Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Toro is medium brown and has a few slightly raised veins present and a network of fine veins. The seams are smooth and very well blended while the head has a very nicely finished double cap. The band is the traditional design for the brand but carries a blue, gold and white color combination. The lower section of the band denotes the line. The aroma from the wrapper is a manure forward barnyard. The foot brings wood, crushed red pepper and light bread. The pre-light draw brings a light, aged cedar along with a decent spiciness to my lips and the tip of my tongue.

Pre-light Experience

The Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Toro is finished with a lovely wrapper that is oily in texture with a nice Natural coloring. There are medium sized veins present throughout and it is firm in texture. The cigar has a lovely aroma on the foot and I am getting some leather, black cherry and black pepper notes. There are touches of wood as well, and it is mostly oak. The wrapper has a similar quality to it, but the spices and pepper notes are softer.

Pre-light Experience

The Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Toro has a UPC sticker designed to remain intact when the cellophane is opened. It has a single, wide Romeo y Julieta band with the bottom identifying it as Reserva Real Nicaragua. The wrapper has a smooth chocolate brown color to it. Aromas include light cedar, cocoa and earth. From the foot, there is mild, sweet hay.

Pre-light Experience

The Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Toro has a pale yet smooth Colorado wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, bunch and roll even and head finished off with a multi-layered cap. Aromas from the wrapper tell cedar and barnyard. Aromas from the foot give sweet dried nuts and prevalent dry red pepper spice. Cold draw reveals cedar and dry soil.

First Third

The cigar begins with charred wood and light amounts of a floral note and black pepper. At a half inch in, the floral note departs as the black pepper increases slightly and a light mustiness joins the profile. The retrohale consists of light charred and musty wood. At an inch in, the mustiness is even with the charred wood while the black pepper is a step behind. At an inch and a half in, the black pepper has lightened up and is really only present on the finish. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

The first third begins by delivering some sweet spice notes that are accompanied with some red pepper. There are earthy and cocoa qualities present as well, and the finish has some cedar, nutmeg and cinnamon qualities. I would classify the cigar as smoking around a medium-full level, and that is for strength, body and flavors.

First Third

Medium-full strength red pepper flake, along with baking spices open the first third. Pepper lingers at the front of my mouth and lips, bringing cedar sweetness with it. Medium to medium-full post draw cedar settles in. Mild cocoa appears in the middle of the flavor profile but the wood is dominating my palate. Some sour citrus joins by the the halfway point. Nutmeg and mild earth come in just before the end of the first third.

First Third

The first third is medium strength and body with flavors of soil, cream, bread, dried nuts and a nice spice pop coming off some freshly cracked black peppercorns. Retrohaling gives a greater sense of the spice and cream notes. The finish is short and relatively clean with bread/yeast.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the charred wood and mustiness remain up front as the black pepper has picked up some but is a bit dull. At three quarters of an inch in, the pepper mellows slightly. The retrohale remains charred and musty wood. The third wraps up with the charred and musty wood up front and the dull black pepper in the background. The strength remained at medium.

Second Third

The second third shows a lot of the qualities from the first third and I am getting sweet spice and red pepper flavors. It is still earthy with cocoa qualities, and the finish has that nutmeg, cedar and cinnamon profile that I am digging. Like before, the cigar is smoking at a level around medium-full.

Second Third

Cedar and mild earth combine together as the Romeo y Julieta progresses into the second third. Medium strength cedar lingers on the palate between draws. Baking spices settle into the middle of the cigar profile, starting to push the cedar aside. By the halfway point, earth joins the middle of the profile, next to the baking spices.

Second Third

The second third is pretty similar to the first third. The only change is the spice factor not being as fresh/raw as the first third. Still getting soil, cream, bread, dried nuts and black pepper. Strength and body are still medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the char lightens up slightly while the black pepper has departed. At a half inch in, the char returns to its previous level. The retrohale is musty and lightly charred wood. At an inch in, the char increases and is sitting very heavy on my tongue on the finish. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.

Final Third

The final third is right in line with the first and second third and I am getting those sweet spice and red pepper notes. It is still earthy with soft cocoa qualities, and the finish has that nutmeg, cinnamon and cedar profile that I am enjoying. Like before, the cigar is smoking at a level around medium-full.

Final Third

Earth, immediately followed by cedar takes the cigar into the last third. Cedar moves up as the primary flavor on the retrohale. Tannic cedar defines the post draw as the last third settles in. By the halfway point, the post draw tannic cedar has also moved into the center of the flavor profile.

Final Third

The final third is the same as the second third with soil, cream, bread, dried nuts and black pepper. Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy and required a touch-up in the final third to keep everything burning evenly. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Burn

Burn was amazing from beginning to end. Well made cigar.

Burn

The burn is straight throughout, with the ash initially holding up to two inches. By the halfway point, the ash drops in half inch increments.

Burn

As typical of cigars made by AJ, the burn performance is flawless. Tight ashes, cool and even burn and ample smoke production.

Draw

The draw was slightly looser than I prefer but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The cigar began with charred wood and light amounts of a floral note and black pepper. The floral note dropped out fairly quickly and some mustiness joined in. The final third saw the black pepper depart and the char increased and was very heavy on the finish. Construction was pretty good and strength was medium most of the way. The Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Toro started with a subpar enjoyment level as charred wood was present immediately. The profile bumped up to average in the second third as there was a bit more balance but dropped back down in the final third as the char took over. This one never really got off the ground for me and I don’t see it as something I would want to revisit.

Draw

I loved the draw on this cigar. Perfect, right to my liking.

Overall

I really enjoyed the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Toro and it is a cigar I would smoke again and purchase. I loved the finish throughout, the cinnamon, cedar and nutmeg profile was tasty and it had a profile that I could get behind. There was not a ton of transitioning, but the flavor profile delivered was solid and enjoyable. The construction and draw were amazing, and it is the best smoking cigar I have had all year. I think this is a brilliant release for Romeo, and with so many consumers sticking to the tried and true cigar and brands, this will do incredibly well.

Draw

The draw is the ideal zone of resistance, with at most a half to 1 notch of resistance.

Overall

The Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Toro was a fairly linear experience with none of the thirds combining in a way that particularly grabbed my attention. Flavors included baking spices, red pepper flake, pepper, cedar, cocoa, citrus, nutmeg, mild earth and tannic cedar. Construction was excellent with an ideal burn and draw from start to finish. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 59 minutes.

Draw

Perfect draw, giving the ideal air flow.

Overall

I found the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Toro to be a linear and smooth flavor profile. Undeniably AJ concocted with earthiness upfront and some creaminess. I imagine for such a recognized brand as Romeo y Julieta, you wouldn’t want to take too many risks in the flavor profile. If that’s the case, the linear and smooth nature fits quite well. But to me, it translates to a profile that is uneventful.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

4.33

Cost/Point

$2.08

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.57

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.57

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.57

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Toro