At the 2023 PCA trade show in Las Vegas, JRE Tobacco the parent company of Aladino showcased two limited edition cigars. The first which was simply known as Aladino Limited Edition featured Cameroon tobacco grown in Honduras and it would hands down be my cigar of the year for 2023. However, by the time I transitioned this website to offer cigar reviews as well as liquor reviews I could not find the cigar for purchase.
The second limited edition is today’s cigar the Aladino Sumatra. The cigar is said to be more of a limited production much like the Corojo Reserva and it might be available as other sizes down the road. Featuring Sumatra seed grown in Honduras which Julio Eiroa began growing in 2016, the box is designed by the 4th generation of Aladino with a more modern look. As a result it doesn’t have the Aladino artwork within the box like other cigars in the Aladino line.
Cigar Review: Aladino Sumatra Limited Edition
Size: Toro (6 x 52)
Wrapper: Honduran Sumatra
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras
Debut: October 2023
Box Count: 20
Final Smoking Time: 1 hour 16 minutes
The Cigar: The Aladino Sumatra comes covered beneath the band in white tissue paper and unlike the initial release of the Corojo Reserva this cigar also comes wrapped in cello. Tissue paper has long being a part of the Eiroa family presentation where it was used on pre-Davidoff Camacho cigars. In the hand this is one of the lightest Toro cigars I have ever felt. The wrapper has some significant veins that run horizontally and vertically. Additionally the wrapper seems to lack visible oils giving it a dry appearance.
The Taste: The cold draw of this limited edition serves up notes of raisins, mint and a subtle cedar while the foot of the cigar has a hint of cinnamon to it. Once the cigar is lit there is an abundance of brown sugar to start.
As we smoke the first third the brown sugar notes begin to pull pack revealing cinnamon, earth and cream. Around an inch into the cigar a floral component shows itself every few puffs but doesn’t really develop or detract from the brown sugar and cinnamon of the Aladino Sumatra. The retrohale has a hint of chili pepper but the sweetness of the flavor profile helps tone that down considerably.
The second third sees the cigar continue down the road of the first third. The light gray ash falls on its own every 1.5″ or so, and when it does some sour nots show itself but has the ash continues to grow the sweetness begins to emerge again. Brown sugar and cinnamon remain dominant with hints of cocoa and earth. The retrohale in the second third is slightly floral with hints of cedar and toast.
As we come to a close, the last third of the Aladino Sumatra the cigar becomes more earth with notes of pepper, nutmeg and cedar. A lot o the sweetness is gone by the time we remove the band and the finish becomes quite long whereas in the first to thirds it was a relatively short. The retrohale sees the addition of some licorice notes while enhancing the earthiness and introducing a little bitter espresso.
The Conclusion: For me my knock on Sumatra is that I find it to be sour and overpowering. This is not the case with Aladino Sumatra. Its incredible depth and sweetness would make it hard to identify this as a Sumatra outside of a few puffs after the ash falls off. Medium in body I am not sure how fans of Sumatra would feel about this cigar, but as someone who doesn’t really care for Sumatra this one is definitely worth tracking down and throwing a few in your humidor.
Score: 90
Price: $16.00 (Before any local or state taxes)
