Reviews by Steve R

Romeo y Julieta was one of the first cigars I've ever tried. Come to think of it, I believe it was numero uno. I was in Cancun - don't worry, I brought my own smokes - and had just a few too many Coronas, so my memory is a little hazy. Regardless, had I not enjoyed my first few cigars, I wouldn't have become the crazed cigar lunatic I am today. Therefore, I do give thanks to RyJ for beginning my allegience to the world of handmade cigars. It was the Bully, a 5"x50 robusto the represents the brand's top-seller.

Today, I decided to light up a Belicoso from the traditional 1875 blend of Romeo y Julieta. Aside from a few soft spots throughout the tapering barrel of the cigar, it appears to be made very well. The chestnut-colored Indonesian wrapper offers a smooth, silky sheen, but seems dry and 'hairy' to the touch. The pre-light aroma is short, and there is virtually no pre-light flavor. The 54-ring took some effort to light, but I’m off and puffing, filling the office with heavy clouds of light grey smoke. The straightforward flavor is toasty, with a distinct woody note and creamy texture. The finish is dry and lingers for about 10 seconds after each puff. Mild to medium-bodied, the Dominican fillers maintain a character that’s smooth and unobtrusive, without becoming harsh or overwhelming at any point.

Romeo y Julieta is a fantastic brand, one which everyone should try at least once. It’s well-made, super consistent and carries a solid reputation for top-notch cigars. However, over time, my palate has grown more complex, developing into a high maintenance menace that demands more with each cigar it consumes. While it was nice to revisit a cigar that introduced me to this exciting hobby of ours, I find myself looking for more interesting cigars, ones layered with flavors that change throughout the burn, growing more intense towards a satisfying finish.

Here’s the deal. I have just about every cigar toy imaginable, including countless cigar cases, caddies, travel-dors, etc. The only thing I never had was a 3-finger leather case. Why? Because I just couldn’t find one I truly liked and I was afraid I’d crush my cigars sitting down at the bar. Instead, I kept my 5-capacity Herf-a-Dor on me at all times, stocked with 5 cigars, even when the night only called for just a few.

Last year, we decided to carry the Envoy from Xikar. Finally, a stylish leather case that’s crushproof, yet slim enough to fit into my jacket or jeans pocket. Dressed in top-grain, black armada leather and fitted with metal caps on each end, this case fit the bill to a ‘T’. It’s lined with Spanish cedar and can hold three 54-ring cigars. With a quickness, I rang myself up for another employee purchase.

I’ll be honest; it took a good 4 months to truly appreciate this case. In January, a few of us went to see Arturo Gatti throw down with Thomas Damgaard in Atlantic City, NJ. Of course, the first thing I packed was my Envoy, and holy cow did I abuse this thing. It flew down the concrete steps just outside the arena, I accidentally kicked it down the steps inside the arena, sat on it twice at the arena and sat on it countless times at the Blackjack table. It took a pounding worthy of a heavyweight championship belt, while the cigars inside remained safe and sound. You may ask, “why were there cigars inside?” I’ll tell you: the freaking cigar Nazis wouldn’t let us smoke anywhere. At one point, we were hiding in the stairwell during the Undercard bouts, puffing away furiously to get back to the action. Even the Blackjack tables were smoke-free! What the hell is this world coming to?!

But I digress...the Xikar Envoy is one of the best purchases I’ve made to date. I couldn’t be happier with this buy, and am glad I held out to find the perfect 3-finger leather case.

