La Aurora Emerald

I've been inspired by Josh to take things up a notch. My friend has been putting together a rather impressive blog (joshsbeerblog.blogspot.com) describing and rating micro brewed beers throughout the country and has lately been enjoying some of the more expensive brews out there. When someone posts about three bottles of beer that cost him a combined $35, you know he's committed to his hobby. Up until now, I've been focusing mostly on the more "economical" cigars out there. Don't get me wrong, I've said it before and I'll say it again, there are smokes available for $5 that run circles around other $30 sticks. When it comes to cigars, high price does not necessarily equal high quality. However, there is no denying that those expensive cigars are out there and I can't keep ignoring them if I hope to sample everything the market has to offer. So after a particularly stressful week at the office, I stopped by Watch City Cigar in Waltham, MA and indulged a little.

Friday evening I sat out on my porch with a Woodford Reserve bourbon Manhattan and a La Aurora Emerald cigar. The length of this torpedo shaped stick is 5 inches, the ring is 54, and the price was $22. (I always mention the cost of each cigar because it factors into my overall rating by helping to determine the value and my money's worth.)

La Aurora is the oldest cigar made in the Dominican Republic and has been the best selling brand within the country for years. The fillers are made from Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos and the dark Cameroon wrappers are from West Africa. The Emerald Aurora is part of the Preferidos 1903 edition line. This particular stick is now rolled in limited quantities. In fact, no more than 100 are produced per day. The selected tobacco leaves have undergone a 4 year process from the curing to the first stage of naturing. This is followed by another year of aging in oak rum barrels, only then is the tobacco used for the manufacturing process. Afterwards, the finished product is taken to the aging room for an additional 6-8 months before packing.

The cigar comes in a nice looking green aluminum tube. Being a sucker for presentation, I added on a few bonus points for the appearance category here. I've also always been a big fan of these torpedo shapes and feel that too few companies make such a cigar. The funneling shape usually means that the cigar was contructed with some complexity to it. I do not expect a consistent flavor out of this one.

The cut is fine and since the cigar comes to a point at the end, toasting and lighting is relatively easy. I'm also pleased to find that as the cigar works its way to the increasingly larger part, the burn remains even without any help. The draw is smooth and the smoke is full.

The first part of the smoke really pops with spicy tobacco flavors with some strong pepper as well. The flavors are almost as bold as what you would expect for the finish of a cigar. And no I didn't accidentally light the wrong end.

After a little while, the smoke develops a smoother texture. There are now some very dark creamy tastes along with a hint of coffee.

For the next part, some bitter flavors emerge paired with faint wood notes. The smoke is still nice and full at this point and I haven't had to address the burn at all.

After looking over my notes while approaching the end of the smoke, I realize just how complex this cigar actually is. In a 5 inch stick, they managed to combine 3 distinct flavor combinations with a practically flawless transition. Exactly what I'm looking for.

The cigar finishes off with the same bold spiciness that it started with. Ultimately, it ended up being it's mildest in the middle of the stick with increasing body in each direction. Very unique. I really enjoyed this one and definitely feel the price was justified. I don't typically spend that much on a single cigar but I think I'll put a couple in my humidor and hold onto them for a special occasion.

Overall Rating: 96