Mission Zero
In the thrilling conclusion to the Aladino Gorbusto three-part saga, comes the heavy-hitting maduro in the product line... with a major plot twist.
While the Camp Aladino Gorbusto Cameroon and its spicier, red leaf-wrapped Corojo Gorbusto cousin received reviews in 2025, I chose to wait on reviewing the maduro version. The reason? Aladino was overhauling the entire Gorbusto line's banding, branding, and packaging approach, which damn near caused me to applaud in approval.
To me, the original Camp Aladino Gorbusto approach to marketing looked more like a mash-up between a tired attempt at making a classic Cuban cigar band and some sort of Persian rug print gone horribly awry. Sure, the dual band look, bold typography choices, and quality of the thick stock matte paper were all on point, but the overall vibe felt out of place and dated on something fresh to the market.
So when I received word that Aladino would be dumping the dreary floral print approach for a trio of human-like primates as the official Gorbusto cigar mascots, my ears pricked up. The stubby 4½″ x 60 vitolas would all retain their original blends and physical structures, but receive an all-new set of marketing moves, with Gori the Gorbusto being the obvious maduro in the lineup.
Having smoked the original version multiple times, I went into this one not expecting much, as the 100% Honduran puro of a maduro was my least favorite of the three Gorbusto blends. What I discovered, however, was a far more memorable and pleasing smoking experience than I expected, and a few gorilla-sized surprises along the way...
Unlit Impressions
Some may call it kitschy, but I fuckin' love the overall rebrand that Aladino put into play, especially since this is coming from one of the most old-school, conservative cigar makers on the market. Smoking a black chocolate-colored cigar with a 600-pound silverback gorilla on the band who's rocking aviator shades just screams, "Let's drop the pompous cigar smoking pretenses and have some fun for a change."
Badass rebrand and Gori band aside, the cigar itself looks really nice, what with its matte mocha coloring and those gorgeous contrasting veins running up and down the barrel. Sour and sweet fermentables, bitter cocoa and coffee, sour grapes, and a medium amount of farmhouse can all be found, and for the most part, it all pleases my smell receptors.
The foot on my review cigar may have been unevenly shorn, but it sure does smell nice, with maple granola, creamy cashew, Fig Newton bars, and a secondary set of smells that blend burnt sugar with Honduran soil centering it all. It's not as dark as I remember, and without any pepper or heavy baking spice, it sits right where a medium-strength maduro should pre-light.
Cold draws blend salted dark chocolate with their common coffee counterpart, while still allowing just enough of that maple granola to slide through underneath. Extremely clean, flavors of cracked black pepper, light leather, and a decent-sized scoop of soil finish things out and encourage me to light up.
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- Wrapper
- Maduro (Honduras)
- Binder
- Honduras
- Filler
- Honduras
- Origin
- Honduras
Initial Smoke
Sweet and earthy, and unexpectedly tame when it comes to spice and spiciness, ignition sends my tongue a great little lineup of salt, cedar, and milk chocolate. After a few puffs, the chocolate side starts to go darker and more bittersweet, and a cinnamon graham cracker finish forms slowly. Like the other two Gorbusto blends I have reviewed, the draw is far from wide open, with the perfect amount of resistance preventing the cigar from burning too quickly or overheating.
1st Half
Body and tasting wheel reaching for medium, the first major change in the cigar flavor profile starts with some spicy shots of black pepper, followed by a creamy smoke texture that is based upon a milky mocha note. Earthy, but not overly so, with a pleasant herbal sweetness riding alongside, Gori reaches for medium complexity thanks to a pinch of mineral and more body as the first third closes out.
Milkier and meatier as well, a blend of leather and latte foam unloads a fresh set of flavors in the second third, as strength stays somewhere just shy of medium. Retrohales are still very earthy, though, and a traditional Honduran puro tasting note found in many cigars from this region of the world.
