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Unlit Impressions

Gilded gold label of lion-sized significance noted, you will see an extremely oily Sumatran leaf that is as shiny as it is unsightly in ways lounging underneath. The coarseness of this leaf is a surprise to me, as much of the La Aurora lineup is extremely tidy. But despite having a relatively rough cap, some sharp seams, a slightly underfilled foot, and a hefty amount of mottling, the feel of the cigar and its aromatics are mighty fine. So I move on to aromatics without much hesitation. 

This is one of those sweet and sour cigars, which takes fermented funk and fills it with a fair amount of rich exotic spice and a whole lot of oiled leather. It's a lot milder than it was when we got ahold of it a year back or so too, so expect a significant amount of cedar in this blend.

The foot forms a much more date-like divinity for you to meditate upon, and it truly does feel enlightening huffing away on those unlit aromas. The sweet and sour smell is on a whole other level down here too, with thoughts of moist cranberry bread loaded with cinnamon and raw sugar striking me before all else. There's also a bit of granola bar graininess in there, along with a mellow cedar lingering finish. Intriguingly, zero spicy pepper smells are to be found anywhere, which is rare for a strong Sumatran cigar of this class.

Straight cut sheared off the cap, and I find that the way in which the wrapper was fitted inside my review cigar has caused it to peel back. With a quick pluck of the lips, the unraveling wrapper goes right back to where it belongs, where it will remain until the cigar is extinguished. This preemptive move pulls a plethora of flavors forward, including raw sugar cane, cinnamon, heavy cedar, leather-bound vintage books, and that signature Sumatran mixed spice blend that is often compared to an exotic oriental tea mix.

Initial Smoke

Earth and oak are the first tasting notes I find on light, with that sticky sweet granola bar and dried fruit flavor following right behind. The taste of candied dates is everywhere in this cigar, and since I am no expert on dried fruit, I merely taste a medley of the familiar Dayri, Rabbi, and Medjool varieties. This caramel fruitiness eventually forms a lighter fruit preserve flavor, and as the cedar tastes and deep aromas builds, so too does that Sumatran spiced tea taste.

1st Half

Bigger and bolder by the puff, and burning at a rather rapid rate, this ultra-exclusive annual release becomes the "Super Sumatra" once it hits the center of the first third. The smoke is oily and loaded with leather and comes finished by the flavor of fermented soil sitting in a raised bed after years of composting. Leaf mulch and bags of full-flavored fermented tobacco touch the tongue before becoming overcome by the Sumatran tea tastes from each draw's top note. 

As the finish grows longer and sweeter, retrohales become smoother, but also more aromatic. Cedar and leather lead the way upstairs, but post-nostril exhales result in the Sumatran tea tingling the nose most. This is a marvelous juxtaposition to the oily, heavy, and increasingly strong flavors of the smoke detected by the tongue. Not only does it allow the smoker to pick and choose what they want to appreciate in each pull, but it also allows them to mix and match as they jump back and forth between retrohaling and oral exhales.  

2nd Half

Spice and depth elbow their way in with padded shoulders packed with bunches of tea leaves and even more oiled leather, dark fruit, and chai tastes at the center of the cigar. But just when you think things are getting a tad too heavy, along comes a shift toward a dry breadiness and something many of you may not expect: Rye whiskey. 

Spicy, herbal, and slightly sweet, this flavor forms gradually, and once established leads into a far more peppery retrohale filled with black, red, green, and white peppercorns. The smoke is still very leather-rich and oily upon the tongue, and even though the cigar's finish tries to dry out the palate a pinch, the full mouthfeel and richness of the smoke easily overpowers this attempt.

The body, flavor, strength, and finish felt are all full and have been so since the first third began, with the lightness of retrohales being the key to keeping things a bit on the brighter, drier, and "lighter" side. So yes, use your nose when you can with this blend folks.

Parting Puffs

Once debanded, you will either find yourself either enjoying or passing on the parting puffs portion of this toro. It's a mid-grade funk formula that maintains some of that boozy rye whiskey graininess, but before too long things grow very dark and soil-heavy rather rapidly, and that drowns out all else. 

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Despite some rough wrapper misses and a cap that was off in depth by a good bit, my review stick soldiered on without issue for its 2-hour burn time. There was the need for one touch-up midway to aid in an even flavor profile, and the ash did flake some here and there, but these were the only burn issues encountered. 

Smoke production and draw were more than adequate, with the openness of the draw being nearly too fluid for my personal taste. Still, the smoke that was pulled forth was sticky, flavorful, fun, and very oily, and I enjoyed the way in which the cigar kept a nice cool burn building the entire time.

Final Thoughts 

Rare and refined, yet roughly hewn and undeniably robust, the 2023 version of the La Aurora Hors D'Age is its own yin and yang. An ultra-exclusive premium cigar blend that allows you to go back and forth between bold and big flavors and subtly spiced selective aromatics, all based upon how much you retrohale. It is a remarkable, and very sensible way of detecting, selecting, and dissecting cigar flavor profiles and specific scents while keeping the strength and intensity of the smoke in complete control. 

And even though I did dock some points for the unsightly seams and scraps of binder sticking out along the barrel, as well as the poorly formed cap and slightly underfilled foot, I did not have any major burn issues along the way. Furthermore, the sample stick I smoked last year was a tad better looking and burned great, so I factored that fact into my review as well.

This leads us full circle back to the first thing I mentioned in this review, which is the exclusivity of this premium cigar blend. It was really rare when it was first released over a year back, and it is even rarer now that we know that we are one of the only retailers left on the planet that still have some sticks in stock. Which means that the only thing you need to be asking yourself now is, "Should I smoke this cigar now, or see what happens if I let it go even further beyond age?" 

Stogie Specs