Stogie Reviews: La Aurora 100 Años Lancero

The Cien Años line was launched in 2003 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of La Aurora, the oldest cigar maker in the Dominican Republic. It was a limited blend that came in four sizes: No. 4 (corona), Robusto, Churchill, and Belicoso. The latter scored rating of 93 in Cigar Aficionado in 2005.

According to La Aurora, this Lancero is not officially part of the Cien Años line. Rather, it is a new cigar using the remaining Cien Años tobaccos. Like the original blend, though, it is a limited release, with only be 800 boxes of 25 ever to be made.

The Lancero (6.9 x 40) will cost you about $11—if you can find one, that is. Locating this elusive cigar can be very difficult due to its rare tobaccos. It is a Dominican puro, using an aged corojo wrapper over aged Dominican corojo and piloto cubano filler.

The wrapper is slightly bumpy, with the outlines from the binder’s veins underneath apparent from the outside. Firm to the touch with a moderate pre-light draw, it has a gentle aroma of milk chocolate and cashew.

The profile opens with notes of bread, bran, and dry wood. Tasty and traditional. You could almost call the flavor fairly mild until the peppery finish kicks in, which is long with a spicy tingle.

At the midway point, a custard flavor with a slightly salty bite develops. Here, the draw opens nicely with each airy puff producing lots of thick smoke. The spice tends to dissipate in the final third, which is also marked by tastes of tea and hops.

On the whole, the 100 Años Lancero is a well-balanced, medium-bodied smoke that will reward those who seek it out. Its only drawback is a slight ammonia flavor that fades in and out, particularly if smoked too quickly—a blemish that may improve with just a bit of aging.

As you’d expect from La Aurora, this cigar’s combustion qualities are quite good. The burn line is even with a shiny black mascara and the gray ash holds well for about an inch. Don’t push it much beyond that, though, or you’ll find yourself with a lap full of ash.

This is still a high-quality smoke, however, with a complex, classic taste. Go ahead and grab a Cien Años Lancero by La Aurora if you get the chance. It earns four stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

–Patrick A & Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys