Cigar: Aladino Cameroon
Size: Super Toro
Smoke time: 1 hour
Appearance & Aroma
The Aladino Cameroon presents with a beautiful reddish-brown wrapper that almost gives off a rosado appearance. The wrapper is rugged, yet still smooth-looking, with light veins and a subtle oily sheen. It does not have the rougher appearance often associated with African Cameroon wrappers, which I believe speaks to the care and attention Justo Eiroa practices on his farm.
The first aromas and impressions are inviting: nuts, wood, and a beautiful creaminess. On the initial cold draw, I pick up flavors of peanuts, mineral saltiness, saltine crackers and a hint of dark chocolate.
Light-Up & Draw
I used a simple straight cut on the cigar, and the draw was excellent right from the start. The burn line was even, and the cigar produced plenty of smoke.
Being a baker by trade, my initial impression immediately brought me to sourdough bread. Along with that came hay, wood and a natural sweetness that reminded me of semi-sweet chocolate. Early on, the cigar smoked in the mild-to-medium range, but it was already rich, flavorful, creamy and naturally sweet.
Early Profile
The early profile showed excellent construction. The burn was beautiful, the ash held well and the draw remained perfect.
Flavor-wise, I continued to get sourdough bread, citrus, hay and wood. These flavors evolved nicely while the cigar maintained its creamy texture and subtle sweetness. It was balanced, approachable and very enjoyable from the start.
Middle Profile & Burn
At the midpoint, the cigar began to develop more depth. A little nutmeg came forward alongside the wood and hay. The sweetness backed down slightly, but I continued to pick up mid-to-dark chocolate.
The wood note also began shifting into more of a cedar flavor. By this point, the cigar had firmly moved into medium strength. The construction, burn and draw all remained perfect. As the cigar continued, beautiful floral and citrus notes began to show themselves, adding a nice elegance to the profile.
Late Profile
In the final third, the sweetness started to dissipate, while the cedar, nutmeg and nutty flavors increased. The floral undertones remained, along with citrus, cedar, nutmeg and medium chocolate.
As fragile as Cameroon can be, the wrapper stayed fully intact throughout the smoke. The cigar remained balanced and flavorful all the way to the end, with no harshness taking over the profile.
Overall Impression
I have grown to love Aladino cigars, and I can say this is one of my favorites. After visiting the farm and factory in Honduras, I was able to witness firsthand the care and love that goes into every Aladino cigar. That experience makes smoking this cigar even more special.
This is a cigar that could be enjoyed by every type of smoker—from novice to experienced. It is flavorful enough for the seasoned cigar lover, but balanced and approachable enough for someone still developing their palate.
This is absolutely a box-worthy cigar. The medium strength stays consistent throughout; the burn, draw and construction are all excellent, and the smoke production is plentiful. The finish lingers for a long period of time, leaving rich cedar, nutmeg, light hay and a beautiful creaminess.
– Review by Nick Ambeliotis, a tobacconist at Kapnós Cigars in Seven Fields, Pennsylvania.