The Lo Mejor de La Aurora sampler pack is your backstage pass to Dominican cigar craftsmanship. This box of 5 cigars (price tag: $93.38) serves as Guillermo Leon's "greatest hits" collection, featuring varying shapes and sizes from robusto to corona. Fresh out of the box, the Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers show off their oil-slick sheen like polished mahogany - a visual promise of the 100-year legacy packed within.
First Third: The initial draws punch through with black pepper sparkles that quickly mellow into burnt caramel tones. Watch for a distinctive mineral tang - that's the Cibao Valley volcanic soil talking.
Middle Third: Texture shifts from dusty cocoa powder to melted butter consistency. Midway through the corona vitola, I caught whiffs of roasted coffee beans fighting with cinnamon sticks. Pro tip: purge when the earthy notes get too aggressive.
Final Third: Leather and cedar emerge like uninvited guests at a honey party. The toro version developed an interesting metallic twang around the nub - not unpleasant, but warrants slower pacing to avoid nicotine rush.
The sampler's diversity springs from three Dominican terroirs: Cibao Valley's mineral-rich fillers, Yaque's slow-ripening wrappers, and Santiago's pilones-fermented leaves. That 27°C/70% humidity combo? That's what transforms ordinary smoke into caramelized tobacco magic.
