Aladino Cameroon Reserva is an expensive cigar from JRE Tobacco and at the time of this posting their most expensive cigar to date. It also follows a line to tobaccos moved from their origin and grown in a new environment.
The most famous to to this was Connecticut which is now being grown in Ecuador in large volume and a much cheaper cost than it would have been in the USA. Also Connecticut Broadleaf is currently being grown in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua but it has only been used as filler in a couple of cigars at this point in time.
This isn’t the first time that JRE has used Cameroon grown in Honduras as it already exists on their line Aladino Cameroon.
Cigar Review: Aladino Cameroon Reserva
Size: 6 x 52 (Toro)
Wrapper: Honduras Cameroon
Binder: Honduras Cameroon
Fillers: Honduras Cameroon
Factory:Fabrica de Puros Aladino
Release Date: July 2024
Box Count: 12
The Cigar: Aladino cigar bands are placed higher than any other cigar in the industry which for some reason annoys me. The band which is larger previous Aladino release features colors of red, beige, gold, red and green. The Aladino logo is front and center with a secondary band denoting Cameroon Reserva and a red ribbon foot band. The wrapper has a bit of a different look than authentic Cameroon with a lighter color to it. There are a few noticeable veins on the wrapper along with a subtle tooth. In the hand the cigar feels very light although there are no soft spots.
The Taste: The cold draw offers up classic Cameroon sweetness which I didn’t expect on the Honduran grown Cameroon puro. There are notes of cream, vanilla, honey and brown sugar with the foot having a rich molasses. I hate comparing one cigar to another, but the aroma from the foot is like a well aged Opus X.
Once the cigar is toasted and lit there is an abundance of cedar to start before it starts to pull back considerably. About 1/4″ in the cigar begins to develop some of the sweetness that is on the cold draw. This sweetness is intensified on the retrohale. After a bit of a lull with not much going on the cigar begins to develop anise, black pepper and sunflower seeds. As the first third comes to a close there is a bit of an unbalanced feel to the the flavor profile making it slightly bitter at times.
In the 2nd third nuts become dominant with some faint vanilla that develops around the halfway point of the Aladino Cameroon Reserve. The retrohale continues to be sweet while making the palate profile a bit bitter at times due to the unbalanced nature of the cigar. As the second third comes to a close
The last third sees notes of brown sugar as the dominant profile. There is some earth and cedar present as well, but the cigar continues to balance. As the Aladino Cameroon Reserva comes to a close
Conclusion: Cameroon from Honduras has a some similarities to authentic Cameroon but it isn’t as smooth or refined. I liken it to walking through Chinatown and seeing knockoffs of Louis Vuitton and Michael Kors. At first it seems like it could be the real deal but you begin to notice things that make it an obvious knockoff.
Cameroon from Honduras might become the more widely used but as I recall Ecuador Connecticut had some growing pains when it was introduced before becoming the juggernaut it is today. I know in the early days I sought out authentic Connecticuts when I was into Davidoff.
It’s flavorful at times but the bitterness and lack of harmony at $22 just doesn’t work for me. I probably won’t buy any more of these but might revisit what JRE is doing with Honduran Cameroon in a few years if they continue to explore that variety of tobacco.
Score: 84
Price: $22.00 (Before any local or state taxes)
