Quick answer: La Aurora is the oldest cigar brand in the Dominican Republic, founded in 1903 in Santiago. Wide lineup includes Preferidos (the iconic multi-wrapper Perfecto flagship), 107 (Nicaraguan-leaning), Cien Anos (the Corojo-wrapped centennial), and 1495. Prices run $6 to $15 per cigar. La Aurora consistently earns 90 plus ratings and represents strong value compared to higher-priced Dominican premiums.
I lit a La Aurora 107 Maduro at a closeout sale a few years ago and could not believe how much cigar I got for $7. Box-pressed Nicaraguan-leaning Dominican blend with cocoa, espresso, and a satisfying pepper bite on the finish. La Aurora is one of the oldest cigar brands in the Western Hemisphere and one of the most underrated in the US market. Most smokers walk past La Aurora boxes thinking they are budget brand. They are wrong. La Aurora is making some of the best Dominican cigars in production at half the price of the better-known names.
This guide covers La Aurora's 120 plus year history, the core lines, what to expect by vitola, and where the brand fits among Dominican producers.
Who Makes La Aurora Cigars?
La Aurora is a premium Dominican cigar brand founded in 1903 in Santiago, Dominican Republic by Eduardo Leon Jimenes. It is the oldest continuously operating cigar brand in the Dominican Republic and one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. The Leon family has owned La Aurora for over 120 years; today the cigar company is run by Guillermo Leon, the third generation of the family to lead it and the fifth generation in the tobacco business. The brand is part of E. Leon Jimenes (ELJ), a Dominican holding company. The Santiago factory employs hundreds of skilled torcedors and produces millions of cigars per year across the lineup. The core lines are Preferidos (the Perfecto-shaped flagship in color-coded wrapper varieties), 107 (the Nicaraguan-leaning blend launched on the brand's 107th anniversary in 2010), Cien Anos (the Corojo-wrapped centennial release), and 1495 (named for the year tobacco was discovered in the Dominican Republic). MSRP runs $6 to $15 across the lineup.
A Brief History of La Aurora
Eduardo Leon Jimenes founded La Aurora in 1903, a generation before Davidoff or Padron existed and almost six decades before the Cuban revolution sent tobacco-growing expertise south to the Dominican Republic. The brand survived through the 20th century: World War I and II tobacco shortages, the Trujillo dictatorship, Hurricane David in 1979 that wiped out fields across the DR, the cigar boom of the 1990s, and the consolidation that followed.
Cuban exiles arrived in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s and brought the technique that turned the country into a global cigar power. La Aurora was already 60 years old when this happened and absorbed Cuban-trained rollers into the existing Santiago factory. That is part of why La Aurora cigars feel like the result of two traditions blended.
The family's wider Grupo Leon Jimenes has long been one of the Dominican Republic's major tobacco and beverage businesses. The cigar division has remained focused and family-owned where many Dominican brands have changed hands.
The La Aurora Lineup at a Glance
What Makes La Aurora Different?
Three things set La Aurora apart in the Dominican premium category:
The Perfecto flagship. Preferidos is one of the few mainstream lines built around the Perfecto shape (tapered at both ends). Most Dominican premiums focus on Robustos and Toros. The Perfecto is harder to roll, harder to smoke evenly, and worth it when done right. La Aurora has been making Perfectos for over a century.
Multiple wrappers in one line. Preferidos lets a smoker experience several wrapper-driven profiles within the same brand and shape. That is rare; most brands pick one wrapper per line. The Preferidos wrappers (Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro, Brazilian Maduro, Ecuadorian sun-grown, Cameroon, and Connecticut Shade) cover almost the full flavor spectrum.
Value pricing for premium quality. La Aurora 107 at $7 to $11 punches at the level of Davidoff Grand Cru at $16 to $22 and Padron 1964 Anniversary at $15 to $20. Not equal, but closer than the price gap suggests.
How Do La Aurora Cigars Taste?
La Aurora's general profile across the lineup runs cocoa, cedar, and almond as recurring notes, with the specific wrapper driving the body and the secondary flavors. The 107 line leans more Nicaraguan than the rest of the lineup, with espresso and dark chocolate at the front and a peppery finish. Cien Anos is the most refined, with a long cedar-and-almond profile that evolves slowly through the burn. Preferidos varies dramatically by wrapper choice; the Diamond Maduro is the boldest, the Sapphire Connecticut Shade is the mildest.
