The La Aurora factory is the oldest cigar factory in the Dominican Republic, and their signature cigar is the Preferidos which comes in 6 different wrappers. The newest edition which is now a couple of years old is the Diamond, which features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.
Late in 2014, the company released the Preferidos in a corona format for the territory covered by Mid-Atlantic sales representative Christopher Lenzo of Miami Cigar & Company who distributes La Aurora in the United States.
Cigar: La Aurora Preferidos Diamond
Size: 6 x 46 (Corona)
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Strength: Medium
Source: Miami Cigar & Company (advertiser)
The Look: The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that adorns the Diamond Preferidos is toothy, however it is rolled to perfection with no seams visible. There are a few thin network of veins on the gorgeous oily looking wrapper. The band of black with the La Aurora lion in yellow offers a nice contrast to the cigar, but the word broadleaf is shown as two separate words when it should be one. In the hand the cigar has an above average weight for its size and is firm with a well packed foot.
The Look: The cold draw of the La Aurora Preferidos Diamond has a hint of mocha, while the foot of the cigar has some cedar notes and subtle spices to it. Once the cigar is lit, there is a noticeably different taste then the traditional Preferidos size, but it seems to work.
In the first third of the cigar there is a leather note that takes control early, but by the time the first third comes to a close there is the development of some mocha that slowly changes the balance of power between the two. There is a subtle spice through the nose that also adds a bit of a coffee note to the mix.
As we enter the second third of the cigar the coffee and mocha notes are the focal point and the cigar begins to feel more like the Diamond in terms of its flavor profile, the shape feels weird in comparison to the namesake and what you would expect when smoking one. In a sense, the Preferidos was the original flying pig.
The last third of the Preferidos corona has a distinct coffee note, that borders on the Dominican variety. By this I mean it is slightly bitter, and it reminds me of sitting with Manuel Inoa the master blender from La Aurora with our morning coffee as I was getting ready to blend KILO. It’s pretty awesome when a cigar triggers a memory.
The Burn: Finding a Broadleaf with a thinner or more crisp burn line might just be impossible to find, but then again as far as broadleaf wrappers go this might be the thinnest on the market. The light shade of gray ash hold admirably for a corona with little to no flake. It did however put a hole in my jacket when it fell from the cigar unexpectedly. The draw was a tad loose, but this seems to be the norm for the factory. The cigar remained lit from first light to last puff.
The Finish: When La Aurora released the Diamond I was instantly in love with the blend but not the price tag that the Preferidos carries. There have been a few limited edition runs of the Diamond with a friendlier price tag that makes them more attractive. The corona was an enjoyable cigar, and while I never thought I would say this I would love to see it again in a larger ring gauge.
Score: 90
Price: $8.00
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La Aurora Preferidos Diamond Corona
La Aurora Preferidos Diamond Corona Foot
La Aurora Preferidos Diamond Corona Burn
