Can ya'll hear that? That's the collective sound of millions of light cigar smokers screeching in terror at the sight of something dark and ominous on the horizon. The mighty Aladino Sumatra is on the prowl. 

Teeth exposed and broad shoulders bent, the apex South American predator barrels down on the unsuspecting herf, the most milquetoast of the members square in its sights. 

This isn't the first time that I have come into contact with this full-strength, full-bodied, bold-ass bruiser of a blend. In fact, I reviewed this Honduran puro for the Klaro Cigar of the Month (COTM) for April, 2024. Unfortunately, the filming side of the review process was doomed from the start due to circumstances that were entirely out of my control. Therefore, I was forced to take some snaps and then proffer an overall synopsis of the smoking session afterward from the comfort of my couch in lieu of my preferred play-by-play approach. The horror, right?

But flash forward a full six months or so, and I am taking a second stab at reviewing this "Honduran Megalomaniac," and I mean that in the most endearing tone possible. 

[Buy 5-Pack]

Unlit Impressions 

Rip off that tightly twisted tissue paper, and you'll find a handsome maduro lying underneath. It's got some shine when viewed in the right light, almost zero blemishes or mottling, lovely elongated veins, and a fair amount of tooth. In fact, outside of some spare scrap on the cap and a single sharp edge along a seam, I couldn't find anything wrong with my review stick's externals. 

Sumatran scents are faint along the wrapper, allowing cedar, espresso beans, malted milk cocoa, and a sticky dark ale scent to stand out. The foot is cleanly shorn and stuffed with smells of molasses, Fig Newton bars, salted cocoa, chicory, and rum raisin ice cream. 

Heavy as all hell already, and hitting hard with all the Honduran rainforest adventure it can muster, cold pulls produce an earthy, slightly sweet, somewhat spiced mixture that is a touch muddled in its delivery. The band, meanwhile, bears the traditional Aladino "A" and the Eiroa family namesake. It's recognizable, but a bit of a letdown considering how kick-ass the cigar box that this blend came packed in looks under a bright light. 

Initial Smoke

Spicy, salty cocoa and sprinkles of Eiroa farmland fill your senses first before mellowing out rapidly. This quick cooldown is brought to you by a drying sensation on the palate, accompanied by some mellow Sumatran tea spices and that malted milk note found on the nose pre-light.  

1st Half   

Dark chocolate-covered raisins, chunks of carob, and a roasted nuttiness permeate all that the smoke touches. Turning sweeter at times, these tastes are both offset and accentuated by mineral and a mild secondary note of shaved cedar. Retrohales are funky and undeniably Honduran, with touches of that espresso teasing the nostrils after each exhale. 

As things gradually become spicy and strong, full status is achieved in every category near the center yard line. Smooth as can be, but still brazenly unapologetic in any way, this boldness and darkness gradually get more mineral-heavy and loamy. 

2nd Half 

Sumatran tobacco takes center stage the moment you hit the middle of this toro vitola, and while the finish remains dry and blanketed in balsawood, it is also quite elongated. This allows the wrapper leaf to leave a lasting impression that is just as pleasant as it is impressive in its intensity. 

Cardamom pods and nutmeg are the primary spices I detect in this tea-like tasting premium cigar blend. Afterward you may find some mixed berry notes, even more mineral, and a scrap of cardboard on occasion. Interestingly, the cigar gets a little bit lighter in body and flavor in the final third, as well as nuttier. In turn, this allows you to take a bit of a breather before diving into what is easily the darkest part of the cigar.

Parting Puffs

A line of drunken rum raisins dipped in dark chocolate dance to the tune of Honduran tribal drums. Someone throws a cup of black and white peppercorns onto the cedar-stacked bonfire, creating a toasted woodiness that is dry, salty, and extremely aromatic. All is well in the land of the mighty Sumatran Maduro Megalomaniac, as he prepares to settle in and call it a night. 

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Although this cigar starts off with a great burn line, the ash side starts off wonky and then grows flakier with each passing third. This was true on A large touch-up took place halfway into the smoke, resulting in ash going everywhere in the process. Tunneling also occurred in the final third right at the start of parting puffs, and this caused me to do a touch-up that may have added a bit of char to the cigar flavor profile. Overall, the draw was fantastic though, and so too was the quality of the smoke pulled forth from this blend, which was very thick in texture and color.

Final Thoughts  

 

It's hard for me to smoke this cigar and not pit it against the devilishly delicious Punch Diablo. Both blends are Sumatran strain maduro-wrapped cigars and therefore do produce some striking similarities both in their aromatics and cigar flavor profiles. They also are strong as all hell and could give two shits as to whether or not you can handle their intense nature. 

However, one is a purebred blend consisting of Eiroa-grade Honduran puro power. The other is an Ecuadorian wrapper over AJ Fernandez farmed and fermented flavors. So there are some definitive differences here, with the primary one being the Aladino Sumatra's undeniably deep Honduran earthen core. It's just a tasting note that this country's tobacco is known for featuring, and for many of us, this is what makes their cigars so damn delicious. 

But perhaps the biggest difference that I can detect after smoking these two cigars just a couple of weeks apart from one another, is construction/burn and refinement. Six months of aging has done a damn good job of mellowing out the rough spots I detected within this blend back in the spring, and it definitely has made for a far more rounded overall smoking experience.

I just think that this blend could use another six months or so of humidor aging, and it definitely doesn't burn as cleanly as some of its competitors. If these two issues can be amended, I believe Aladino would have one of the most complex Sumatran maduro cigars on the market in its portfolio and a top contender for "Best Dark Cigar of the Year" over here at Klaro.

Flavor, Aroma & Transitions

Depth & Complexity

Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal

Backstory & Branding

Overall Balance & Repeatability

Stogie Specs

Cigar	Aladino "Sumatra"
Wrapper	Sumatran Maduro (Honduras)
Binder	Honduras
Filler	Honduras
Factory	Honduras
Size	52 x 6" (Toro)
Strength	Full
Pairing Drink	Ice Water
Rating	4.3/5