Mission Zero
Rare doesn't always mean unobtainable. Some of the best limited-run cigars we stock at Klaro aren't just a one-and-done release, but small batch productions that are released in finite amounts at certain times of the year. This is often due to the higher quality and/or extended aging of the tobacco being utilized, the scarcity of the seed varietal itself, or having only the top rollers assemble the cigar.
When Aladino Cigars teased the 85 Anniversario Reserva at PCA 2025, we were relieved to learn that this would be one of those annually released limited smokes, and not just a short run. Furthermore, this specialty cigar wouldn't just be hitting shelves once a year, but whenever the next batch was ready. This is what Aladino does with its highly coveted Corojo Reserva blend, which is also made in small amounts with only the most select red leaf in every section of the stick.
The 85 Aniversario Reserva not only mirrors the random release dates that make the long-running corojo limited release in JRE Tobacco Co.'s collection so rare, but it also relies upon just one kind of seed strain for every section of the cigar. However, instead of using an ultra-premium red leaf, this new Reserva uses a long, underutilized Cuban-seed strain called "pinareño" that is cultivated on the Eiroa family farm down in Honduras.
Once considered the darling of Cuban cigars, this delicate tobacco strain eventually fell out of favor due to its tendency to succumb to disease while in the field. Even if it made it to the factory, pinareño was quick to be damaged during handling and fermentation, with rejection rates during production being another concern.
To learn that one of our favorite cigar makers was blending up a mild breakfast smoke made entirely from this long-forgotten seed strain, well, that indeed was something that had to be secured. Not just for you, our valued Klaro Crew, but for my happy ass to smoke in front of the camera and review. Cigars like this don't come around just any day, so count yourselves lucky if you can snag up a fiver of this one, because as you are about to see, it truly is a beauty of a blend.
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Unlit Impressions
Light caramel in color, with medium amounts of oil and colorless, texture-free veins, the most expensive leaf on the cigar shimmers under the studio lights. The cap is a gorgeous, deep expression, with that classy Aladino "A" underneath, which is typically used only for the brand's Reserva smokes. Like many of Aladino's blends, this marketing look evokes the old world Cuban cigar style of marketing, which some may consider tired and outdated, but in this case, it works well.
Extremely floral upon the nose, with the heady scent of rose water being the primary standout, sniffs off that stunning wrapper are simple yet sensational. There isn't much to be found beyond that, though, with a trickle of honey sweetness, a dusting of nutmeg, some cedar shavings, and the smell of heavy stock, high-dollar art paper being the only other smells I can identify.
Examine that foot, and you will find a dark swirl in the center of the filler bunch, which is a promising sign that there is going to be a tease of fermented fun to be found within. Sweet, rock candy smells lead into some white tea and vanilla bean notes, before filling in with some frothed milk, more nutmeg, and a sip of almond milk. Like the wrapper, this isn't the most complex or sweetest-smelling section of a cigar I've ever encountered, but it certainly is clean and very alluring.
A tug or two later off the lip-service side of the cigar, and I find myself enjoying how much that pinareño leaf tastes as it smells. It's far milkier tasting than smelling, though, and the vanilla bean hits hard, with a pinch of salt and twist of tangerine peel providing a little more appeal to the mild mixture. This is going to be good...
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Initial Smoke
Ultra-refined and focusing on floral notes and fragrant aromatics, the first few minutes of the cigar are already outstanding. Raw hazelnuts and tangy honey, vanilla mixed with light caramel, toasted hardwood staves, and a unique, lingering bouquet on the finish are all applaudable first impressions. The draw on my review cigar does prove to be a bit tight, and is easily amended by a quick skewer down the center of the barrel with the poker on my Overland Pro torch lighter.
1st Half
Mild, yet a far cry from uninteresting, the first third feeds me exotic spice notes of an unknown origin, and a grassy smell and taste that makes me think of freshly split spring bamboo. There's some marzipan almond dessert filling in there too, and the buttery, sugary notes make me think of Japanese "melon pan" when it is fresh out of the oven. Retrohales are both doughy and floral, with those unfamiliar spice notes blending nicely with the lingering sweetness left on the tongue long after each exhale.
