Origin : Dominican Republic Format : Corona Size : 140 x 17 mm Ring : 44 Wrapper : Ecuador Binder : USA/Connecticut Filler : Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Peru Hand-Made Price : ~$6 each
Purchased a box of these cigars after browsing through Cigar Aficionado’s best cigars of 2007 ratings. Romeo y Julieta Aniversario Corona boasts an impressive 92 rating and is #19 in the top 25. CA mentions flavors of cedar, earth, licorice and nuts. Since I knew what to expect, I managed to detect most of these. What I fail to understand though is why the magazine never noted frequent construction issues with this stick.
Appearance : [rating:5/5]
Dark, shiny and mottled wrapper, with only a few prominent veins. The look announces some serious power.
Construction : [rating:3/5]
This is where it might get nasty. In a box of 25, there were 7-8 cigars with quite a tight draw. Not plugged, mind, just a little too tight to my liking. I also had a couple with an awful burn and major funneling problems. The remaining sticks were impeccable though. Surprisingly, I never managed to recognize a faulty cigar prior to lighting – they were all very firmly packed and looked quite good.
Flavor : [rating:4.5/5]
When I get an acceptable construction, the flavors are amazing. It starts out slowly, slightly earthy, then rich aromas of cedar invade the palate, rhythmically caressing it. Light hazelnut and plain chocolate flavors were also perceptible. Indeed, a very rich and deep mix.
Value : [rating:3.5/5]
I wonder if all boxes are like mine. If it’s the case, I’d be lying if I said that the Aniversario Corona provides a good value… However, if the guys at Altadis managed to fix the construction problems, I’d be willing to get another box anytime.
Overall Rating : [rating:4/5]
I’m really impressed with the richness of flavors packed in this not-so-big stick. Please feel free to share your experiences with the construction, as it might influence my decision to purchase another box 🙂
[sz]romeo julieta aniversario[/sz]
Helpful?
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Larry
–
Smoked one of these last night and loved it. No construction issues with mine, and the flavors were exactly like you described. It did have a few minor burn issues, but corrected itself within a few minutes.
It did get a little harsh in the last third, but I’m a mild->medium guy so more my palatte probably than the cigar.
Crazy thing snuck up on me too. No effects until right up to the end, then about 10 minutes later…WOW…had to find some sugar!
Thanks for the dead on review.
wflor421
–
Being an enthusiast I try as many different cigars as I can. 5 packs are great. But I can’t seem to get into Romeo’s. To many issues. Not one of my favorite brands.
Jason T
–
I had one of these with 3 years of age on it. It was like smoking a cappuccino.
Lisa B.
–
As far as CA goes, I’m sure advertising money goes a long way in hiding little things “like frequent tight draws” in their cigar reviews.
Lisa B.
–
Great review Don. I have had similar draw problems with some Altadis brands as well (Playboy, Montecristo White). I’m wondering if they have too many inexperienced rollers in their factories. They make a gazillion sticks a year. Maybe they should focus more on quality than quantity.
Don
Origin : Dominican Republic
Format : Corona
Size : 140 x 17 mm
Ring : 44
Wrapper : Ecuador
Binder : USA/Connecticut
Filler : Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Peru
Hand-Made
Price : ~$6 each
Purchased a box of these cigars after browsing through Cigar Aficionado’s best cigars of 2007 ratings. Romeo y Julieta Aniversario Corona boasts an impressive 92 rating and is #19 in the top 25. CA mentions flavors of cedar, earth, licorice and nuts. Since I knew what to expect, I managed to detect most of these. What I fail to understand though is why the magazine never noted frequent construction issues with this stick.
Appearance : [rating:5/5]
Dark, shiny and mottled wrapper, with only a few prominent veins. The look announces some serious power.
Construction : [rating:3/5]
This is where it might get nasty. In a box of 25, there were 7-8 cigars with quite a tight draw. Not plugged, mind, just a little too tight to my liking. I also had a couple with an awful burn and major funneling problems. The remaining sticks were impeccable though. Surprisingly, I never managed to recognize a faulty cigar prior to lighting – they were all very firmly packed and looked quite good.
Flavor : [rating:4.5/5]
When I get an acceptable construction, the flavors are amazing. It starts out slowly, slightly earthy, then rich aromas of cedar invade the palate, rhythmically caressing it. Light hazelnut and plain chocolate flavors were also perceptible. Indeed, a very rich and deep mix.
Value : [rating:3.5/5]
I wonder if all boxes are like mine. If it’s the case, I’d be lying if I said that the Aniversario Corona provides a good value… However, if the guys at Altadis managed to fix the construction problems, I’d be willing to get another box anytime.
Overall Rating : [rating:4/5]
I’m really impressed with the richness of flavors packed in this not-so-big stick. Please feel free to share your experiences with the construction, as it might influence my decision to purchase another box 🙂
[sz]romeo julieta aniversario[/sz]
Larry
Smoked one of these last night and loved it. No construction issues with mine, and the flavors were exactly like you described. It did have a few minor burn issues, but corrected itself within a few minutes.
It did get a little harsh in the last third, but I’m a mild->medium guy so more my palatte probably than the cigar.
Crazy thing snuck up on me too. No effects until right up to the end, then about 10 minutes later…WOW…had to find some sugar!
Thanks for the dead on review.
wflor421
Being an enthusiast I try as many different cigars as I can. 5 packs are great. But I can’t seem to get into Romeo’s. To many issues. Not one of my favorite brands.
Jason T
I had one of these with 3 years of age on it. It was like smoking a cappuccino.
Lisa B.
As far as CA goes, I’m sure advertising money goes a long way in hiding little things “like frequent tight draws” in their cigar reviews.
Lisa B.
Great review Don. I have had similar draw problems with some Altadis brands as well (Playboy, Montecristo White). I’m wondering if they have too many inexperienced rollers in their factories. They make a gazillion sticks a year. Maybe they should focus more on quality than quantity.