BACKGROUND: The La Aurora 107, which celebrates the 107th anniversary of the oldest cigar factory in the Dominican Republic, was unveiled in mid-February 2010 at the home of Guillermo León and officially debuted during the 2010 IPCPR Trade Show & Convention.

These cigars have hit the shelves and haven't looked back as they have been a knockout hit for the company that has brought you the likes of the Preferido, the 100 Años and many more.

The full name of this cigar is La Aurora 107 Serie Aniversario. The goal for this cigar is to bring smokers a medium bodied, richly flavored smoke with a fair amount of spice AND at a very attractive price.

Using Dominican, Nicaraguan and Ecuadorian tobaccos, the blending process went through dozens of iterations before achieving the final cigar blend. The cigars are packed in boxes of twenty-one (21) and come in four (4) sizes priced from $6 to $8. Today's featured cigar, is the 7-inch by 40 RG Lancero.

TASTING NOTES: This cigar presents with earthy flavors of barnyard and espresso, with notes of aromatic wood and light pepper on the finish. I can tell you that, without a doubt, this Lancero was a bit heavier in flavor and body than the Robusto that I reviewed a while back. The flavors remain on the palate much longer and, as the flavors resolved, I noted more complexity and nuance as well. I think it is the longer finish that adds to the complexity. As the flavors lay heavy on the palate and then start to dissolve, I note different layers of flavors.

In fact, I noticed the same process at work when I recently compared the 100 Años Preferido and the 100 Años Lancero. These two cigars also have the same blend and the Lancero was fuller in flavor and body and also showed more complexity than the thicker-barreled Preferido.

The burn on this stick has been very consistent. A good draw matched with an even burn line and a fairly solid ash, point to a well-constructed cigar.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This cigar finishes with loads of espresso bean flavor and a dark, earthy sweetness. The retrohale brings a full dose of wood and pepper spice. I really like this Lancero and can recommend it highly. The 107 Lancero is medium to full in body and flavor and is stronger than both the Robusto and Belicoso.

You can find the 107 Lancero for less than $6.50 per stick, which makes this a no-brainer choice for a box purchase. Perhaps you can pick up a box as an early Christmas present… to yourself!

~Doc