Don Doroteo is a cigar I would have never heard of if I didn’t get into writing about cigars again. There was a period in 2024 when I felt like I was getting an email a week from Creativas the marketing firm hired by this company to get the word out.
According to a press release “El Alcalde translates to “The Mayor” and pays homage to Doroteo’s trajectory, which saw him come from humble beginnings as a young tobacco farmer, to the mayor of his city. Doroteo Fermin Delgado grew up on a farm learning the ways of the tobacco leaf from his father Marcos Delgado. Sadly, Macros passed away when Doroteo was 16 years of age. Through sheer grit Doroteo over the years saved enough money to purchase plots of land, which totaled eighty-four acres. La Aurora took notice of his tobacco and quickly became his exclusive buyer. Doroteo became a leader of his community, and his popularity led him to become the mayor of his small town in 1969.”
The cigars which are made at La Aurora in the Dominican Republic were rolled in 2008 of which only 3,000 were made.
Cigar Review: Don Doroteo El Alcalde
Size: 6.25 x 52 (Belicoso)
Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
Binder: Ecuador Sumatra
Filler: Brazil, Dominican Republic
Factory: La Aurora
Release Date: March 2024
Box Count: 5
The Cigar: First thought, the cigar has a lot of coverage. A primary Don Doroteo band with El Alcalde 1969-1971 on it, a secondary band that denotes 15 Anos (Years) and a a baby blue foot band hide a lot of the wrapper. The dark wrapper has some veins visible with a nice amount of oils and tooth present. In the hand the cigar is firm to the touch and a nice weight to it.
The Taste: The cold draw has some barnyard to it with nuances of brown sugar and maple. I was sent 3 samples of this cigar to smoke for review and I didn’t look into blend, factory or price until it was time to write that information in the review. I’ll be honest based on the cold draw I had it pegged for a different factory that fit the price point, but once it was lit I knew the factory having spent a lot of time there in the early 2010s. The aroma from the foot has hints of tangerine and a rum barrel sweetness.
After a fairly lengthy toast to get it evenly lit the initial draw is perfection with notes of caramel and toasted almonds. As we move into the first third notes of marzipan become dominant with a touch of nougat. As we the first third approaches the end there are notes of leather, black pepper and espresso. The retrohale enhances the espresso component.
Moving into the second third the resting aroma with the cigar between my lips reminds me of toasted marshmallows. The second third continues to showcase notes of leather and espresso with a touch of whole almonds. The retrohale adds a touch of caramel sweetness, salt and white pepper while the finish is a long strong espresso.
As we start the final third a hint of vanilla appears for a short while with salted caramel that battles with leather for the focal point of the flavor profile. As we move past where the primary band would end, leather wins out with a salted caramel remaining as an afterthought. As we conclude our El Alcalde from Don Doroteo we are disappointed that the journey is coming to a close. The final few puffs showcase notes of leather, salted cashews and a subtle caramel on the finish.
Conclusion: Limited Edition cigars aren’t eligible for our cigar of the year countdown in a couple of weeks, but if they were it would have definitely been in the Top 5. I’ve gone on rants before about the new pricing in cigars, but this one is worthy of the price point. It might be the best cigar to come out of the La Aurora factory in a decade and it makes me wonder why they sat in the aging room for that long before Don Doroteo grabbed them for this LE release.
Despite the double Sumatra (wrapper & binder) the cigar only has minimal characteristics in the flavor profile of that particular varietal which I believe is well masked due to the use of Brazilian tobacco. If you are not put off by the price point be sure to track these down as they are absolutely worth it.
Score: 95
Price: $29.75 (Before any local or state taxes)
