Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeSource: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
One of the first things we did, cigar in hand, was visit La Aurora headquarters in the RD. It is both the local shop, with lots to explore and see, and the working factory where they make the brand’s cigars. In the front is a quaint yet captivating shop, complete with the original Ford vehicles owned by the León family, and various displays showcasing several of the titular La Aurora labels, including a limited edition World Champion 2023 from a team up with F1 driver Max Verstappen and the Hor D’age. Mylantaaa, what a cigar.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Visitors coming in off the street are welcome to join the factory tour, complete with a full walkthrough of the cigar-making process — though it’s nothing like what we saw when visiting the Dominican farms. If you get the chance to visit, whether vacationing in the area or coming off a cruise that stops on the island, I highly recommend it. The tour guide is a trip, and he knows a thing or two about cigars.
I will caution against driving in the area because the local populace is nothing short of insane when it comes to speeding along behind the wheel of a truck, vehicle, or impromptu motorcycle.
Witnessing a large family of five, no less, speeding along and packed onto a small dirt bike or Vespa-style scooter, all while carrying equipment and cargo — think a full-size grill broken down — is a common sight. I think I had about ten to fifteen heart attacks just on that first joy ride to La Aurora HQ.
A memorable visit to the La Aurora headquarters
For the first few hours, we spent some time in the private lounge upstairs. Mostly, we were waiting to get some grub after our flight and smoking cigars, exactly my kind of experience. Elvis Batista, though clearly busy handling things for the business here and there, didn’t let that distract him from his hosting duties.
Among the group were me, the odd presser since everyone else was an employee, a couple that works for La Aurora in sales, George and Marissa Zaglifa, our resident host Melanie, and later, we were joined by two partners Jake Kesteloot and Jeffrey Jones — a two-man team from the renowned Silver Leaf lounge in Texas. Let’s just say these guys know what they’re doing. It didn’t take long to settle in, and although the trip was relatively short, we became pretty close-knit.
Framed portraits of the long line of León leaders lined one section. A gorgeous, tobacco-leaf accent wall stands out even among the ornate decor in the room. The brown, hardened leaves form an intricate pattern. Honestly, after seeing it, I really want to decorate one of the walls of my home that way. Cases filled to the brim with historic and signature pieces served as accouterments for the space and were a testament to La Aurora’s longstanding operations. I must have taken dozens of photos in that room alone.
Nothing can prepare you for seeing the work in person.
Against the far wall, a full glass window overlooked the cigar sorting room. We had a clear view of the teams below. Most were sifting through dried tobacco leaves and prepping them for their eventual rolling.
As someone who’s long been interested in the cigar trade, and who’s always wanted a glimpse behind the curtain, it was a dream. Between taking photos, I pinched my arm to be sure I wasn’t asleep.
We spent the rest of the day settling in before we parted ways to check out our hotels, get cleaned up, rest, and then head back out to dinner.
To get to my hotel, my driver brought me on an incredible jaunt to the mountains above the city, to a place called Camp David. As you’d expect, the trip there was windy, bumpy, and full of sights. It was where I’d call home for the next few days and rest my head, and they couldn’t have picked a better place.
The trip in bullet points
The first day was the travel day to settle in. From there it was jam-packed with activities.
The second day we explored the La Aurora farms, toured the factory, and paid a visit to the Centro León Museum and Cultural Center.
On the third day, we toured the city, marveled at the St. James the Apostle Cathedral (Catedral de Santiago Apóstol), ate lunch at the 1885 Palacio Consistorial town hall, and finally climbed the Monumento de Santiago.
The final day was another travel day, where everyone parted ways and traveled back home.
Why we’re all here: The tobacco
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
The city was beautiful, and I love my history, but, at least for this part of the story, I have to focus on the tobacco — the entire reason I was there.
Nothing can prepare you for seeing the work in person. Every time I’ve held a cigar in my hand, enjoyed the aromas and pined for the flavors, I knew that lots of work went into creating them. About 300 hands go into the production of any one cigar. But as much as you hear it, as much as you might have seen videos online, or taken tours at various factories and facilities, the authentic experience starts at the source.
The La Aurora farm is rustic, not garish, and not without character. From the moment we arrived to the moment we left, every person we came across was busy. They toil away to create the cigars we know and love.
Caring for the tobacco plants
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Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeSource: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
In the greenhouse, thousands of small, downright adorable plants are cared for with passion and love. The small crops are watered multiple times per day, nearly by hand so as not to damage the leaves. After a time of growth, they’re sorted, manually, and a small crew sifts through to find imperfections. To the untrained eye, my eye, I saw no difference in the plants that were removed and discarded. The teams explained that either they were not growing to the appropriate size or various traits were not desirable. These skilled artisans knew precisely what was worth retaining and what was not.
As you’ll see in the photos, they removed the unwanted plants and repotted the pristine ones all by hand. The plants were painstakingly and meticulously poured over bud by bud. From there, they’re fostered until they grow large enough to replant in the actual tobacco fields.
