#nowsmoking: Romeo y Julieta House of Romeo Toro
#nowsmoking: Romeo y Julieta House of Romeo Toro Cigar Review
Romeo y Julieta House of Romeo Cigar Review – Toro
Factory: Flor de Copan – Santa Rosa de Copan, Honduras
Size: 6” x 52
Strength: Medium-plus
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Honduran Connecticut seed
Filler: Honduras, Dominican Republic
Available in boxes of 20, 10 packs 5 packs, and singles
Romeo y Julieta House of Romeo cigars represent the fourth and final selection in Famous Smoke Shop’s exclusive Romeo y Julieta “House of” series. Additionally, “House of” has arguably become the retailer’s bestselling private selection to-date with House of Romeo being the icing on the proverbial cake. This affordably-priced blend, capped with an attractive Habano wrapper from Ecuador, is also the fullest in flavor among the four “House of” selections.
The people behind creating this selection are the Grupo de Maestros and Tabacalera U.S.A’s Director of Product Capability, Rafael Nodal, and the cigars they’ve done together over the past several years represent some of their finest work.
Moreover, this blend was one of two blends the Grupo de Maestros were working on at the time. As the story goes, Rafael originally wanted the House of Romeo blend for for another project he had in mind, but Famous was given the option. Both Famous and their customers were pleased with the results, and a splendid time was guaranteed for all.
About as good as it gets. The cigar boasts a lustrous Habano wrapper grown in Ecuador with a smooth texture, caramel color, a few visible veins, which make in no less attractive and a triple seam cap. The cigar is also well-packed, and shows little sign of any seams. Plus, with it’s 52-ring gauge, the Toro has a solid and comfortable feel in the hand.
(Acts I-III are the tasting notes I recorded while smoking my sample prior to doing the video.)
My RyJ House of Romeo Toro clipped perfectly with my twin blade cutter, offering an excellent draw and raisiny prelight with some leather and light saltiness. The initial puffs were creamy, sweet and salty with some earthy-woodsy notes and black pepper on the finish. I’m also getting a raisin-like aroma. Some subtle sweetness lies below, but doesn’t fully emerge until about 3/4 of an inch, where the flavors start to round out. Sweet and peppery spice begin to enter the fray, but not an overwhelming amount and the flavors are well-balanced. The smoke is very smooth, plentiful, and medium in body; yet, even at this early stage, I can sense the fullness that’s coming.
The transition from the first third smacks less of pepper as even more sweet spice rises to the surface. Additional notes of nutmeg, cedar, oak, and brown sugar arrive, and the body begins to take a more decisively bolder turn. The flavors are tightly knit and chewy, with spice becoming the most dominant flavor.
The ashes are quite firm and mostly grey in color. A good volume of smoke continues, as does the excellent balance, and some complexity begins to work its way in. At this stage I’m finding some excellent consistency in a mostly earthy, woody, and creamy experience with an appealing spiciness on the finish. Retrohales are fairly peppery, but not overwhelming.
At this juncture, the body and strength have become decidedly more robust as flavors were reduced to mostly earthy loam, charred oak, bittersweet chocolate, and spice. That said, the smoke continues along its smooth and chewy path with the occasional flair of nuts and figs. However, it has reached the medium-full point in body, and same could be said for the strength. Additionally, the nub section never turned juicy or bitter.
As I noted in the video, the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is a perfect match for the House of Romeo’s full-flavored character. Here’s how the folks at Woodford describe it: “An innovative approach to twice-barreled bourbon creates the rich and colorful flavor of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. Uniquely matured in separate, charred oak barrels – the second barrel deeply toasted before a light charring – extracts additional soft, sweet oak, character.” If you like your bourbon mixed, try the Toro with a Manhattan.
(Find more cigar and drink pairing combinations here.)
Final Thoughts. . . Certainly the most refined blend of the four “House of” line extensions with a medium-plus body and strength. “Cubanesque” in several ways, the Romeo y Julieta House of Romeo Toro is creamy, full-flavored, and offers a fair amount of complexity. Cigar smokers at every level can enjoy it, while those more experienced will be able to pick out some of its more subtle qualities. Overall, and chewy, sweet-spicy cigar that holds up to Romeos costing a lot more, and other full-flavored Toros.
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