Originally launched in 2008 La Aurora created a cigar that contained just one vintage of tobacco. That year, the cigar featured tobacco from 2003, but now in 2021, the La Aurora Puro Vintage comes full circle by featuring tobaccos from the launch year of 2008. It is also the first year to my knowledge that the vintage year is missing from the band which I hope isn’t a trend the company will follow in future releases.
Cigar Review: Puro Vintage (2021 Release)
Wrapper: Dominican Republic (Cibao Valley)
Binder: Dominican Republic (Cibao Valley)
Filler: Brazil, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Length: 6.5
Ring Gauge: 50/60
Vitola: Salomon
The Look: Packaged in 8 count boxes with the cigar fanned out inside, the presentation is luxurious. However, there is one epic fail on the branding of this cigar by omitting the vintage year. One would hope that La Aurora corrects the mistake in future releases otherwise telling them apart would be impossible. The cigar features a wrapper from the Cibao Valley of the Dominican Republic and it is loaded with visible vein structure. I would expect a more pristine wrapper considering the price point. In the hand the cigar is firm to the touch, hefty and reveals no voids of tobacco.
The Notes: The cold draw of the La Aurora Puro Vintage has a subtle citrus and sweetness on the draw reminding me grapefruit that has had some sugar placed on like my grandmother use to enjoy it. The foot of the cigar has a subtle cocoa to it along with nuances of nutmeg. Once we carefully light the nipple of the salomon a burst of cinnamon encapsulates the palate and the olfactory nerves.
The beginning smokes slow and uneven which is expected on a salomon cigar and once you pass the nipple it evens out and burns perfectly. As we get into the bulbous part of the cigar notes of sunflower seeds, espresso and nuts create an epic flavor profile while the retrohale serves up a subtle lemon zest which complements the espresso notes perfectly.
The second third sees notes of sunflower seeds emerge as the dominant flavor profile with subtle hints of wheat, rye and some espresso which appears on the finish. The retrohale sees some subtle pepper components and an abundance of espresso like aromas with a touch of cinnamon.
As we smoke the final third of the Puro Vintage notes of earth, wheat and a subtle espresso round things out. The perceived strength kicks things up a notch, and the retrohale has a nice spice to it while the resting aroma offers up some cinnamon.
The Finish: One of my favorite cigars of all time was the original release of the Puro Vintage 2003. The cigar eventually saw a release in bundles that wasn’t close to the same in my opinion and it tarnished the release. This years version of the Puro Vintage reminds me of that cigar in the flavor profile however if memory serves me as correct this one is definitely stronger. The blending of this cigar has it all; flavor, aroma and strength that I want in a cigar and it is a testament to Manual Inoa’s skills as a Master Blender.
Score: 96
Price: $26.69 / $189.99 (Box of 8)
La Aurora Puro Vintage
La Aurora Puro Vintage Foot
La Aurora Puro Vintage Burn
