Aladino has a history of making great cigars, and has been a staple of the cigar community for some time. Their ability to create wonderful blends has given them their own spotlight in humidors across the globe. The Classic Toro is no different.
The Aladino Classic Toro has a unique presentation. The band is gold, with brown and bright red accents, giving it an eye catching appeal. The box itself is the same shade of red as featured on the band, with gold lettering, with a mural on the inside of the lid. Simple and elegant. The wrapper seems a little oily to the touch, but also has an earthy texture to it. The wrapper can be a little rough around the edges, and have some veins here and there, but nothing that will turn off the average smoker. There is a pretty rough spine going up the back, but that doesn't take away from the smoking experience, or effect the smoke at all.
The construction of the Aladino Classic is nothing short of fantastic. Made with Honduran Habano filler, Honduran Corojo binder, and a Handuran Habano wrapper, this stick is already a great blend. The tobacco makes for a great smoking experience, and allows the smoker to enjoy it, without worrying about touch ups or falling ash. The burn is even. Sorry, not even, immaculately even. The draw is smooth, but a little tight at spots. While this can vary from cigar to cigar, packaging, and all that, it doesn't take away from the smoke. The ash gets to about an inch, maybe an inch and a half before it weakens. When the ash is deposited, there are no flakes or flying ash, so you don't have to worry about ruining your shirt with ash.
The flavor profile is where this cigar really shines. Immediately, the retrohale brings black and red pepper to the table. Notes of earth, hay, and cedar are tasted in the first third, with undertones of black pepper to keep it interesting. As the smoke progresses, very minor notes of thyme, cinnamon, and red pepper come into play. Stronger notes of earth and moss can be tasted as the smoke moves into the second third. Pepper, earth, and cinnamon come into play on the retrohale, with mild notes of coffee and toast. It almost smells like the Barnes & Noble Starbucks. Red pepper and black pepper become the prominent notes of the retrohale once again, while earthy notes are accompanied by undertones of nougat, very mild notes of dark chocolate, and toast. There is a very slight vanilla aftertaste. Going into the final third, the earthy notes remain prominent, with mild undertones of honey, hay, and cinnamon. The smoke finishes strong with earth, black pepper, and red pepper on the retrohale. A very complex smoke, to say the least.
The price on the Aladino Classic is decent. One stick goes for about $9.60, and a box of 20mcan go for around $192.00. I'd say this smoke is worth the price, give or take a few cents. Nonetheless, it's definitely one you should add to your humidor.
This cigar is a greats smoke for an intermediate or veteran cigar smoker. It's also a great choice for a newer smoker, as it can help to establish the palate for notes of pepper, earth, and hay.
GC Rating: 87
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