Let's talk about La Aurora 107 Maduro Robusto - the box-pressed Dominican stogie celebrating the brand's 107th anniversary. At 4.5"x50, this robusto comes 21 per box ($170.10) with that classic maduro chocolate bar look. The Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper hides Dominican/Nicaraguan/Peruvian filler trios. My particular stick had decent oil sheen after 3 weeks in 65% humidity.
Initial Third: Cold draw gives raisin sweetness. First inch punches with black pepper and espresso bite - typical Nicaraguan filler kick. Burn line stays sharp, ash holds 1.5". Retrohale shows bitter cocoa.
Mid Section: Pepper fades to cedar/leather combo at 20-minute mark. Noticed uneven burn needing correction. Nicaraguan leaf dominates with earthiness, Dominican tobacco adds mild nuttiness. Smoke output medium, not overwhelming.
Final Third: Last inch develops caramelized sugar notes but struggles with tight draw. Peruvian tobacco's floral hints emerge briefly before tar buildup forces early retirement. Total smoke time 48 minutes - slightly short for robusto.
Construction wobbles aside, this La Aurora maduro serves best as afternoon smoke with bourbon. The box price makes it viable for weekly rotation, though I'd recommend dry-boxing 8hrs pre-light for optimal performance. Not quite Padrón-level refinement, but delivers reliable maduro character minus wallet trauma.
