First a note about my STFU!!! post of last week. This is directed to those who didn’t read it because of the spoiler factor (Will Cooper), please bookmark it and circle back to it after Saka reveals the details, or you’ve made your own judgements, whatever your personal criteria might be, as I think you’ll find some entertainment value in the piece regardless of my findings on the sampler. At least I hope so! I always go for laughs first, at least it reads that way in my head! Thanks for those who did read and comment!
This week flew by, and I found myself grabbing cigars that I’d written about before, so yesterday I had to smoke a few new ones. I ran some errands in the morning then cut the grass, so I went for a short cigar, the 4½ x 48 
Aladino Vintage Selection Rothschild. I believe this is relatively new to the market, and I also believe that this has a relatively reasonable price point, just over $6. This cigar has a Habano wrapper and Corojo binder and fillers grown in Honduras by the Eiroas, and they were rolled 4 or 5 years ago, hence the “Vintage” moniker. Had this been priced higher due to the “Vintage” tag, I would have been a little bummed, but as it is, it was a really tasty cigar. Here’s what I mean by that: As I was smoking it I was thinking that this wasn’t really anything more special than the regular Aladino line, which is really good, mond you. I saw the “Vintage” sub-band and had a perception that it was going to be more expensive and therefore should be more special. When I saw the price, I thought, hey, this is a darned good smoke, full flavored, nice spice, like a well aged Camacho Corojo from 2002ish. Was that a negative thing to say about the cigar? I don’t think so, I think it’s a great cigar that’s priced right!
When I bought the Macanudo Inspirado Greens a few weeks back, I also added on a Fratello Space Fresh Pack, which I honestly thought I had missed out on. I saw them listed, and for $20 even, I had to add one on, and I’m kinda kicking myself for not getting two. The Space Fresh Pack has the Fratello Classico, Fratello Bianco II, the Arlequin and the Sorella, all in 6″ x 50 formats. This was a bit of a test flight, if you will, for the Arlquin and Sorella, and they decided to release the Sorella in two sizes (newither being the 6″ x 50) in Europe. So I smoked the Sorella last night. Sorella features an Habano Ecuador wrapper, Indonesian Binder and Nicaragua and Dominican filler. There are very 
few Fratello cigars I don’t like, OK, there aren’t any really. There are obviously some I like over others, I love the Bianco Boxer most of all I think. I believe I understand why this cigar might appeal to the European palette, and this isn’t a slight on either the Europeans or the cigar. The cigar was a very good cigar, it was subtle, nuanced, without the pronounced flavors that the American palate is accustomed to. I think this is why it might have more appeal abroad than in the US. I’m excited to try the Arlequin now, and might have to get more packs. I bought them at one of the great sites who supports my site (Fox).
I revisited the Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Maduro this week and have to say I still prefer the 20th Maduro and the 10th Habano. Weird, huh? Anyway, that’s all for today, until the next time,
CigarCraig
Funny, I picked up that same Aladino a while ago. Still waiting to smoke it. I like Fratello too. Non hype cigar. The European palette is still strongly Cuban influenced, with the classic profile prevailing. Sometimes, that’s what really hits the spot. The Regius stuff has some of that going on too. I think the US diet of big meals of heavy meat, fat, salt and sugar paved the way for the Nicaraguan spice bomb. And Europe doesn’t go that way.