Cigar:            La Aurora 1495 Series Corona

Size:             43 x 5.25"

Country:          DR

Wrapper:          ECSU, Corojo, Sungrown, E

Binder:           Corojo

Filler:           Nicaraguan & Peruvian Ligero, and Dominican Piloto Cubano

Flavor Strength:  Full

NicotineStength:  Medium

Date Received:    2005-12-16

Suspected Age:    OTT

Vendor/Price:     Mr. Bundles / $5.52 each  (5-pack, including shipping)

Beverage(s):      Water, Deschutes Black Butte Porter

Smoke time:       1:40

Date:             2005-12-16

Posted to ASC:    2005-12-17

Overall score:    4.5/5.0

Overall:    A great, full flavor cigar.  A blast of pepper at the start, waning, but still remaining at the end.  Sweet, floral, cedar throughout the smoke with fruit and spices entering in the latter half.  Long, sweet, cedar finish.  For me personally, the only way to improve this smoke is to ratchet down the pepper 30-50%.  I DO NOT need more cigars, but I am considering picking up a box to put down for a while.  I'll smoke a few more and decide. 

2005-12-20: Smoked another one last night after a full meal.  I got a noticable bit of pepper at the start then it vanished, so they or I are variable enough to ameliorate the only negative I found in this cigar.  A box purchase.

Ambience:   Evening in the sunroom.  Cold, clear, star-studded sky with a moon just beyond full lights the neighborhood, setting the frosty roofs aglow.  Little woman still out of town.  Preparing for the next work week. 

Appearance: Looks just like the 100 Anos Centenario.  Dark, shiny, mottled wrapper with a very long triple cap.  Small veining, firm even roll.  Big, bold band. 

Cut & Prelight:   Smells just like a 100 Anos Centenario.  Sweet, floral, barnyard, well aged alfalfa, a bit of black tea.  Cut well, yielding a slightly restricted draw.  Strong lip tingle with a sweet, peppery, slightly musty draw flavor.

First third:      Blast of pepper to start.  Lots of pepper, lips, roof of the mouth, and back of the throat, trails off to a dryish sweet woody aftertaste.  Good smoke volume.  3/4" in the pepper is waning somewhat or my palate is adjusting.  In either case the sweet cedar aftertaste is arriving sooner.  Definitely full flavor to me.  Sweet, perfumed, cedar with a strong pepper back.  Ashed itself at a little over an inch.  Long aftertaste.

Second third:     Despite the similar appearance and unlit aroma this is not like the 100 Anos.  Straight, even burn.  Still peppery, with sweet floral cedar, let's just call it sandalwood incense.  More spice flavors arriving in the long aftertaste.  Nicotine apparent at the halfway point. 

Third third:      I bet these will age VERY well.  Getting a little fruity - over ripe apricot.  Approaching the nub, getting spicer, some, anise, fruitier, more aromatic.  Great smoke right up to the point of burning fingers and lips.  I mourned its passing.  Long, sweet, cedar finish, and I hesitate to eat anything to disturb it.