The La Aurora 100 Años Churchill stands as a hefty 7x47 parejo carrying Dominican tobacco pride in every puff. Packaged in boxes of 25 with a $416.25 price tag, this full-bodied puro brings Dominican Republic's Cibao Valley terroir to your humidor through its oily Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. At the factory in Santiago de los Caballeros, rollers carefully bundle aged Piloto Cubano and San Vicente fillers that have marinated in volcanic soil nutrients since 2003's centennial release.
The cold draw releases barnyard dampness that transforms into roasted almonds upon lighting. Thick smoke carries sweet cedar notes with underlying coffee bean bitterness. Combustion stays razor-sharp, producing white ash that holds firm for two inches.
White pepper sparks dance across the tongue as the core shifts to cocoa powder consistency. Retrohales reveal baking spices - nutmeg particularly - while the wrapper's oil starts glistening under heat. Draw tightens slightly but remains smokeable without corrections.
Mineral tang emerges at the 70-minute mark alongside charred oak. The nicotine kick (expected from Dominican ligero) demands slower pacing. Savory smokers might push through the leathery finish, though most will nub it by the last inch when tar accumulates on lips.
Our test sample arrived with 65% RH after 6-week acclimation. The triple cap peeled cleanly with a double-blade cutter. While some minor wrapper veins showed, they didn't affect combustion. Post-light oil secretion created visible "plume" effect near the band area.
