Let's cut to the chase about this Dominican stick - the La Aurora Original Blend Connecticut 1987 Churchill gives you 7 inches of creamy goodness with its 47 ring gauge. At $144 per box of 20, it's positioned as an affordable luxury in the Connecticut shade market. The cigar's Ecuadorian-grown wrapper (originally Connecticut seed) feels like silk paper, hiding a triple-nation filler blend from Dominican Republic, Peru and Nicaragua.
The cold draw tastes like licking an envelope - in a good way. Initial puffs deliver cedar planks and salted almonds. Smoke output stays modest, needing deliberate pulls. Watch that perfect burn line creeping through the delicate wrapper.
At the 2-inch mark, the cigar wakes up with buttered popcorn notes. The retrohale stings slightly with white pepper - typical of Dominican Piloto tobacco. Ash holds strong in 1-inch chunks. Pair with black coffee to cut through the emerging sweetness.
Last third brings surprises - leather gloves dipped in honey. Some report subtle mineral taste (think licking a seashell). Construction holds up with no relights needed. Stop before the nub unless you enjoy tar bitterness.
The Dominican rollers use "entubar" technique - twisting filler leaves into tubes for better airflow. This explains the consistent burn despite multiple tobacco origins. The Connecticut wrapper gets 18 months aging in cedar cabinets, removing grassy notes common in younger shade-grown leaves.
