Today, we review the Aladino Sumatra in a Toro size from JRE Tobacco Co. JRE has always been very much about the farm – namely, the JRE Tobacco farm located in the Jamastran Valley of Honduras. The farm is best known for producing Authentic Corojo, a Corojo crop that does not rely on a hybridized seed. The farm has also been at the forefront of innovation. In 2020, the farm introduced a Honduran-grown Cameroon seed leaf that could be used as a wrapper. Last year came another innovation when the farm introduced a Honduran-grown Sumatra leaf that also could be used as a wrapper. The Honduran-grown Sumatra leaf is being used on the Aladino Sumatra. This cigar debuted at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show and shipped after the show.

Aladino Sumatra was not JRE Tobacco Co’s first Honduran-grown Sumatra release. Just before the 2023 PCA Trade Show, Aladino released the first Aladino Lounge Exclusive. This Robusto was released to those retailers that were Aladino Lounges (at the time, there were three). The Aladino Lounge Exclusive was a Honduran puro highlighted by the Honduran-grown Sumatra wrapper.

Without further ado, let’s turn our attention over to the Aladino Sumatra and see what this cigar brings to the table:

Aladino Sumatra (Toro) by JRE Tobacco Co – Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

The Aladino Sumatra contains 100% Honduran tobacco in addition to the Honduran-grown Sumatra wrapper. Production comes from JRE’s Fabrica de Puros Aladino S.A., located in the Jamastran Valley of Honduras.

Wrapper: Honduran Sumatra
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Honduran
Country of Origin: Honduras
Factory: Fabrica de Puros Aladino S.A.

Vitolas Offered

Currently, Aladino Sumatra is available in one size – a 6 x 52 Toro. The cigars come in 20-count boxes.

Appearance (*)

The Aladino Sumatra had a dark cocoa-colored look. There wasn’t much oil on the surface. Upon closer examination, some slight mottling was present. The wrapper had some visible veins. Any visible wrapper seams were on the thin side.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw (*)

After removing the tissue paper sleeve from the cigar, a straight cut was used to commence the cigar experience of the Aladino Sumatra. Once the cap was removed, it was time to begin the pre-light draw ritual. The cold draw delivered a mix of bittersweet cocoa, hay, and earth. This was a satisfactory pre-light draw experience, and I didn’t find the cocoa notes too bitter.

Tasting Notes

The Aladino Sumatra opened up with notes of bittersweet cocoa, nuts, wood, and a slight amount of red pepper. The cocoa notes moved to the forefront and were soon joined by some earth notes. The nut and pepper settled in the background. The wood notes also settled into the background and morphed into a cedar note. Later in the first third, some lemon peel notes surfaced in the background. The retro-hale had a combination of wood, cedar, and red pepper.

The second third of the Aladino Sumatra saw the cocoa notes take control as the primary note. The earth notes moved into the background with the nut, pepper, cedar, and lemon peel notes. During the second third, there was an increase in cedar, pepper, and lemon-peel notes on the tongue. The retro-hale remained wood, cedar, and red pepper. The finish delivered more lemon peel.

By the final third, the cocoa notes still held a slight edge as the primary note. There was a slight increase in the pepper and cedar, making them, along with the lemon peel, the most prominent of the secondary notes. The nut and earth notes were in the more distant background but still contributed to the flavor profile. This is how the Aladino Sumatra came to a close. The resulting nub was soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn

The burn of the Aladino Sumatra did need some attention when it got into the second third. It required frequent touch-ups to maintain a straight burn path and straight burn line. The touch-ups did the trick, but the cigar needed more touch-ups than preferred. The resulting ash was skewed toward the looser side. This was an ash that had several shades of silver-gray. Meanwhile, the burn rate and burn temperature maintained ideal levels.

Burn of the Aladino Sumatra

Draw

The draw of the Aladino Sumatra performed excellently. This is a cigar with a touch of resistance to it – which I like. At the same time, this cigar produced ample smoke and was low maintenance in terms of deriving flavor.

Strength and Body

The Aladino Sumatra opened on the upper end, from mild to medium, in terms of strength and body. Both attributes gradually increased in intensity. Midway through the first third, both attributes crossed into medium territory. The gradual increase in intensity continued for the remainder of the cigar, but strength and body remained in the medium range of the spectrum.

Both the strength and body balanced each other nicely, with neither attribute overshadowing the other.

BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)

The Aladino Sumatra was a departure from much of the brand’s packaging. The intent was to implement a more contemporary look for Aladino. The black and silver work great on both the band and the box. I would have liked to see something other than a white tissue sleeve, but overall, it didn’t detract from the design.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

The Aladino Sumatra was one of four releases at PCA 2023 from JRE Tobacco. All four releases scored a Cigar Coop Standard of Excellence with 90 or more points, which is a rarity on Cigar Coop. What’s even more impressive is that these four releases continued to perform well into 2024.

Aladino Classic Elegante (Score 92)
Aladino Limited Edition (Score 90)
Aladino Sumatra (Score 90)
Aladino Lounge Exclusive (Score 90)

While I don’t dislike Sumatra, it seems like many of the Sumatra-wrapped offerings these days just aren’t performing at a level I expect. I’m often disappointed when a new tobacco varietal is introduced. That is not the case here. This is a wonderful blend that performed well. The finish was a little lingering and longer than I prefer, but otherwise, it was a fantastic smoke. The 90 points earned this cigar a Standard of Excellence designation. It’s a cigar I’d recommend to any cigar enthusiast, and I would buy and smoke it again.

Summary

Key Flavors: Cocoa, Earth, Nut, Lemon Peel, Cedar, Wood, Pepper
Burn: Very Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium Plus
Strength: Mild to Medium (Start), Medium (Remainder)
Body: Mild to Medium (Start), Medium (Remainder)
Finish: Very Good