Stogie Reviews: La Aurora Corojo Gran Corona
15 Dec 2010
La Aurora cigars were among the first I smoked. I enjoyed them then and have since continued to look favorably on the Dominican firm’s products, though many of its releases in recent years have had fairly stratospheric prices.
Not so with the new double-banded Corojo. Priced to appeal to bargain smokers, this line features substantial cigars for under $7. I paid about $6 for the 6.5-inch Gran Corona; the inch-longer Double Corona (both have a 50-ring gauge) is only 50 cents more, while the Robusto (pictured right) runs just under $6.
And what do you get for your money? Well, it’s not the prettiest cigar at the party. The reddish-brown Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper is a bit lumpy, sports quite a few veins, and has a cap that won’t win any prizes. But the wrapper’s pre-light bouquet is sweet and inviting. There’s not much aroma from the filler, which is a combination of Dominican Cubano and Olor along with Nicaraguan Habano.
Where it really counts—taste—is where the Corojo shines. It kicks off with a bit of the spice you expect from corojo tobacco. I used a cedar spill on one and, to me, that woody flavor mixed wonderfully for the first few puffs. The cigar generates a lot of smoke and features a good draw.
While not an overly complex smoke, the Corojo does create some variations along the way, including a little sweetness and leather, with a rich, full tobacco flavor predominating.
Negatives are only a few. The ash doesn’t hold. You need to be on alert to tap off frequently. The burn also isn’t particularly straight and can require an occasional touch-up.
Still, at the price, it’s difficult to complain. This well-balanced cigar would be a good deal at a couple of dollars more. Since its summer-time introduction, the La Aurora Corojo has garnered positive online buzz and quite a few favorable reviews. I think you’ll agree. I rate this three and a half stogies out of five.
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photo credit: Stogie Guys
Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
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Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
I've only had one of these, but I loved it. The problem is none of the stores I've visited lately have had it! My regular B&M hadn't even heard of it until I asked…2 or 3 times. Heading out to California later this month and a store out there carries them…if they're in stock I'll pick up more, including one for my local B&M manager.