Cigar Aficionado

The oldest cigarmaker in the Dominican Republic is introducing a very nontraditional cigar. La Aurora’s Small Batch Lot No. 006 Ambassador is not only made with a shaggy foot, but is also entwined in a rope of tobacco that you’re supposed to smoke. 

The unusual shape is the work of La Aurora’s master blender Manuel Inoa, who says that these cigars were made in 2011. Many elements make the Small Batch Lot No. 006 Ambassador a completely unorthodox project for La Aurora, a company that typically produces conventional products:

• The shaggy foot. Exposed binder and filler protrude from the foot for the shaggy effect. La Aurora doesn’t normally make this type of cigar.

• The rope. A rope of tobacco binds the wrapper and it’s not just for looks. It’s intended to be smoked along with the other components. This is not only unusual for La Aurora, it’s unusual for the entire industry.

• The low production numbers. At only 137 boxes, that means a run of merely 1,370 cigars total.

• The age. These cigars are purportedly 14 years old with some 19-year-old tobacco in the blend. Tobacco that old is atypical for the industry.

As for the cigar itself, the Lot No. 006 Ambassador measures 4 1/2 inches by 60 ring gauge at its fattest point. The wrapper and binder are Nicaraguan while the filler, which splays out of the foot, is a combination of Pennsylvanian, Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco. The outer rope is Mexican San Andrés tobacco that the company says “plays a fundamental role in the smoking experience,” as it was put in place to add hints of pepper and sweetness.

Each cigar has a suggested retail price of $16.50 each or $165 per box. 

While this is the sixth installment of the Small Batch series, not all of La Aurora’s Small Batch cigars have been launched in the United States. Lot No.003 was the last cigar to see a U.S. release. The newest Lot No. 006 is shipping to U.S. retailers now. 

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