Press Release: Creation Of La Aurora Cigar Institute

LA AURORA COMMITS ITSELF TO INNOVATION WITH THE CREATION OF LA AURORA CIGAR INSTITUTE

• La Aurora Cigar Institute is the first academic institution on cigars worldwide created by La Aurora Cigar Factory.

• Recognized figures of the tobacco industry will share their knowledge with those participants who wish to learn or deepen their knowledge and understanding of the tobacco world

Santiago de los Caballeros, January 26, 2016.-­‐ La Aurora Cigar Factory is the oldest manufacturer of Premium Cigars in the Dominican Republic and the leading company in the Dominican tobacco market also operating in more than sixty countries, among which the United States of America,Spain, Russia, France and Germany.

La Aurora now takes a step further in its leadership by creating the first tobacco institute worldwide: La Aurora Cigar Institute.

This institution is part of La Aurora Cigar World, a new concept in the world of tobacco whose primary objective is to create real experts in the field of Premium Cigars. This aim is to be achieved with the creation of La Aurora Cigar Institute, the first institution in the world to educate and teach about the world of cigars in a didactic manner, through a groupf of recognized professionals who will communicate and disseminate the Dominican tobacco culture.

Said institution, that will open its doors next February, is endorsed by the Tobacco Institute of Dominican Republic. Its courses have been meticulously designed in terms of level and duration in accordance with the needs of the learner; on the initial stages, important representative figures of the tobacco industry will be present in order to impart their knowledge and expertise on the subject. We refer to Ángel Daniel Núñez, ex President of General Cigar Co, Benjamín Menéndez, an emblematic figure who has been linked to the world of tobacco for 62 years, holding the position of Senior Vice President at General Cigar, until his retirement in 2013, and Guillermo León, current President of La Aurora, among other major personalities of the tobacco sector.

The courses imparted at La Aurora The Cigar Institute are targeted to various profiles. From the regular consumer of these type of products, who wishes to understandand learn to taste a cigar correctly, in order to enjoy this wonderful experience, to sommeliers that have the desire to broaden their knowledge, recognizing the influence that has the combination of different agro-­‐food specialties and beverages with cigars or trade sector specialists, such as owners of specialized shops, as well as journalists and salesmen of the tobacco sector.

According to Guillermo León, President of La Aurora “The next opening of La Aurora Cigar Institute will undoubtedly be one of the major projects of our company in a very special year, in which we will celebrate its 113 years of existence through five generations. It is a bet on innovation through the creation of a unique institution at global level that will assemble great recognized professionals for the sole purpose of sharing their knowledge and spreading the Dominican Tobacco culture”.

Type of courses and programs

All courses place special emphasis on all aspects related to the understanding of the different tobacco plant varieties, soils, organoleptic characteristics, blends, cigar tasting and pairing between cigars and different agro-­‐food specialties.

The Aurora Cigar Institute will start by offering two types of courses: Course I and Course II. Completion of those two courses entitles to receive the certificate of “Expert in Dominican Tobacco.”

Course I runs for three days and deals with theoretical topics such as: history of tobacco, the economic and social importance of tobacco in Dominican Republic, climate and tobacco-­‐growing areas in Dominican Republic and how the tobacco plant is processed. On the practical part, the students will learn about elaboration of cigars, selection of tobacco, cigar tasting and pairing.

Those participants wishing to continue will proceed to Course II,which lastsalso three days. In this course, students will find that the theoretical contents revolve around more specialized issues, such as: Dominican tobacco varieties and flavors and aromas of the different geographical regions of Dominican Republic. At the practical level, students will be exposed to a seminar on blending, cigar elaboration and pairing.

Lastly, for those persons who have a limited amount of time, The Cigar Institute has developed modular courses and an educational program that will be imparted daily on our premises. These modules are designed to connect the student with the world of the Premium Cigar, providing students with a basic knowledge that can be upgraded with total freedom and flexibility in accordance with their availability. This program has a lecture time duration of two hours and a half.

La Aurora’s Cigar Institute is located within La Aurora premises and consists of modern facilities equipped with all the necessary means and multimedia resources, for the proper and satisfactory development of the courses and programs.

Those interested may consult all the information concerning La Aurora Cigar Institute (dates and courses fees) in www.laauroracigarworld.com.

Some words on La Aurora Cigar Factory La Aurora is the oldest cigar factory in the Dominican Republic. Masters artisans elaborate manually the best handmade cigars, since 1903, almost 113 years ago today. Located in Santiago de los Caballeros, world capital of Premium cigars, in the center of the best tobacco-­‐growing area in the world, El Valle de Cibao, La Aurora Cigars is a family-­‐owned company chaired by Guillermo León. He represents the fifth family generation at the forefront of the company and a symbol for all Dominicans. La Aurora is the leading company of the Dominican tobacco market and is present in more than 60 countries among which United States, Spain, Russia, France and Germany.