Quick Smoke: La Aurora Barrel Aged Belicoso

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

I picked up this oak barrel-aged Belicoso (6.25 x 52) at a local tobacconist for about $8. It got off to a good start with a medium-bodied profile of molasses, coffee, and clove. Spice and meaty notes joined in at the midway point. But while the cigar’s flavor featured an interesting interplay between dry wood and sweetness throughout, its physical properties left much to be desired—especially in the second half. The burn required consistent maintenance and the ash was flaky and difficult to control.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys