Aurora Barrel Aged cigars are made at the oldest cigar factory in the Dominican Republic, which was founded in 1903 by Don Eduardo León Jimenes. La Aurora also makes a number of other cigar lines, some of which wear a La Aurora band (as opposed to just Aurora). The company's Barrel Aged cigars are actually aged in oak barrels that once contained rum. These cigars are made with a Corojo Oscuro Dominican wrapper, a Dominican binder, and filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. The Aurora Barrel Aged No. 4 that I smoked is a corona size cigar measuring 5 ¼ inches in length with a ring gauge of 42. Barrel Aged cigars were introduced during 2007 by La Aurora's Jose Blanco.
Flavor
The Aurora Barrel Aged No. 4 is a medium-to-full bodied smoke, having what I would describe as a roasted woodsy/oak flavor with a bit of sweetness. No rum taste here, as these are natural cigars that went through a unique aging process. They are NOT artificially flavored cigars by any means. After about 20 minutes, the intensity of the flavors tamed down a bit, putting the cigar closer to a medium level smoke. The taste of the cigar was unique and interesting, and also very good, but just a tad short of superior. Recommended for more experienced smokers, as the taste may be a bit too strong for most beginners.
Draw and Construction
The cigar started off with a very firm draw, almost to the point of being too tight. This also affected the volume of smoke, which was less than desirable. Some smokers prefer a firm draw, but if puffing requires too much effort to obtain a decent volume of smoke, then the enjoyment of smoking the cigar is diminished. This is supposed to be relaxing, and not a lot of work! Anyway, the draw loosened up a bit after about 15 minutes, but was still firm. As you might imagine, the cigar burned slowly, and lasted for about 50 minutes – which is pretty impressive for a relatively small Corona size cigar. The cigar burned evenly, but one touch-up light was applied after about 30 minutes, just to keep it that way.
Value
A box of 25 Aurora Barrel Aged No. 4's will cost around $115 online, plus or minus $10. However, I also came across five-packs selling for $25. So, for about 5-bucks per cigar, the Aurora Barrel Aged No. 4 is a pretty decent value for more experienced smokers. Since these cigars have a unique flavor, I recommend buying a five pack (or a few singles) just to see how you will like them, before purchasing an entire box.
