Aladino 250th

There’s no doubt you’ve heard the number 250 a lot this year, especially if you live in the United States. That’s because it is the country’s semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary, and it has come with a lot of celebrations, and of course, opportunities to sell things.

The cigar industry certainly jumped on the festivities. J.C. Newman Cigar Co. was awarded the official America250 license, meaning it could put the official America250 seal on its American-made cigars, which it did by way of a footband on its Angel Cuesta, The American, El Reloj, LeRoy Neiman, and Tampa Smokers lines.

But other companies also joined in the celebration, including JRE Tobacco Co., which announced in early March that it would be releasing the Aladino Declaration as its contribution to the festivities. However, a month later, when the cigar was shown off at the 2026 PCA Convention & Trade Show, the name had changed to Aladino 250th, as there was a trademark concern over the word Declaration.

What hadn’t changed was the cigar itself: a 6 x 52 toro with a completely undisclosed blend, though all grown by the Eiroa family, which owns JRE Tobacco Co. and is a prominent grower in Honduras. The cigars were made at the Fábrica de Puros Aladino at Las Lomas Jamastran factory, with production limited to 1,000 boxes of 13 cigars, the latter number a nod to the original 13 colonies.

The cigars began shipping in mid-June, in plenty of time for the July 4th holiday, and arrived with MSRPs of $15 per cigar and $195 per box.

• Cigar Reviewed: Aladino 250th
• Country of Origin: Honduras
• Factory: Fábrica de Puros Aladino at Las Lomas Jamastran
• Wrapper: Undisclosed
• Binder: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed
• Length: 6 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Shape: Round
• MSRP: $15 (Box of 13, $195)
• Release Date: June 16, 2026
• Number of Cigars Released: 1,000 Boxes of 13 Cigars (13,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

The first cigar feels notably light, something confirmed by the numbers you’ll see in the Final Notes, as it weighs about 2.5g less. But even without the numbers, I could tell this one was on the light side of what’s typical for a toro. The second cigar immediately confirms the difference, while the third only reinforces it. There are some deep reds to the wrappers. It’s a pretty attractive color, and one I don’t see very often. Each cigar has a pretty extensive network of veins and a little bumpiness as a result, but nothing I’d call a drawback. The third cigar has a small nick above the band, but without knowing where it came from, and not being bothered by it that much, it won’t cost the cigar any points. The first cigar has a pretty decent amount of give, more than I’ve felt from many cigars recently, and consistent from head to foot. The second and third are firmer, much more in line with what I would call the industry norm. The aroma of the first cigar is pretty mild, starting with plain tortilla chips and finishing with a softer, white bread sensation. The second reminds me more of lightly buttered movie theater popcorn, while the third is fuller and has a bit of pepper to it, amplifying the tortilla chips and bread. The first cigar’s cold draw is nearly ideal, while the flavor is even milder than the aroma, as there are some similarities, the tortilla chips and bread notes I picked up from the foot feel too lively to describe what I’m tasting. The second cigar has a firmer draw and has a milder flavor, while the third cigar has the best cold draw and a profile that is slightly creamy with the tortilla chips in the background.

The Aladino 250th starts off pretty mild, though maybe tamely is the better word, as there is decent flavor intensity, with the most notable thing being a bit of a mild sensation that is somewhere between oily and waxy. As for flavors, I get some peanuts, a little bread, as well as some crisp and dry wood as the most notable components. Nearing the one-inch mark, a little bit of sweet creaminess emerges. As for pepper, it is largely relegated to the retrohales in the first inch or so, but eventually shows up on my taste buds as well. Some smoky creaminess begins to emerge as this section comes to a close, an overall sensation best experienced by combining puffs and retrohales at regular intervals, as neither experience alone delivers what the two together do. Flavor is in the medium, maybe medium-plus territory at its boldest; body is medium-plus, and strength is medium-minus, something I realize only when taking a moment to really think of how the cigar is making me feel. Construction is great, and I have to acknowledge how the ash of the third cigar builds up so well. Beyond that, smoke production, the burn line, and the draw are all very good.

The second third starts with the flavor picking up a bit more character, as the pepper livens up, I get some toasty flavors, and a bit of dry Honduran terroir joins the mix. It’s not a profile that is terroir-laden to the point of certainty as to what the blend is, but there’s enough to make me suspect what’s driving a decent amount of the flavor. Retrohales pick up an enjoyable combination of light campfire and graham cracker, a combination I have long enjoyed and think makes for a very pleasant experience. I didn’t realize the creaminess had diminished as much as it did until the midpoint, when it roars back; I also didn’t realize how peppery the retrohales until I took one about that same time, giving my senses a number of things to process. The wood in the profile picks up just a bit of char at the conclusion of the second third, giving the Aladino 250th a little bit of an edge. The flavor and body are closer to medium-plus for most of this section, while the strength ticks down to mild. Construction is still very good, and I have few notes on anything that could use improvement.

The final third of the Aladino 250th starts by making a quick U-turn and going back to the terroir and peanut flavors, with a little bit of pepper for tingle and some creaminess for body and texture. The pepper and creaminess migrate up to the retrohales, filling both of those out. Out of seemingly nowhere, there’s a dry pretzel sensation, and one that I would imagine how Rold Golds smell as they come off the production line before they go in the bags. Some rocky, light earth and a pinch of pepper begin the conclusion of the cigar, slightly sharpening up the profile. Flavor finishes a very enjoyable medium-plus, body has thinned out a touch to medium, and strength is back to medium-minus. Construction is good but not perfect, as I need a couple of relights to keep the cigars burning. That said, the draw, burn line and smoke production are all very good.

Final Notes

• If you’re looking for other cigars to celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary, you have options from Camacho, Casa Carrillo, Fratello, Hooten Young, Nomos and Powstanie. Additionally, Rocky Patel has its America 250 slated for a September release.
• I didn’t get any nicotine strength from the Aladino 250th.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.

• The company lists these as a 6 x 52 toros. The numbers above are the measurements we found for the three cigars used for this review.
• Final smoking time was two hours and five minutes on average.
• Site sponsors Atlantic Cigar Co. and Small Batch Cigar carry the Aladino 250th.

Aladino
Aladino 250th
America250
Fábrica de Puros Aladino at Las Lomas Jamastran
JRE Tobacco Co.
Toro