La Aurora
Dominican cigar house founded in 1903 by Eduardo Antonio León Jimenes
- Founded
- 1903
- Founded by
- Eduardo Antonio León Jimenes
- Family
- Owned by Guillermo C. León Herbert since 2011
- Home
- Santiago, Dominican Republic
- Factory
- La Aurora cigar factory, Santiago, Dominican Republic
- Lines here
- 7
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The house
The story of La Aurora
La Aurora's first cigars were pointed, bulbous perfectos called Preferidos. Tobacco was packed in wooden containers and carried by donkey over the Dominican Republic's dirt roads. Sales remained domestic. At the suggestion of Eduardo's brother Herminio León Jimenes, the factory moved to Santiago at the end of 1912.
Political upheaval forced production to stop before the company's 30th anniversary. In 1930, La Aurora was acquired by the newly created E. León Jimenes, C. por A., together with the exclusive rights to its trademarks and commercial names. Following Rafael Trujillo's assassination in 1961, the company expanded, and La Aurora later began exporting cigars to markets in Europe, Asia and Latin America during the 1990s.
For La Aurora's centenary in 2003, José Blanco created the 100 Años blend. Its Belicoso was ranked second in Cigar Aficionado's 2004 Top 25. Blanco also worked on the 1495 Series, 107 and Barrel Aged blends before retiring from La Aurora and Empresa León Jimenes in June 2011.
On May 25, 2011, E. León Jimenes sold its stake in the La Aurora cigar factory to Guillermo C. León Herbert. The transaction placed the historic factory under his ownership.
Milestones
Moments that made the house
- 1903
La Aurora founded
Eduardo Antonio León Jimenes established the cigar factory in Don Pedro, Guazumal, near Tamboril.
- 1912
Factory moves to Santiago
La Aurora relocated to Santiago at the end of the year at Herminio León Jimenes's suggestion.
- 1930
E. León Jimenes created
E. León Jimenes, C. por A. was formed to acquire La Aurora and the rights to its trademarks and commercial names.
- 1961
Expansion begins
The end of the Trujillo dictatorship opened opportunities for E. León Jimenes and La Aurora to expand.
- 2003
Centenary marked
La Aurora celebrated 100 years, and José Blanco created the 100 Años blend.
- 2004
100 Años ranked second
The 100 Años earned the second spot on Cigar Aficionado's Top 25.
- 2011
Ownership changes
E. León Jimenes sold its stake in the La Aurora cigar factory to Guillermo C. León Herbert on May 25.
Recognition
Awards & honours
#2 spot on Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25
Cigar Aficionado · 2004
Craft
How they make them
The original factory drew tobacco from Guazumal as well as fields in Gurabo, Jacagua and El Ingenio. Its early reputation was associated with the texture, aroma and flavor of its cigar construction. The 100 Años Robusto is specified as a hand-rolled, long-filler Dominican puro, combining a Dominican Corojo wrapper with Dominican binder and filler.
Details
Things most people don't know
- Original workforce
- La Aurora began with about five workers producing approximately 600 cigars per day.
- Early transport
- Tobacco was packed in wooden containers and delivered to the factory by donkey.
- First cigar
- The first La Aurora cigars were perfectos called Preferidos.
- Centenary blend
- José Blanco created 100 Años to commemorate La Aurora's 100th anniversary in 2003.
In the humidor
La Aurora up close
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