For smokers used to Nicaraguan boldness, La Aurora can feel quieter at first. The flavors evolve more slowly through the smoke. Patience pays off; the second and third thirds of a La Aurora often deliver complexity that the first third does not reveal.
Best La Aurora Cigars to Try First
Three entry points depending on your palate:
- La Aurora 107 Robusto ($6 to $11). The fullest-bodied La Aurora at a value price. Cocoa, espresso, peppery finish. The best entry point for Nicaraguan-style smokers.
- Preferidos Diamond Maduro ($11 to $15). The flagship Perfecto in its Maduro wrapper. Bold, sweet, distinctive.
- La Aurora Cien Anos ($9 to $13). The most refined line in the brand. Cedar, almond, complex evolution.
For mild-side beginners, the Preferidos Sapphire in its Connecticut Shade wrapper is the gentlest pick in the lineup.
How Much Do La Aurora Cigars Cost?
MSRP across the lineup runs $6 to $15 per stick. Boxes of 20 to 25 cigars run $90 to $300 depending on line and vitola.
107 Robusto sits at $6 to $11 (the value-premium sweet spot). Preferidos runs $11 to $15. Cien Anos at $9 to $13.
Prices vary 30 to 40 percent across retailers for the same vitola. Multi-stick or box purchases bring per-cigar pricing into the lower end of these ranges.
Where to Buy La Aurora
The brand is widely stocked at our partner retailers. We track active codes for Famous Smoke and Cigars International, both of which carry the full Preferidos, 107, and Cien Anos lines. The best places to buy cigars online comparison covers retailer pricing across the broader premium cigar category. Looking to save? See current Cigars International deals on CigarFinder.
La Aurora vs Other Dominican Producers
La Aurora compares well to other Dominican premium producers:
- Davidoff. More refined, much more expensive ($16 to $50 plus). La Aurora at $10 punches above its weight.
- Arturo Fuente. Similar price tier. Fuente leans more toward Cameroon wrappers and richer profiles. La Aurora is smoother and more balanced.
- Romeo y Julieta (Dominican). Both target similar mild-medium Dominican palates. Romeo y Julieta has stronger brand recognition; La Aurora delivers more flavor for the price.
- Ashton. Both produce smooth Dominican premiums. La Aurora is slightly fuller-bodied; Ashton is slightly more refined.
For a head-to-head comparison of two other major brand pairings, see the Padron vs Arturo Fuente comparison and the 9 best cigars for the money value list.
Trying to pick between La Aurora 107 and Preferidos for tonight? Tap the chat bubble at the bottom right of any cigarfinder.com page and ask Cigar Finder AI based on your palate and pairing.
Compare and Smoke Inn promo codes on CigarFinder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are La Aurora cigars made?
In Santiago, Dominican Republic. La Aurora is the oldest continuously operating cigar brand in the Dominican Republic, founded in 1903.
Who owns La Aurora cigars?
The Leon family, through their holding company E. Leon Jimenes (ELJ). Guillermo Leon, the third generation of the family to lead the company, runs the cigar division.
What is the most popular La Aurora cigar?
The Preferidos line (Perfecto-shaped) is the brand's flagship. Within Preferidos, the Diamond Maduro is the most-rated variant.
Are La Aurora cigars premium?
Yes. Hand-rolled long-filler tobacco at $5 to $14 price points. The brand sits in the premium-for-the-money tier alongside Macanudo and Romeo y Julieta.
What is La Aurora 107?
A Nicaraguan-leaning La Aurora line released in 2010 to commemorate the brand's 107th anniversary. Medium-full body, bolder than the rest of the lineup.
Is La Aurora a good cigar for beginners?
Yes. The Preferidos Sapphire, a Connecticut Shade, is the mildest and most approachable. The 107 line is fuller and better for intermediate smokers.
How does La Aurora compare to Davidoff?
La Aurora is much more affordable ($10 vs $25 to $50 for Davidoff) with similar Dominican refinement. Davidoff has more polish; La Aurora has more flavor for the price.
Where can I buy La Aurora cigars?
Most major US cigar retailers including Famous Smoke, Cigars International, Smoke Inn, and JR Cigars.
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