I've never had a Don Lino, but I picked up this cigar last week at Winston's Humidor, the newest B&M in my hometown (and a new member of CA, too!)
Wrapper:
Ecuadorian Connecticut broadleaf
Binder:
Indonesian
Filler:
Colombian, Mexican, Nicaraguan
Vitola:
Robusto
Since tomorrow is a homebrew & bottling day, I had some prep work to do this afternoon cleaning & de-labeling bottles. Decided to light up my first Don Lino to help make the work more enjoyable.
Appearance/Construction
Box pressed robusto, with a dark, oily wrapper and a colorful band. Tobacco in the foot appeared loose, but the cigar itself didn't seem underfilled. Good burn, white/gray ash held tightly for over an inch at a time, resistance on the draw was tight but I could pull a decent volume of smoke.
Flavor
Prelight draw was heavy chocolate with a little barnyard aroma. After lighting, the taste was consistent throughout the hour long smoke--earthy, dry cocoa with a fruity sweetness that reminded me of raisins. The finish was long, and left a black coffee taste on my tongue. Just a hint of spice picked up at the band. Medium/full body, but mild in strength. Coffee would make a nice accompaniment to this cigar, but I stuck with water.
Overall
A very nice cigar at the price point ($6.) For me, this cigar was on par with a HdM Dark Sumatra. Probably gets overlooked, but would make a great everyday cigar for those who prefer maduros.