Monthly Sponsor

How to enter JSU Raffle:

• Post any lit Gorbusto on the JSU Facebook group with #JSUGorbusto gets you 5 entries!
• Post any lit Aladino Cigar on the JSU Facebook group with #JSUGorbusto gets you 1 entry!
• Post a lit 250 Cigar 4th of July weekend on the JSU Facebook group with #JSUGorbusto gets you 10 entries!

ALADINO CIGARS

Few names command as much respect in the premium cigar industry as the Eiroa family. Aladino Cigars, the flagship brand of JRE Tobacco Co., is a masterclass in preservation, focusing heavily on what many consider the “Holy Grail” of tobacco: authentic, 1960s-era Cuban-seed Corojo.

As a true “crop-to-shop” operation based in Honduras, Aladino controls everything from the soil to the shelf.

The History: Foundations of an Industry Legend

The history of Aladino is inextricably bound to the life of JRE Tobacco’s patriarch, Julio R. Eiroa, a second-generation Cuban tobacco grower. After fleeing Cuba following the rise of Castro and surviving the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, Julio reset his family’s legacy in Honduras.

• The Corojo Legacy: In the 1960s, a pilot program utilizing original Cuban seeds smuggled out of Cuba’s famous Vuelta Abajo region laid the groundwork. While most of the world abandoned original Corojo because it was highly susceptible to blue mold diseases, Julio successfully cultivated it at his Finca Corojo in the Jamastran Valley of Honduras.
• The Camacho Era: Julio became a legendary tobacco grower and innovator, inventing the “tobacco wheel” (a highly efficient mechanized drying method). In 1995, he acquired the Camacho brand. Alongside his youngest son, Christian Eiroa, they turned Camacho into an international powerhouse famed for its intense, bold Honduran Corojo.
• The Return to the Roots: In 2008, the family sold Camacho and their factory to Oettinger Davidoff. Crucially, Julio kept his pristine tobacco farms. For years, he simply focused on his true passion: agriculture. However, by 2016, Julio stepped back into the spotlight. Alongside his oldest son, Justo M. Eiroa, he launched JRE Tobacco Co. and built the Fábrica de Puros Aladino. Aladino was born out of a desire to share the exact flavor profile of the “Golden Era” of Cuban cigars (1947–1961).

The Present: “Crop to Shop” Purity

Today, Aladino is revered by enthusiasts as a purist’s brand. While many modern cigar companies buy tobacco from third-party brokers and outsource production, JRE Tobacco operates entirely on a vertically integrated model. If it is in an Aladino cigar, it was almost certainly grown on Julio’s farm in Honduras.

Core Current Offerings:

• Aladino Corojo: The quintessential Aladino experience. A Honduran puro (made of 100% Honduran tobacco) utilizing authentic Corojo for the wrapper, binder, and filler. It yields classic notes of earth, cedar, and deep baking spices.
• Aladino Connecticut: Shifting down in strength but keeping the flavor profile rich, this line blends 100% estate-grown Corojo fillers with a smooth Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper.
• Aladino Cameroon: A remarkable feat of agronomy, Aladino successfully grew Cameroon-seed tobacco on their Honduran farm. The core line features a Honduran-grown Cameroon wrapper over a Corojo core.
• Aladino Maduro: Utilizing a dark Mexican San Andrés wrapper over a Honduran binder and filler blend, offering a natural sweetness combined with the signature JRE spice.

The company has consistently scored exceptionally high marks from major publications, frequently landing on Top 25 lists and securing a massive following among boutique cigar lovers

The Future: Rarity, Tradition, and Global Expansion

As Aladino navigates the mid-2020s, the company’s trajectory focuses on blending generational wisdom with daring agricultural innovations and broader global reaches.

• Reviving Lost Seeds: A shining example of Aladino’s future strategy is the Aladino 85 Aniversario Reserva (which earned the #4 spot for 2025 Cigar of the Year). Instead of their standard Corojo, the Eiroas revived Pinareño, a historic Cuban seed Julio hadn’t grown since 1979 due to mold risks. By successfully farming this delicate crop, Aladino has signaled that its future lies in offering ultra-rare, historic, and hyper-distinctive tobacco varietals.
• Ultra-Premium Reservas: The brand is doubling down on limited, high-end iterations of their current successes, such as the highly allocated Aladino Cameroon Reserva, which features a complex “Cameroon puro” makeup wrapped in premium piano-gloss presentation.
• Entering the Chinese Zodiac & Global Markets: For the first time in its history, JRE Tobacco joined the high-end Lunar New Year market with the Aladino Year of the Horse Limited Edition. This release serves a dual purpose: expanding Aladino’s footprint heavily into international markets (like Asia and Europe) and honoring the family’s next generation, as the horse is the zodiac sign of Justo Eiroa.
• Fourth Generation Leadership: While Julio Eiroa remains the guiding force of the fields well into his 80s, the future management is securing its footing. Vivian M. Eiroa represents the fourth generation of the family, spearheading international brand marketing and sales development to ensure the “Golden Era” flavor stays alive for decades to come.

The Aladino Philosophy: “As the premier Corojo grower in the industry, I, Julio Eiroa… guarantee that all our brands will provide you the opportunity to enjoy an Authentic Corojo taste, the same as cigars from the 1960’s.

Need to stock up on this month’s sponsor’s cigars? Head on over to New Tobacco Village and order some today!