Stogie Reviews: La Aurora 107 Gran 107
15 Feb 2011
The 107 blend has been one of La Aurora’s most popular releases. It’s no surprise, then, that the Dominican’s oldest cigar maker has opted to add several vitolas.
When it was introduced in 2010 to mark La Aurora’s 107th birthday, 107 came in three sizes: Belicoso, Robusto, and Toro. Later, a Corona and a Lancero were introduced, the latter thanks to demands from fans via social networking websites.
The newest addition to the 107 lineup is the aptly-named “Gran 107,†an intimidating smoke that measures seven inches long with a ring gauge of 58. Here’s how the cigar is being marketed in promotional materials: “After our recent visit to La Aurora, we noticed that many of the rollers/blenders were smoking a 107 in a large format. We asked ‘The Big Cat’ what this was and with his blessing the Gran 107 was born.â€
Like the other sizes in the blend, the Gran 107 features an Ecuadorian wrapper, a Dominican binder, and a two-country filler blend from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. It retails for $9 and makes a great first impression with an oily sheen and pre-light notes of sweet hay.
The initial flavor is slightly different than the other 107 cigars I’ve tried. While it also encompasses toasty, bready notes and a spicy aftertaste, the Gran 107 more prominently displays an element of sweet graham cracker. Roasted nuts and cream add depth as the white ash progresses. Slightly bitter notes akin to dark chocolate come and go throughout the 150-minute smoke. All the while the construction is top-notch. The burn line tends to meander but never necessitates a touch-up, which is impressive given the wide ring gauge. The draw is smooth and the ash holds firm.
I have to admit that I was skeptical of this size when I received three samples of the Gran 107 in the mail from Miami Cigar & Co., La Aurora’s distributor. I tend to appreciate the 107 most in its narrower ring gauges. My hypothesis is that the blend tastes better when the wrapper-to-filler ratio is highest.
As expected, I’ve concluded that the Gran 107 is not my favorite vitola in the blend. Aside from my preference for the Corona and Lancero in the line, I’m usually not a fan of cigars with ring gauges in excess of 52. That said, the Gran 107 is still a 107, and that means it has a well-balanced, satisfying profile with all the quality I’ve come to expect from La Aurora. So I’m awarding the Gran 107 three and a half stogies out of five and recommending that 107 fans who enjoy large cigars put this beast on their must-try lists.
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photo credit: Stogie Guys
Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
Patrick Semmens
Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
Agreed. This is a nice smoke — all the 107s are — but the size skews the taste a bit. I'll enjoy this on the golf course. Otherwise, I'm sticking with the Corona and the Lancero.
I smoked several 107 Robustos before picking up a 5-pack of the Grans. It's really no contest. The 107 robusto was a highly enjoyable medium bodied smoke with easy to identify flavors. The Gran tasted washed out in comparison. Furthermore, the elephantine Gran seemed rather peaty and musty. I thought it might just be the one, but other samples also exhibited this peatiness.