I’ve smoked more Exodus Torpedos and Toros than I could ever begin to count, so I could probably write this in my sleep. But that would just make me want one, so I might as well grab another from the humi. As usual, Torano is right on key in quality. The Habana 2000 wrapper is prime – smooth, dark, oily and nary a blemish in sight. Construction is solid – the torpedo cap is perfect, there’s no soft spots to be found and the square-press is impeccable. What more can you expect from Carlos Torano? The man knows how to make a stogie! Now it’s time to sit back and relax as I enjoy this super-slow burning Honduran cigar. To say it features an assortment of flavors is an understatement. It’s made with a 5-country blend of long-leaf tobaccos: Honduran, Dominican, Mexican, Nicaraguan, Costa Rican. Amazingly, the Torano family managed to pinpoint the best nuance from each of these tobaccos to create a wonderfully complex smoke. I notice a rich, chocolatey character from the Nicaragua leaves. The robust earthiness must be derived from the Honduran leaves. The spiciness that lingers on my palate is a combination of premium Mexican and Costa Rican tobaccos. All while the mellow and smooth Dominican tobaccos tame the smoke a bit, keeping things on the medium-bodied level. A 90 minute, 5-country tour for my palate that I’ve revisited many times before, and will probably never get bored of. Open up any of my humidors, on any given day, and you will find at least one Exodus 1959 waiting for me. Just make sure it’s still there when you close the humidor, ya mooch.

To me, The Centurian is a must-have cigar, so I have a canister full of Centurians on hand - each is waiting its turn for a special day. Unless you overslept, last weekend was New Years, a perfect time to break open the canister and enjoy one of my all-time favorites. You can’t say enough about the look of this perfecto - a solid, 60 ring gauge double torpedo that’s packed with aged Cuban-seed Dominican long-fillers and sports a flawless Connecticut wrapper leaf that’s silky to the touch. Upon sparking up a full-flavored burst of spice and rich earthiness shifts my palate into overdrive. After my first few puffs my only thought is Cuban Bolivar. The rich Cuban-like earthiness put forth by this cigar is so smooth that I hardly notice the underlying strength that creeps on me. Word to the wise, do not smoke this while operating heavy machinery, on an empty stomach, pregnant or a few drinks over the limit. As the cigar enters its thickest point, it tends to mellow a bit, but continues to deliver a potpourri of flavor. Spicy, woody, earthy, toasty, rich, but always smooth. But give it time. Just as I start to recover from the mellow buzz, the cigar begins to taper into a full-bodied finish that’s loaded with creamy spice, giving new meaning to the phrase “go out with a bang”. Eventful from start to finish.

Gurkha’s Centurian is the reason why we become an enthusiast of fine cigars. Enjoying a cigar is a moment we look forward to and make plans for. Because of this, we are often disappointed, making the satisfaction of enjoying a perfect cigar, at the perfect time, much more meaningful. This cigar is an experience that I will continue to make plans for.

I decided to fire it up over the weekend. I couldn’t help myself. The year long nap caused the natural oils to soak through the wrapper covering it with toothy crystals. The pre-light aroma told me that the tobaccos picked up some influence from my humidor’s cedar. Sold. Although I didn’t know what to expect, my expectations rose each time I took a whiff before sparking up. Considering Cu*Avana is a gentler cigar. The first few minutes were surprising - off the bat, it produced a flavorful burst that quickly filled my entire palate. My confusion was soon put to rest as the aged blend of Dominican long-fillers came through with a smooth, deliberate flavor backed by mellow hints of cedar. Although these flavors were enjoyable, the wrapper easily takes the cake. It’s thick, juicy and adds a rich sweetness to the mix that proved to be extremely pleasant. An hour’s worth of enjoyment is the best way to explain this cigar.

The Cu*Avana Maduro surprised me for two reasons:

1. It’s smooth, and I liked it.
2. Whenever I see a dark, oily wrapper I always keep a lighter on hand to touchup any uneven burns. But not only did this thing burn evenly, it burned sloooow and super cool.

I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything less from Manuel Quesada. After all, the man did make the original Dominican Romeo y Julieta and is the mastermind behind Fonseca. He took a thick Connecticut Broadleaf maduro, densely packed it with as much Dominican tobacco as humanly possible, aged it just right and came out with a pleasant smooth - bodied cigar that rivals Macanudo and Ashton, at $2-$3 a stick no less.