Exploring the tobacco field and curing barn
The curing barn from afar.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeApproaching the curing barn and the tobacco fields.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeAnother view of the curing barn.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeThe tobacco fields. Though empty, they are huge.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungePeering into the curing barn.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeTaking stock of the curing barn’s fixtures.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeWhat the curing barn would look like when in use.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeAnother view of the tobacco plants hanging.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeA representation of a live tobacco plant in the La Aurora factory.
The field was empty, but vast. Staring out at the rows of soil you can almost picture the oversized green tobacco towering above you. It’s hard to imagine a plant so monumental could stem from a seed barely the size of a pinhead. Holding one in the palm of your hand you’re lucky if you can make out its shape.
When ready, the leaves are strung up to dry in the curing barn. What the locals call the casa de tabaco. Because we were visiting in October, towards the end of the season, the curing barn was empty. But I was still able to venture inside and see where the leaves would be mounted to lathes or cujes. At times, they may even be hung from strings called sartas. Try to imagine a huge, empty barn or warehouse lined wall to wall with organized wooden poles. Peering inside, it’s almost like looking through a window into another world.
These skilled artisans knew precisely what was worth retaining and what was not.
Our guide was an expert tobacconist and farmer. He’s involved at every stage of the tobacco crop process. He explained how the plants are cared for, what goes into each progression, and some of the unique traits of each type of tobacco from Corojo to Maduro strains — though they all essentially come from the same family of tobacco plants.
After the fields, we returned to the La Aurora factory to see where the leaves were crafted into a more tangible product.
Sorting, rolling, and packaging: Where the vision takes shape
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeDry, fermented tobacco leaves ready for sorting.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeLa Aurora workers sorting the tobacco.
A large dry, bale of tobacco leaves.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeTobacco prepped for sorting based on color and more.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeThe La Aurora tobacco sorting team in action.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeAndullo tobacco aging pods hung up on the walls of the La Aurora factory.
After curing, tobacco leaves undergo fermentation, which is the process that helps them develop their aroma and flavor. They’re brought to the factory for this and stored in barrels. Then, after months, sometimes years, they’re sorted based on the type of leaves and color before being added to large bales, stacks upon stacks of dried leaves.
We saw it all. Of particular note was the Andullo tobacco. It’s aged in palm pods identical in design to what the island natives used to create tobacco centuries ago. It’s amazing to see these same processes in use hundreds of years later.
From the fermentation room, lined with hundreds of barrels, and its sweet yet pungent ammonia aromas, to the rolling room and packaging rooms, the La Aurora factory is a well-oiled and efficient machine. But it’s manned by humans, not loud clanky mechanical beasts. The closest thing to a machine I saw was the Draw Master, a small device used to check the airflow of rolled cigars. It helps the rolling teams discern if a cigar is packed properly, ensuring that when a cigar finally reaches you, you will have a pleasant, smooth experience.
Where they roll the cigars
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeSource: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
The rolling room was full of hundreds of people. However, where it would take someone like me, and perhaps you, an hour to roll a single cigar, maybe longer, these skilled laborers do it in less than a minute. I watched in awe as each rolling pair crafted loose, unwieldy tobacco leaves into beautifully packed cigars. Not once did I see them measure or check their work. Not out of carelessness, but because they were that good. Every chop of the Chaveta, every pinch, every movement was on point. Perfectly rolled cigar after perfectly rolled cigar slapped down on the surface of these stations collecting in naked bundles. Bundles with dozens of cigars each.
And this was all done at scale. Hundreds of people work with the precision of years of experience.
As I’ve said, nothing can truly prepare you for seeing this operation in person.
We later toured the other rooms in the factory, including where they make the labels and boxes and then package the finished cigars for distribution.
Another highlight is our sit down with none other than Guillermo León Herbert, president of La Aurora. He is the fifth generation of the León family in the tobacco world. The third generation involved in La Aurora operations since its founding.
A humbling experience
At the rear of the factory, behind all the bustle and flow, rests the corporate offices of the La Aurora leaders. We shuffled through haphazardly right into Guillermo’s office. As we entered, he was there talking with his daughter. Although this man clearly had more important things to do, he set aside time to sit with us and chat.
He served us coffee and engaged in conversation with every single one of us. He inquired about our interests and our experiences. Guillermo also took the time to get to know a little about us personally. We didn’t talk about cigars, or the business, or even anything related to the trip per se. He was genuinely interested in us. You don’t encounter that in the world of business much, if ever. I’ve talked to many leaders in various industries over the years and it’s not like this.
It’s amazing to see these same processes in use hundreds of years later.
It was apparent he was the right man for the role, as humble as he was. It’s also obvious why his family has endured over 120 years and why the company still thrives today.
It wasn’t the end of the trip. I still have a lot more to talk about, but there isn’t a better way to cap off the experience. Meeting the president of La Aurora and a member of the family behind the entire company was awesome. I wish this wondrous experience was something I could share with every cigar enthusiast out there.
Briley has over 16 years in the publishing and content marketing business. He's been writing about cigars for nearly half that in various forms. What makes him a tour de force is he also smokes them.
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