Wednesday, August 20, 2008



La Aurora Leoninos Bellicoso
Size: 6.5 x 52
Filler: Piloto Cubano, Dominican Corojo, Bahía and Nicaragua
Binder: Dominican
Wrapper: Corojo
Price: $2.80-$4.60

I got a great deal on these cigars from CigarBid: 15 cigars for $24 (incl. shipping).

Leoninos is distinctive for two reasons:
1) It was the first cigar made with a Dominican corojo wrapper
2) It is the first La Aurora brand cigar I've ever tried (although I've enjoyed other brands from the same factory, like 5 Vegas)

For a sub-$2 smoke, these are very well made. Each cigar is wrapped in a reddish-brown leaf, all with consistent appearance free of veins, bumps, stretches, and tears. They do not tend to be rolled very tight, but allow for a rather loose draw. They rarely have burn problems or require touch-ups. They hold a decent inch of ash (but I've learned the hard way not too push the limit unless I want a mess).

The taste profile is also consistent. They have a fruity aroma and the slight taste of apples, or maybe cherries (something I've noticed before in corojos). There is also detectable coffee flavors throughout the cigar. The taste is a little rough around the edges, not smooth and creamy like I expected it to be. Kind of a cross between Black Pearl Rojo and El Credito maduro. Overall, its not my favorite taste profile in a cigar--I prefer the straight-up nuttiness of the 5 Vegas Classic-but certainly enjoyable nonetheless.

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