Initial Smoke  

Smooth starts such as these are what make a stellar cigar review possible in the first place. Without a touch of spiciness or sharpness to be found, the first few moments of smoking are as calm and clean as it comes. Instead, what you get is a sweet doughiness, followed by a bit of buttered popcorn and the gradual emergence of black pepper and that belt of rye from unlit impressions. 

1st Half

A tiny bit darker and oilier, the promise of a medium-bodied smoking session gradually unfolds in the first third, where you may discover a pinch of that classic Honduran soil flavor has formed. But that's more on the backend, and up front, it is still all buttered popcorn, along with a sweet cinnamon and sugar mixture. Doughy and slightly dry, this mixture makes for an outstanding starting point for the cigar to build its traditional, zippy corojo tanginess and flavor profiles upon.

By the time you reach the second third, things have gone from great to absolutely divine, with the evolution of corojo spiciness and tea-like tannins making the first major transition a reality. The rye has evolved into a wholegrain bread flavor, and the finish is rounder, longer-lasting, and equal parts sweet and dry. All together, this makes for an excellent section, with retrohales that are filled with floral sun-grown tobacco smells and tropical dried fruits filling in where the medium-bodied mouthfeel leaves off.

2nd Half

With cinnamon and sugar still at the front of all other flavors, and classic Honduran corojo cigar flavor profiles coming in second, the center of this smoke is enjoyable in every way. The sweetness of the tobacco continues to aid in the overall tastiness of the blend, while bumping body and smoke texture up a notch or two. Soil and sun, some more cinnamon sugary pastry delights, and a significantly spicier finish form a final third that is both a bit bolder and more complex. 

Parting Puffs

As the wholegrain rye bread gets toasted, dabs of butter get plopped on top, and things suddenly get a bit herbal on the palate. Honduran soil notes from earlier have grown a bit more fermented tasting and barnyard-like. And while the tastiness of that cinnamon and sugar mixture certainly continues to score hits, the temperature felt on the tongue and from the mouth cannot be ignored. Ah, the double-edged sword that is the short and fat cigar...

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

A slop to the burn line was the only issue I had with my review stick, with the sample smoke I torched the night prior, burning even better. The draw from that larger ring gauge was outstanding, and even a V-cut returns ridiculous amounts of medium-bodied smoke. Ash builds hold all the way up to the 50-yard line, and with each discard, lightens up both the body and cigar flavor profile. Outside of a bit of heavy heat in the final third and beyond, this gorbusto vitola really delivers when it comes to smoking performance.

Final Thoughts

I have something to confess. I enjoyed this blend so much that I've already got a full 5-pack on order in my next stogie shipment. It truly is that divine and well-balanced.

From physical appeal and smoke production, to flavor and body, to the entrancing retrohales and aromatics, this brand-new blend from Aladino is a really solid medium-powered corojo. Yes, heat intensity, an uneven burn rate, and a belt of nicotine in the final third were a concern at times, but these were all easy to ignore with everything else stacked up beside them. 

Those cinnamon and sugar notes were especially enjoyable to experience, and in hindsight were the undisputed primary flavor profile for much of the cigar. The balance between traditional Honduran corojo earthiness, tartness, tea, and tropical fruitiness was also impressive. Mixed with that predominant breadiness that sat on the secondary line, the entire smoking session resulted in a really favorable review. 

My only word of caution is that the mellow, medium-powered profile of this blend demands an equally mild beverage for pairing. If you can, skip the straight liquor and mix up a lighter cocktail, or pour a glass of white wine for a change. Your taste buds will thank you, and you will taste a whole hell of a lot more of those subtler corojo leaf nuances.