Aladino Corojo Reserva Box-Pressed Figurado

In 2018, JRE Tobacco Co. introduced a new brand composed of 100 percent corojo tobacco grown on the Eiroa family farms outside of Danlí, Honduras. Named Aladino Corojo Reserva, the line debuted with a singular 5 x 50 robusto which was packaged in a unique hexagonal-shaped box featuring a piece of art printed on the inside of the lid.

Two additional vitolas were added during the following years—a 6 x 52 toro in April 2019 and the 5 x 44 Corona No.4 Limitado in November 2019—but it took until June of this year for another size to show up when boxes began showing up on retailers shelves.

That new size ended up being the Corojo Reserva Box-Pressed Figurado, a 6 1/4 x 54 box-pressed torpedo priced at $16 each and packaged in 10-count boxes. As with the rest of the line, the new cigar is a Honduran puro; however, unlike the existing vitolas, the Figurado is box-pressed instead of round.

All told, there are currently four vitolas in the Aladino Corojo Reserva line:

• Aladino Corojo Reserva Robusto (5 x 50) — $12 (Boxes of 20, $240)
• Aladino Corojo Reserva Toro (6 x 52) — $14 (Box of 20, $280)
• Aladino Corojo Reserva Corona No.4 Limitado (5 x 44) — $10 (Box of 20, $200)
• Aladino Corojo Reserva Box-Pressed Figurado (6 1/4 x 54) — $16 (Box of 10, $160)

• Cigar Reviewed: Aladino Corojo Reserva Box-Pressed Figurado
• Country of Origin: Honduras
• Factory: Fabrica de Puros Aladino at Las Lomas Jamastran
• Wrapper: Honduras (Corojo)
• Binder: Honduras (Corojo)
• Filler: Honduras (Corojo)
• Length: 6 1/4 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 54
• Vitola: Figurado
• MSRP: $16 (Box of 10, $160)
• Release Date: June 2021
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

After removing the bright white paper wrapping that covers more than half of the cigar, the wrapper on the Aladino Corojo Reserva Box-Pressed Figurado turns out to be a somewhat unremarkable medium brown featuring some very obvious mottling and a touch of oil. Although it is quite firm when squeezed, there is a small soft spot on one sample just under the secondary band. The aroma from the wrapper smells of strong leather, earth, peanuts and cedar, while the foot brings notes of black pepper, sweet cloves and barnyard. Finally, the cold draw exhibits flavors of the same sweet cloves that I noted on the foot, along with cinnamon, orange peel, tea leaves, creamy cedar and slight apple.

I have reviewed three of the four different vitolas in this line, so I was not exactly surprised when the main flavors in the first third of the Aladino Corojo Reserva Box-Pressed Figurado are a very familiar combination of nuts and creamy cedar. Additional notes of leather, gritty earth, espresso beans, cinnamon and hay flit in and out as well, while the retrohale features a little bit of both black pepper and vanilla sweetness. In terms of construction, the draw is excellent after a simple straight cut, and while the burn needs to be touched up almost out of the gate, it is fine after that. The strength starts out fairly mild but increases enough to hit a point firmly between mild and medium by the time the first third comes to a close.

While the combination of creamy nuts and cedar continues to dominate the second third of Corojo Reserva Box-Pressed Figurado, a new floral note shows up as part of the secondary flavors, where it combines with other notes of gritty earth, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, leather and espresso beans. In addition, both the black pepper and vanilla sweetness on the retrohale from the first third increase in strength somewhat, although the latter is still not strong enough to really impact the profile in any major way. Construction-wise, the burn has evened up nicely while the draw continues along its excellent path, and the smoke production is both copious and dense from the foot. In terms of strength, I notice an increase, but not quite enough to cross over the medium mark by the end of the second third.

There is just not much change in the profile of the Aladino during the final third, with the cedar and nut combination easily topping the rest of the lesser notes that include espresso beans, hay, leather, earth, dark chocolate and a touch of cinnamon. In addition, the increase in the vanilla sweetness on the retrohale has seemingly stalled, while the black pepper has actually receded a bit compared to the second third. The burn runs into trouble early on in the final third—leading me to use my lighter to keep things on track—but the draw continues to impress. Finally, the strength in the new Aladino ends up at a point just over the medium mark by the time I put the nub down with about an inch remaining.

Final Notes

• The cold draw on this cigar is one of the most unique I have had in a while,  reminding me instantly of orange peel tea.
• When it was first released in 2018, the Aladino Corojo Reserva Robusto had a limited production of only 400 boxes per month while the toro vitola was limited to only 300 boxes a month when it was released in 2019.
• As I mentioned in my review of the toro vitola, the main Aladino band bears a noticeable similarity to those used on Habanos S.A.’s Montecristo marca until about 2006.
• I love the fact that Aladino sells a master case of its main line that includes 10 each of the seven different vitolas that are available, something I wish more manufactures would offer.
• Including the draw, construction was decent overall, although all three cigars needed at least one touchup and one sample needed two.
• The cigars smoked for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time averaged one hour and 51 minutes for the three samples.
• If you would like to purchase any of Aladino Corojo Reserva Box-Pressed Figurado cigars, site sponsors Atlantic Cigar Co., Cigar Hustler and Corona Cigar Co. have them in stock here.