Leoninos by La Aurora
Ahhh summertime, 90 degree days with 99.9% humidity making the real-feel temperature something like 120 so the sweat instantly pours off your back. The best part though, at about 9pm every night when the temp drops to about 75, I retire to my front porch with Dad's homemade wine, a ton of reading material I'm endlessly trying to catch up on, and 2 stogies. Yup, summer nights are perfect 2-cigar nights.
For some reason, when I light up late in the day, my mind wanders and I remember the craziest things that seem to stick with the cigar I'm smoking. Last night, I brought out 2 Leoninos by La Aurora - corojo-wrapped beauties - and just as I lit up the second one, I remembered this ridiculous commercial from about 15 years ago. This 7' tall Texan in a big 24 gallon hat looks down into the camera and with a deep southern drawl he says "Honey, you look hotter than a new set of snow tires!" I started chuckling so loud that my wife came out thinking someone else came over. I can't remember what it was for (I just Googled it, but the only thing that came up was some Porno Junkie website) so if anyone knows, please drop me an email to gonz@cigarsinternational.com, it's driving me crazy.
Anyway, why that commercial? It's describes the Leoninos perfectly, trust me. I really like this cigar, it's one of the meatiest, spiciest, hot potatoes (yet not overpowering) I've every had. The dark, smooth corojo wrapper envelops this cigar beautifully. Even the initial pre-light flavor is a tad spicy, a hint of finer things to come. The first few puffs provides a hot pepper kick which mellows slightly...but not much. After smoking a few dozen of these, I'm finding that the filler must be the key. The wrapper is nice, but there's additional Corojo filler inside that explodes out of it as you burn it. Even nicer is the draw which is perfect and easy allowing the flavorful smoke to surround you. The burn is perfect, the ash flakes off just before 2 inches, and the finish is tremendous, lingering at the front of your mouth for several minutes. Beautiful and satisfying, the perfect meal-replacement cigar.
Listen, if you're in the mood for spicy, but don't necessarily want to get blown off the rocker with a Camacho Corojo or Joya de Nicaragua Antano, pick up a box of Leoninos....and tell our operators that Gonz sent ya (and if you happen to get one of the fine young ladies that anchor our customer service team, they won't be offended if you say "honey, you're finer than a new set of snow tires.")
Light'em up,
- Gonz
**** UPDATE JUNE 25, 2007 from TSgt KW of Shaw Air Force Base ****
Hi Gonz, I just read your review on Leoninos by La Aurora. I remember that commercial -- “Honey, you look finer than a new set of snow tires.”
It was an HBO commercial – “Are Saturday nights getting you down?” If I’m not mistaken, they were targeting women to stay home on Saturday nights and watch chick-flicks instead of going to bars.
*****
Thanks KW, that was tearing me up. And thanks for your service to this great country. God Bless America. - Gonz.