La Aurora 120 Anniversary Robusto | Agile Cigar Review

Today, we review the La Aurora 120 Anniversary in the Robusto size. If you have followed La Aurora Cigars, you know it owns the Dominican Republic’s oldest cigar factory. The company is very proud of its heritage and has released many cigars over the years to commemorate that milestone. As the name indicates, the La Aurora 120 Anniversary celebrates the 120th anniversary of the La Aurora factory, which opened in 1903. The 120 Anniversary was released as a regular production line in four sizes, plus a limited edition size in the company’s signature Preferidos (double figurado) shape.

La Aurora 120 Anniversary Robusto – Agile Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

The 120 Anniversary blend is a Dominican puro, meaning the entire cigar consists of Dominican-grown tobacco. A Habano ’92 seed wrapper highlights the blend.

Wrapper: Dominican Republic (Habano ’92)
Binder: Dominican Republic (Olor – Cibao region)
Filler: Dominican Republic (Piloto Cubano, Olor, Corojo)
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: La Aurora S.A.
Robusto Grande: 5 x 50

PERFORMANCE

The 120 Anniversary Robusto started with notes of natural tobacco, black pepper, earth, and fig. There was no dominant note early on. Midway through the first third, the earth notes moved into the forefront. Hay notes joined these earth notes. The black pepper and fig notes settled in the background and were joined by a chocolate note. As the cigar progressed, the pepper note increased in intensity. Toward the final third, the pepper notes moved into the forefront.

The 120 Anniversary Robusto flavors were medium to full-bodied, countered by medium to full strength. Regarding burn, after the first third, the cigar needed many touch-ups. The draw had a touch of resistance – which I really like.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

The 120 Anniversary became my classic “tale of two cigars.” The first third started out with really nice flavors, and the burn didn’t require much maintenance. In the second third, I started to get more in the way of spice, and the burn needed more maintenance. Ultimately, I didn’t enjoy the flavors as much after the second third, and it became more of a chore to smoke this cigar. At $14.50, it’s a little too high for me to enjoy just one-third of a cigar, so I don’t see myself returning to it. La Aurora makes some excellent cigars, so there are other ones I would reach for in the portfolio. At the same time, I’m open to trying other sizes.

Summary

Key Flavors: Earth, Fruit, Natural Tobacco, Chocolate, Hay, Cedar, Pepper
Burn: Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium Plus
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Medium to Full
Finish: Good