2nd Half
As a medium amount of sweetness descends upon the tongue, the spiciness of the cigar blend subsides, and the herbal flavors form a fresh charge. Here, I found myself raising an eyebrow, for this is where I disliked this blend in its previous form, which is odd considering that the only thing that has changed is the band on the cigar.
Before long, peppery tastes and the tingles they contain hit harder, amplifying the herbal notes in the process. Stickier and sweeter, and forming a faintly medicinal aftertaste, the cigar flavor profile pushes the palate toward a richer, dessert-like final third. Here, moist black forest cake settles in, as the earthy undertones fade, leaving behind a salty chocolate note that is mineral-like and medium in potency. There's a random taste of dark artisanal bread resting toward the tail end of every puff, with retrohales picking up and those peppery spice notes up more than anywhere else. Nothing too intense, but still strong enough to snag your attention each time.
Parting Puffs
Spicier, even more herbal, and sappy in texture and taste, the last few minutes of this stubby smoke go big. Leather, which has been a recurring secondary note throughout, has moved forward and is joined by a floral roastiness that makes me think of a black tea blend of some kind. Retrohales stay incredibly creamy, though, with a pleasant combination of dark chocolate and medium-roast coffee completing the overall experience, while providing just the right amount of bitterness.
Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw
Unlike the earlier versions of this cigar that I smoked, Gori burned remarkably well, with little more than a medium-sized correction in the final third being required. This resulted in a very cool burn with zero off-flavors or char, and a large ash that built evenly along the way. Thanks to having a near-perfect draw, smoke creation was on point, with medium amounts of body being detectable start to finish.
Final Thoughts
Call me crazy, but I feel that this revised version burns and tastes better than the original. Even though the blend hasn't changed whatsoever, I didn't encounter any of the charred notes or unpleasant tar tastes in my review cigar or the sample stick I smoked a few days prior.
This resulted in a tasty little smoke session that was equal parts relaxing and flavorful. I didn't have to hunt for the tastes being produced; they just rolled out at a leisurely pace one after another, and the creamy retrohales found along the way absolutely rocked. It wasn't the most awe-inspiring series of maduro flavors or aromas, but it certainly struck a lot of the right notes while still sticking with that classic combo of Honduran soil, mocha, mineral, leather, and pepper.
Even though the Gorbusto vitola isn't my preferred cigar size, for I typically favor slimmer cigars, Gori did not disappoint. It's a solid little smoke that is just as centered and calm as it is big and bold, with one hell of a kick-ass cigar band tying it all together.
Stogie Specs
| Cigar | Aladino "Gori" |
| Wrapper | Maduro (Honduras) |
| Binder | Honduras |
| Filler | Honduras |
| Factory | Honduras |
| Size | 4½″ x 60 (Gorbusto) |
| Strength | Medium |
| Pairing Drink | Homemade Iced Mocha |
| Rating | 4.3/5 |
- Wrapper
- Maduro (Honduras)
- Binder
- Honduras
- Filler
- Honduras
- Origin
- Honduras
The Aladino Gorbusto Gori is the boldest expression in the Gorbusto lineup, a modern Honduran puro created by JRE Tobacco Company to highlight character-driven blending and intense, concentrated flavor. Measuring 4½″ x 60, this short, thick vitola delivers a dense, powerful smoking experience designed for maximum impact. Handcrafted entirely with 100% Honduran tobaccos grown on the JRE Tobacco Farm and rolled at the Aladino factory in Danlí, the Gori represents strength, confidence, and presence in cigar form.
From the first draw, Gori delivers a full-flavored profile built around rich earth, cedar, black pepper, roasted nuts, and deep natural tobacco sweetness. The thick ring gauge intensifies smoke output and flavor density, creating a bold yet balanced experience that evolves gradually throughout the cigar. As the “Alpha” of the series, Gori is designed for smokers who enjoy robust, expressive cigars with structure, depth, and a strong personality from start to finish.
