Cigar Review: La Aurora 1962 Corojo

• Vitola: Robusto
• 5” x 50 ring gauge
• MSRP $5.50
• Purchased from Burns Tobacconist

Background

In March, La Aurora announced two new blends that would soon be available: 19612 and 1987. The years used in the names were a reference to the year La Aurora started working with the wrapper leaves used for the two blends. 1962 was when they first started using Dominican Corojo and 1987 was when they introduced to Connecticut Shade. To avoid confusion, the full names of these new blends are “1962 Corojo” and 1987 Connecticut.” I was a big fan of the La Aurora Corojo that came out a few years back, so I opted to get a sample of this new Corojo-wrapped blend for review purposes.

One of my first questions was “is this cigar actually any different from the La Aurora Corojo that I was so enamored with a few years back?” They both use Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers and both use “Ecuadorian” binder leaves. The older blend uses Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, while the newer one just states “Ecuadorian,” so it could be the same leaf, but I’m guessing it’s not. Also, the other Aurora Corojo uses an Ecuadorian-grown Corojo wrapper, while this one is a Dominican leaf grown in the Cibao Valley. They do have very similar packaging, which will probably lead to some confusion in shops where both products are on the shelves.

The 1962 and 1987 blends are meant to reinvigorate the Aurora lines with some new product at very reasonable price points…all of the vitolas are MSRP $5 to $6. I did purchase this review sample at Burns; it is the first cigar from this blend I have had. Some background info taken from Cigar-Coop’s news item.

Prelight

For a low-priced cigar, the look is good. It’s the modern La Aurora look with a realistic-looking lion image centered in the band with “La Aurora” and “Republica Dominicana” and gold coins surrounding it. In all, a mix of old and new. Then there is a secondary band with “COROJO” on it. It’s all good, but it’s all way too much like the La Aurora Corojo that came out a few years back. As mentioned before, if a store has the old Corojo on the shelf and then brings in these new ones, I can’t see how there won’t be confusion.

The color of the wrapper leaf was a reddish-brown, almost cinnamon in color with a bit of darker mottling and a prominent vein or two. It was velvety and oily to the touch and a had a rich wood and earth aroma. The foot of the stick had more cedar notes, a touch of grass, and some earth. The prelight draw was very good and tasted of cedar, cinnamon and bread.

This is the “old” La Aurora Corojo I’ve been referring to.

Flavor

The Aurora 1962 Corojo started off with a solid cedar flavor, mixed with notes of cinnamon, earth and faint red pepper. On subsequent puffs, there were also muddled notes of bread and roasted nuts and there was a definite peppery burn to the retrohale. As I continued in the first third, I got a very nice mix of cedar, roasted nuts, earth and red pepper as the main components of the flavor profile. The body of the cigar was right around medium from the start.

The cedar notes came on strong in the second third, with lesser notes of earth and cocoa powder riding underneath and an increasing red pepper burn on the finish. This is a different blend than the older Corojo, but it did share the steadily increasing pepper spice, which is something I enjoyed a lot on that cigar.

The pepper continued its burn through the last third, accompanied by plenty of cedar and earthy notes. The body never moved from the medium spot.

Construction

I had to touch up the burn line a few times, but nothing big. I had a great burn and the ash was solid.

Value

Very good cigar and great price equals excellent value.

Conclusions

I thoroughly enjoyed the Aurora 1962 Corojo. It was a very nice medium-bodied blend that highlighted the Dominican Corojo wrapper leaf in an excellent way. I found the presentation in terms of packaging to be a bit lackluster and cause for confusion, which is too bad…a cigar this good should have more to attract attention to itself than price tag. But the price tag is excellent and should get quite a few people to try it out.

By-The-Numbers

Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10