 Tasting Altadis USA’s famed brands Romeo y Julieta and Trinidad
Los Angeles, August 26 – William Shakespeare’s “The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet” first appeared in 1597 and the tragic tale of the two lovers has been a classic of the stage ever since.
Perhaps only the cigars named for the couple are admired more than the play.
Ask any experienced cigar hound and he’ll swoon with appreciation, just as Juliet did for Romeo in Act II, Scene II: “Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say ‘ay.’”
Of course, the brand originated in Cuba in 1873 and took off thanks to the promotional efforts of Jose “Pepin” Fernandez, who took control of Romeo y Julieta in 1903. He introduced not only the Churchill size in honor of Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister of the 1940s, but also perfected the personalized cigar band. He reportedly had up to 20,000 different bands in the factory’s library at the time of his death in 1954.
After the Cuban trade embargo was imposed in 1963, the brand disappeared from the U.S, market until 1975. Since then, it has become a favorite of American smokers and has been one of the hottest (no pun intended!) brands on the U.S. market over the past three years.
We checked out four of the RyJ blends, now made by Altadis USA in its mammoth Dominican factory, Tabacalera de Garcia, in La Romana:
Romeo y Julieta 1875:
[Available in 18 sizes]
This is the “base” blend for Romeo y Julieta and it’s the best of the lot.
With an easy draw and even burn, the 1875 offers a wonderful, even glorious smoking experience of sweet, caramelized pleasure. The bright, pure and clear taste comes through immediately and is rich and deep with a long, smooth finish.
Medium in body, the flavor is intense but never overpowering; it’s just delicious. A little mellower in mid-course, the blend offers just a hint of spice on the palate in the second half.
As good as they are right out of the box, aging these cigars – especially the larger sizes – for a few months or even a year will make them even better. Moreover, these cigars are a bargain at highly reasonable prices of $4.25 to $6.00 for the seven largest sizes and $5.25 to $6.75 for the eight sizes offered in tubes (prices before local tobacco taxes). All of the tubed cigars come in boxes of ten and are perfect gifts for any cigar lover.
If your taste runs to sweeter, caramelized flavors, you will love this cigar as much as Romeo loved Juliet.
Overall grade: A+: Outstanding!
Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real:
[Available in 12 sizes]
Introduced in 2003, this is a medium-bodied blend with a toasty aroma that has a hint of sweetness.
It’s rather subtle in its flavor, with a gently caramelized finish and a demure but obvious undertone of matted pepper on the palate. The result is well balanced and pleasant; this is a calm, reflective cigar that is in no hurry to impress you.
It’s smokes easily and is also well priced. A very fine companion after meals where you don’t want an overpowering taste, but perhaps a cigar to accompany an after-dinner drink.
Overall grade: B: Good.
Romeo y Julieta Reserve Maduro:
[Available in 9 sizes]
Also introduced in 2003, you’ll know this cigar by its dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and its black-and-silver band.
The sweetness of the maduro wrapper is obvious, but the darkness of the wrapper does not foreshadow the power of the blend. It’s lightly caramelized with a toasty, spicy aroma. There’s a fine element of spice in the second half, but it’s harmonious and consistent with a medium body. Its only vice is that you’d expect more character from such an imposing cigar.
Overall grade: B: Good.
Romeo y Julieta Vintage:
[Available in 6 sizes]
This was the second blend introduced in the Romeo line, in 1993. Also medium in body, this blend has a nice draw and balances elements of spice and caramel. The perfect construction and burn of this cigar makes it an easy smoke that focuses your attention on the flavor profile.
It’s a bit exciting to smoke, experiencing the parallel pleasures of the spicy core and the long, caramelized finish that seem to almost be in competition with each other. This cigar also benefits from aging, mellowing the flavors as well as the toasty aroma that also shows off a bit of spice.
A little more expensive than the 1875 line, it is a worthwhile cigar that asks for your attention, especially in the Vintage VI size, a 7-inch by 60-ring pyramid!
Overall grade: B+: Very Good.
Altadis USA has done very well with the Trinidad brand, made famous in recent years by the introduction of the Cuban Trinidad brand for public sale in 1998. A long battle between the Cubans and the descendants of the original owners of the brand – the Trinidad family – was finally resolved in the family’s favor in 2001. Altadis USA then introduced this brand with a bang in 2002 and it quickly became a success.
There are two blends now available, the natural-wrapped with an Ecuadorian-grown, Sumatra-seed wrapper and a dark maduro, introduced in 2004, with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.
Trinidad – Natural Wrapper:
[Available in 8 sizes]
The quality of the construction of this cigar comes across immediately. Perfect draw, even burn and a bright white ash are all evidence. There is a toasty aroma with a spicy element to it.
The blend is medium-to-full in body and features a caramelized flavor which can be quite tangy depending on the size. Its sweetness is most evident in the long finish. There isn’t a trace of bitterness.
The flavor is mellower in mid-course and a bit of spice emerges around the halfway point. Connoisseurs will take their time with this cigar; puff too hard and it will tire you out. It’s quite self-assured and the flavor doesn’t have to shout to be appreciated.
Overall grade: A-:Excellent.
Trinidad – Maduro Wrapper:
[Available in 6 sizes]
This is also a very well made cigar, with a slow burn and a slightly spiced aroma. All of the maduro-wrapped shapes are box-pressed.
The influence of the maduro wrapper is apparent, as the caramelized flavor is a bit more intense than in the natural-wrapped version. The Trinidad Maduro blend is dignified, sometimes tangy, but never assertive.
Just a dash of spice is evident in the second half, but a nice balance is maintained. This is a robust cigar, full in body, but never aggressive. It will surprise you with its quality if you smoke it with patience.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Worth noting: The natural-wrapped Belicoso, Mini Belicoso, Corona, Robusto and Toro sizes are available in classic, elegant pop-up tins of three or four cigars and make excellent gifts, or are the perfect way to entertain your friends after a round of golf or after dinner. Give the empty tin to your wife, or keep it for a stunning business-card holder!
~ Rich Perelman
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