Let's talk about the La Aurora Original Blend Connecticut 1987 Cetros - a smooth operator in the Robusto format. Priced at $135 for a box of 20, this 6 3/8" x 41 Dominican beauty wears its Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut Shade wrapper like a tailored suit. The medium-bodied blend combines Dominican, Peruvian, and Nicaraguan fillers with an Ecuadorian binder, making it the go-to morning smoke for Connecticut lovers who want substance without the morning cigar guilt trip.
The first third hits with toasted almond notes that'll make you check if there's actual pastry in your humidor. Smoke production stays modest - no cloudy room here. Watch for the ash holding past an inch before its first graceful drop.
First third: Fresh-baked marzipan meets vanilla cream, with a honey-kissed retrohale that disappears faster than good cigars at a herf. Middle third: Cedar planks from a sauna session, white pepper that whispers rather than shouts, and that distinct "toast rack" aroma from your local bakery. Final third: Transitions to oatmeal cookies with brown butter glaze, finishing with mineral tang and caramelized sugar aftertaste that says "light me again tomorrow."
Rolled in Santiago's Cibao Valley using Piloto Cubano-Olor hybrid filler. The Connecticut Shade wrapper grows under Ecuadorian mist instead of New England clouds, giving brighter acidity than typical US-grown leaf. Best smoked within 3 years - these aren't your grandfather's cellar dwellers.
Pair with light roast Ethiopian coffee or Speyside single malt to enhance the nutty core without overpowering the delicate Connecticut flavors. Avoid full-bodied drinks unless you want to turn this into a background character.
