I have to confess before starting this: Before smoking this cigar, I had never smoked a Romeo y Julieta of any sort. I’ve heard good things, but they just never made it into my humidor before.
This was a well-constructed cigar. I always like the torpedo shaped head, as it allows more control over how much of the cap is cut — and I tend to try and cut as little as possible. The color of the wrapper was uniform and the wrapper itself was smooth and free of any defects. The binder and filler held together well; the cigar was able to support long and strong ashes. There was no unravelling or bits of filler coming loose.
The draw was easy, even with just a bit of the head clipped off. The flavor was a great taste — woody with a bit of maduro earthiness but not overpowering. The smoke carried those same elements, although at times I got a whiff of an almost gasoline scent in the fading smoke. It wasn’t overpowering or even unpleasant, so perhaps some element of the taste was just throwing my sense of smell off.
The burn was good, and even, right down to the end. I took this cigar down to a nub before letting it go out on its own. With this cigar I had a dram of the wonderful Macallan 12, which went perfectly. Overall, I’d have to say — this was a really pleasant smoke and I intend to buy some more the next time I’m in the market for some cigars.