavor notes within the cigar. I would recommend pairing this cigar with a light ale, an IPA, a red ale, water, or tea. Anything too dark may actually overpower the smoothness of the 107.

On a side note: If you haven’t yet, don’t forget to check out the contest Casas Fumando’s Daniel is putting on. He has some GREAT smokes up for grabs. Trust me, you won’t be dissapointed.

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