The Stogie Guys

If La Aurora was an actor, this creation would be playing against type. Long identified with prototypical Dominican cigars, the enduring manufacturer offers up something different from band to blend.

So far, this effort to tap into the growing market for stronger cigars has met with much success since its debut at last year’s IPCPR Trade Show. Many bloggers have praised Untamed, and Dominican Cigar Review chose it 2014’s Cigar of the Year.

And it’s difficult to overstate the significance of the line when the company itself touts it in a press release as “a step towards the future.”

What’s different? Well, for starters, the cigar’s filler has none of the typical Seco leaves—milder tobacco from the middle of the plant—and an abundance of stronger Dominican Ligero. The binder is Dominican and the dark wrapper is U.S. Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro.

On the cosmetic level, La Aurora’s usually stately lion has been transformed into a toothy, ferocious beast dominating the distressed-style box and the cigar’s large band.

The line comes in five sizes, with the Robusto (5 x 50) the smallest. I was sent three samples for review. Checking online, a single Robusto appears to retail for about $7.50.

Untamed offers a pleasant, sweet, fruity pre-light aroma from the wrapper. I worried that the burn might be a problem because of the thick wrapper and blend makeup, but the three I smoked performed perfectly. Both draw and smoke production were excellent.

My disappointment came with a harshness I experienced from the beginning. It was aggressive, particularly so in the first half, often nearly overwhelming the prominent deep espresso flavors and pepper. I didn’t find a lot of the sweetness often associated with Maduro wrappers, though there was more in the final third.

I think this cigar could age well, with humidor time perhaps smoothing out the harshness and allowing the other flavors to come to the fore.

When a major manufacturer such as La Aurora tries something new, it’s always a good idea to give it a try. I’d urge anyone who likes stronger cigars to pick up a couple and form your own impression. I give the Untamed a respectable three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Most of us think of a sucker punch as an unannounced or unexpected attack, usually a closed fist to the face. “Sucker Punch” is not a bad name for a cigar, especially for one loaded with Ligero and bearing the name of a brand with a longstanding reputation for full flavor.

Sucker Punch debuted in June 2014, made by General Cigar exclusively for Famous Smoke Shop. (Full disclosure: Famous sent me a sampler pack of Sucker Punch cigars to make this review possible. As always, the samples Famous provided in no way impact my assessment of the cigar.)

The Sucker Punch blend includes an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper around a Cameroon binder and Nicaraguan Ligero long-filler. It is crafted by Augustin Garcia Lainez, Central American Tobacco Operations Manager for General Cigar. “[Augustin] divides his time between Honduras and Nicaragua,” reads the General Cigar website. “He was instrumental in creating Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado in Cedros, CAO OSA, and CAO Concert, and continues to work diligently to ensure the quality of cigars for all brands under the GCC Central American portfolio.”

There are four Sucker Punch sizes, all of which sell in the affordable $5.57 to $6.80 price range: Critical Condition (7 x 52), King Hit (6 x 54), Lights Out (5 x 52), and Smash Face (6.1 x 60). I smoked a five-pack of King Hits for this review. This thick toro has a clean, pale exterior leaf, pre-light notes of honey and hay, and an interesting band of blue, gold, and red that features a female boxer.

The cold draw is easy and airy with the wrapper imparting a slight sweetness on the lips. After setting an even light, this translates to above average smoke production. The initial profile is similar to what you’d expect from a Connecticut-wrapped smoke, albeit with a little more kick: butter, nut, oak, and sweet cream.

After the first inch, the Ligero starts to make its presence known, imparting notes of black pepper and transitioning from medium-bodied to medium-full. The result is not necessarily heavy, rich, or dense (as I suspect this cigar would taste with almost any other wrapper type). Instead, it smokes like an amplified version of a typical Connecticut. It’s like a bold, full-flavored stick that still leaves room for subtlety. Then the final third is a huge dose of nicotine and spice—the sort of experience you don’t want on an empty stomach.

True to General Cigar form, the physical properties are outstanding. The gray ash holds well off the foot, the burn line stays straight from light to nub, and the draw is smooth.

I give the Sucker Punch King Hit bonus points for being a truly unique Connecticut that’s affordable, full-flavored, and definitely not boring. Save this as an after-dinner companion with your favorite bourbon or scotch. In my book it earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys