Pre-light Experience

The cigar has two bands with the first being the very subdued flat brown traditional style with white lettering. The secondary strip band is brown and yellow with white lettering signifying the line. There is also a tissue sleeve that runs from a quarter inch under the secondary band down to the foot where it has a twist finish. After sliding off the tissue sleeve, the full view of the medium brown, slightly marbled wrapper is seen. There are a couple of slightly raised veins that have a lighter color to them while the seams are smooth and hardly visible. The head is finished off with what appears to be a well applied double cap. The aroma from the wrapper is a light creamy leather while the foot brings wood and some tobacco sweetness. The pre-light draw brings a creamy wood note along with a dull spice to my lips and tongue.

Pre-light Experience

The JRE Aladino Corojo Reserva Robusto has a medium brown wrapper with a nice oily sheen. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and head finished off with a deep triple cap. Aromas from the wrapper give pungent notes of barnyard, flowers and white pepper. Aromas from the foot give rich nuttiness and a hint of white pepper. Cold draw gives hay, nuts and cedar.

First Third

The cigar begins with wood, cream and a very potent cinnamon. At a quarter inch in, the cinnamon mellows into a dull baking spice slightly behind the creamy wood. At a half inch in, a light coffee note joins the profile. The retrohale has a baking spice zing up front which makes it hard to pick out some wood behind it. At an inch in, the wood, cream and coffee are all even with the baking spice slightly behind. The retrohale now carries the same profile other than a slightly fuller baking spice note. The strength in this third was mild-medium.

First Third

The first third creates a slick and oily mouthfeel with minerals, baking spices and red/white peppers up front. There’s a backdrop of creaminess and nuttiness but it is non sweetened. Retrohaling has greater notes of the same minerals and red/white peppers. The finish is very long following the oily aspects in minerals and white/red peppers. Strength is nearing medium-full and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the coffee becomes a bit more vibrant to go along with the wood and cream. The baking spice is hardly detectable at this point. At a half inch in, the coffee has dropped out as the wood has gained some char to go along with the cream. At an inch in, the flavors are quite smooth with the cream really balancing out the charred wood. The retrohale is very similar but has a bit of caramel sweetness to it. As the third comes to a close, the cream has faded back, leaving the charred wood up front. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly below medium.

Second Third

The second third swaps out the minerals and baking spice forward notes and is more cream and nuts. The profile is still oily, attributing to the mouthfeel quite a bit. Strength moves up to a consistent medium-full and body remains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the charred wood is up front as the cream is in the background and the profile is slightly drying. At a quarter inch in, the cream increases to right behind the charred wood and knocks out the dryness. At three quarters of an inch in, a slight vegetal note joins the profile and the retrohale is a mirror image. As the cigar comes to a close, the cream has increased to become even with the charred wood while the slight vegetal note remains in the background. The strength in this third remained at slightly below medium.

Final Third

The last third gets very strong. Full strength strong to be exact (body still medium). Even through the strength, the flavor profile stays intact (minerals, baking spices, cream, nuts). My head is spinning!

Burn

The burn was perfect through the first half and then became slightly wavy in the second half. The ash held on through each third.

Burn

Less the wavy burn and a couple touch-ups, the burn performance was great. Tight ashes, good smoke production, cool burn.

Draw

The draw was perfect with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The cigar had a nice profile of wood, cream and baking spice and then lost the baking spice and settled into a charred wood and cream profile. Construction was great and needed no attention. The strength never built up beyond slightly below medium. This is a nice offering from JRE and one I’d have no problem returning to. The price point is a bit high for the vitola, but nothing that is too out of line. If you’re a fan of Honduran Corojo, you won’t go wrong trying this out and may find something to add to your rotation.

Draw

Perfect draw. Just the right tightness in the pulls.

Overall

This is no doubt quality Honduran Corojo. I enjoyed the slick and oiliness of the profile a lot with the minerals, baking spices, non-sweetened cream and nuts. I prefer to not have such a head spinning strong cigar (I did eat about half an hour before the cigar). But, the upside is the flavor profile never unraveled with the full nicotine. I would smoke the JRE Aladino Corojo Reserva Robusto again without a doubt.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.72

Cost/Point

$1.79

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.07

Cost/Point

$1.70

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: JRE Aladino Corojo Reserva Robusto