Eventually, the blend gets a little drier near the start of the second third, and there is a hint of salty spiciness on retrohale. The finish is still sweet, though, and that is because all of that vanilla has joined some caramelized sugar to make a bowl of brûlée. It may not be the most original light cigar flavor profile, but with all of that bamboo and the floral scents to the smoke still serving as the blend's heartbeat, familiarity mixes with the foreign to form a near-flawless tasting event.
2nd Half
Right in the center of the stick, something unexpected occurs, and it is the entrance of boozy sweetness. Nothing too intense. Just a whiff of the rum cask, and it adds a lick of sweetness and depth to the smoke that goes beyond the honey notes being tasted. Could this be that swirl of darker long-filler leaf showing itself? I wouldn't be one bit surprised, and dammit, I'm digging it.
As some stronger hazelnut notes take hold, the medium-strength spices on each retrohale start to move southward toward the tongue, and this blending plays perfectly off the rest of the blend. With white tea flavors growing in the background, the exotic spice notes find a new playmate, and before long, a few newcomers join the smoky soirée. Cinnamon toast with tabs of butter and brown sugar teams up with the vanilla bean brûlée, and little pops of candied ginger show themselves for the first time. This causes retrohales to grow even more magnificent, with the medium-grade spice notes adding a tingle each time.
Parting Puffs
Clean and incredibly creamy, anywhere beyond that cigar band is 100% nub-able in my opinion. Yes, there's some spice, but it's a tickle and not a peppercorn throat punch. With those exotic spices, it glances off the hardwood notes that have bounced back with a salt-n-pepper finishing touch. Reaching for medium, the buttery sides of the cigar shine with a lasting honey, ginger, and cinnamon taste that is more warming than burning, and I am left wishing that I had another stick of this blend in my Kobi humidor.
Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw
Beyond needing a poke right out of the gate to get smoke flow to a respectable level, I didn't run into any issues with my review cigar. Burn temps and ash builds were both great, the smoke pulled forth and exhaled out was an idyllic mild-medium mixture, and I never felt the need for my torch once the cigar was lit.
However, I have noticed that on each cigar I have smoked, there is a risk of ash dropping out of the blue, and that the blend as a whole burns somewhat quickly. These are the only issues I have encountered thus far, though, which likely have more to do with the delicate nature of the tobacco used than anything production-related.
Final Thoughts
If I were to reach for a mild-to-medium cigar in my humidor once a day, it would be this one. Aladino's 85 Aniversario Reserva is a triumphant example of what can be achieved with a single seed strain and a lifetime of tobacco and cigar-producing practice. Something that Justo Eiroa and his father, Julio, know all about, and are quick to capitalize upon when the opportunity arrives.
Not only is this an extremely consistent blend, with all four cigars I have smoked being identical to the last, but the overall impression that it makes both pre-light and while being burned is absolutely beautiful. This is the optimal expression of how mild cigars can be complex and extremely satisfying, which, in a market that is over-saturated with copycat shade smokes, is very refreshing to find.
The only real issue with this blend, as far as I can see, is that it is only produced in limited quantities, and that we aren't always entirely sure when it will be hitting the humidor. Which is precisely why you should periodically check back to see if we have this stogie back in stock, because if that product page says "sold out," know that it's just a matter of time until you can get your hands on this near-perfect puro.
Flavor, Aroma & Transitions
Depth & Complexity
Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal
Backstory & Branding
Overall Balance & Repeatability
Stogie Specs
|
Cigar |
Aladino "85th Anniversario Reserva" |
|
Wrapper |
Pinareño (Honduras) |
|
Binder |
Pinareño (Honduras) |
|
Filler |
Pinareño (Honduras) |
|
Factory |
Honduras |
|
Size |
6″ x 52 (Toro) |
|
Strength |
Mild-Medium |
|
Pairing Drink |
Chamomile, Honey & Vanilla Iced Tea |
|
Rating |
4.7/5 |
