It seems like I can't go very long without smoking a corojo-wrapped cigar, or one with the leaf utilized somewhere inside. This zesty, peppery, tangy, and often intense leaf has long provided a flavor that I find irresistible when the mood strikes, with the multitude of reasons just listed being the primary cause for this affinity.

Corojo tobacco tends to be quite ambidextrous in its cultivation and fermentation. It can be either sun-grown or set to grow in the shade and tastes brilliant either when heavily fermented or subtly aged. 

This vibrant varietal also tends to age well post-production, which is precisely why we have gathered here today. For the cigar you see before you is the old version of the Aganorsa Leaf Signature Selection Corojo in belicoso form. How old? At least a year, if you weigh the fact that Aganorsa's new packaging arrived in early 2023 and the stogie seen here still sports the original look from 2018–2022.

But the big question we all want to know is whether it is any good. And if so, how much better does this blend taste now that the cigar has received an additional year of age or more? Well, let me tell you all about it...  

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Unlit Impressions    

I can see why Aganorsa swapped over to new packaging. The gold foil barrel sheath and basic white banding may be functional, but they both look dated and plain. Still, they do a solid job of shielding the cigar, with that golden foil serving as an acceptable source of cigar armor.

Slide off all that gold, and you'll find a citrusy, black tea and cedar spill-smelling barrel, and a foot that is all brown sugar, bitter citrus peel, and mixed nut butter, with a tease of aged port wine pulling through at the last moment. The wrapper is classified as rosado claro in color, and I can see no reason to argue otherwise. Lightly veined, dark copper colors adding contrast, the stick itself is smooth to the hand and expertly rolled, with the rounded belicoso cap being of particular beauty. There is a large discolored patch of unfermented chlorophyll right in the center of the barrel on one of the cigar wrappers, so how they missed that during sorting beats the hell out of me. 

Cold draws are milder than predicted, and provide a clean pull that is heavier on the cedar and black tea than spice. The memorable note of dark sugar and soil is there as well, undoubtedly a byproduct of the criollo leaf varietal in the filler. 

Initial Smoke 

Corojo leaf coming alive, the belicoso produces a smooth entry that is anything but acute at first. This vagueness soon dissipates, allowing the rest of the blend to formulate a medium-strength opening set that is all cedar sawdust and subtly sweet mixed citrus zest. This transitions over to brown sugar and spice being the signature sensory experience, and promptly pushes you into the first third.

1st Half      

Citrus rind and corojo leaf pumping in unison with one pull, this cigar becomes even more smooth just a few short minutes later, and holy shit does it even out nicely. That rosado claro wrapper from the Jalapa region sure does taste and smell splendid, and as it burns beyond the first inch or so, the cigar settles into a leisurely, medium-paced cruise down spice lane.

Black tea takes this moment to remind you that it too is a player in this game, and adds both a playful bite of bitterness to the blend. As the richness of the smoke increases, along comes that medio tiempo top leaf, for a quick tonsil tackle and a touch of toasted oak.

Rich and robust as always, this top-tier crop rarity creates an intense dynamic between spice and sun-grown flavor and that grounded nuttiness from the criollo long-filler. Together, these two transcend the traditionally laid lines designating each section of the cigar. 

2nd Half     

The center of this stick produces its most kick-ass moment, as the cigar takes all of those flavors that were teased within the first half, and sends you a super-sized serving of everything all at once. This results in a tropical spiked iced tea taste, with just a squirt of brown sugar simple syrup, mixed citrus, and a dram of funky Jamaican pot still rum floated on top. It's bitter black tea when needed, spicy and tangy as required, and just sweet and funky enough to retain some grounded footwork amidst it all.

Medium in every regard save for strength, which is on the upper end of the medium scale, the second third simultaneously shines and stuns the senses. It's more mellow than the first third, but much more complex as well. This leaves the senses thoroughly impressed and the palate yearning for more as the cigar slowly burns. 

Once the final third starts, a transition toward a more dedicated criollo leaf cigar flavor profile forms, and things gradually grow more dark and fermented with each puff. This funky flavor is also bittersweet in nature, which can be unappealing to some. Lingering long after the smoke has departed the mouth, this flavor reminds me of the damp smell found within the center of a wet leaf pile in the yard.  

Parting Puffs    

An even more unappealing end to this blend forced me to deduct additional points from my overall score, as the bitter, overly funky finish literally left me with a bad taste in my mouth. This was the same story with the other stick I smoked, so smoker beware. This may be one that you will want to set down a tad early instead of pulling off that band and pressing onward.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw 

But oh what an ash this blend has, and my heavens what a cone it leaves behind once it has been removed. Burn rates are linear and for the most part fairly cool, and outside of my video review stick suddenly going out toward the start of the final third, this blend was a winner in the burn department. 

My biggest frustration with this cigar though, was with its smoke formation, or lack thereof. Only a limited amount of the stuff was produced during the first hour or so. The draw feels right on, but the amount of smoke that forms is mediocre all the way up until the final third, and by that point, the best portions of the cigar are already in the ashtray. This was true for both cigars I smoked, so definitely a disappointment there.

Final Thoughts      

Compared to the cigar that I smoked last year, the addition of another year of age has made the corojo version of Aganorsa Leaf's Signature Selection both smoother and darker tasting. It's nothing monumentally different in regard to flavor, just delivery and overall depth. 

Sadly, the restrictive levels of smoke and that funky-ass finish forced me to score this cigar far lower than I would have liked. Maybe it needs a little more age after all...

Stogie Specs