No. 4 Cigar of the Year 2025 – Aladino 85 Aniversario Reserva

Despite being known for perfecting the art of Corojo seed in Honduras, JRE Tobacco Co. continues to find ways to showcase new and/or unique tobaccos, seeds, or other feats of agronomy and processing wizardry on a near-annual basis. In 2025, the company celebrated Julio R. Eiroa’s 85th birthday (which, technically, occurred in 2023) with the release of the Aladino 85 Aniversario Reserva, offered in both robusto and toro formats. As usual, the cigar features Eiroa-grown leaves from the family’s Honduran farms throughout the blend. However, instead of the usual Corojo, the Eiroas opted to highlight a rare seed known as Pinareño, showcasing the tobacco across the entirety of the blend. The seed was first brought from Cuba to Honduras by Tino Agurdin in 1960 and was said to have been used by Julio Eiroa until 1979, when it proved susceptible to blue mold. Today, the family has begun growing the first-generation seed once more, sacrificing large portions of each harvest in pursuit of the prize at the end of the road: a truly unique puro smoking experience. So, what does Honduran Pinareño taste like? In the case of the Aladino 85, it’s delicate, refined, and unquestionably unique. It’s not necessarily Cubanesque (at least in the way that descriptor is typically used), but there’s a similar sense of smoking something altogether different. Cappuccino and salted crackers kick off the experience, followed by a subdued floral character, almond butter, and black tea. Musty wood and baking spices later enter the mix, backed by vanilla cream and a soft sweetness that carries the finish through much of the smoke.

Aladino 85 Aniversario Reserva Breakdown

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