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Aladino Camp Aladino "Corojo Gorbusto"

Initial Smoke

Spicy Szechuan peppers and a salt-n-pepper profile offer the first fiery caress of the tongue. This intense taste eventually fades, allowing a lighter floral flavor and fruity aromatic to bloom, which makes retrohales very enjoyable. There is still a hefty touch of vintage corojo lemon and tea inside, but due to the lighter body of the smoke it does not seem too strong.

1st Half

While the draw is medium in flow at first, and grows more open as you go, and this allows more flavors and aromatics to form. Soil and light brown sugar are the first two flavors that jump at their chance to grow, and as they do so, a tangy, tannin-rich taste descends upon the taste buds. As dried apple develops into a secondary tasting note, the pithiness of the citrus peel supports its presence, all while spices and that floral flurry move further toward retrohales and the finish.

Fruity and fuller, in a tropical, dried cigar flavor profile, the second third shifts away from spiciness for a second. Doing so gives the lusher sides of the all-corojo blend to build, and a unique bamboo leaf note arrives. Dry and sweet, and still a touch salty, this creamier concoction is pure smoking ecstasy, and the medium-bodied build-up makes retrohales even more memorable.

2nd Half

Right when things start to simmer down in the midsection of the stick, a smoky barbecue wood taste develops, and with it comes a brined grilled meat flavor. Still floral and dehydrated apple-filled, the taste of the smoke shifts toward a spicier, tangier direction. It may still be creamy and controlled, but a change is coming, and you can fell it with every lingering exhale. 

As tea tastes slowly become herbal, and the hardwood notes increase, out comes that corojo kick, and this time around it is far more fiery. Peppercorns, pickled jalapeno peppers, and that classic Honduran soil taste all turn the final third into a much bigger experience, and for the most part it works extremely well. Nowhere is this more apparent than on retrohale, where you may be inclined to be more conservative with smoke flow.

Parting Puffs

As Szechuan pepper returns, the whole blend grows hot, and not in a good way. Burnt, charry, flaking, and refusing to stay lit, parting puffs were pretty much a wash in my review stick. Sadly, these issues were not exclusive to the cigar seen here, as my sample cigar also suffered from the same problems.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Although the draw evolved into a near-perfect expression of what a corona vitola can offer, the overall performance of the cigar was hampered by an uneven burn and entirely too much ash bloom. Splitting, flaking, and the need for a correction in the final third, followed by a parting puffs section that refused to stay lit all damaged the final score for the cigar more than I would have liked. But hey, that's the reason why we do what we do in a cigar review...

Final Thoughts

Old-school corojo Cuban vibes are all over this cigar from Aladino. Not just in how it looks or is packaged and presented, but in how it tastes and smells. This corona vitola is especially classic feeling, and outside of its burn concerns and horrid ending was well worth my time.

Evolutionary motions are marvelous and well-timed, and the floral sides of the cigar, as well as that elusive fruitiness were flat-out divine. The blend can also be surprisingly creamy, especially in the first half, and I found myself savoring every little nuance along the way. 

Some closing thoughts include the fact that due to the slimmer ring-gauge and tight construction, the need to puff frequently requires some careful timing. Too little and the blend will go out. Entirely too much, and you will encounter a ton of heat and some charry tar tastes. So finding an equilibrium earlier on is vital for fully enjoying this blend. Get part right and forego any thought of smoking anything beyond that vintage band and you'll be in for a real treat.

Overall Balance & Repeatability