An In- Depth Look at 3 Great New Cigars from Altadis USA!
One of the joys of being in the Cigar Biz for more than a quarter of a century is the fact that I have had the opportunity to smoke just about every premium cigar ever made. I must admit though, today it is getting harder to keep up with the workload. It seems that with every stick that is retired to the ashtray, a new one is hitting our store shelves. (I’m happy to report that our beloved industry is in the midst of a major Renaissance!) The majority of these are limited production, independently owned cigar companies making “boutique” cigars. Unlike a large cigar company with a myriad of brands in its portfolio, the boutique cigar will have just a handful of vitolas, all under a single brand name. If you don’t do your homework, this Small Batch invasion can be very perplexing, but discovering new brands is what makes this centuries old hobby so much fun!
Not to be outdone by all of these new kids on the block, one of the major players in the industry, Altadis USA has three new cigars that continue to redefine the company’s once conservative, mainstream profile. Today, we are going to take an in depth look at all of them. I’m excited! Are you?
For those of you not familiar with Altadis, they are responsible for many of the world’s most renowned brands including Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, H. Upmann, and Trinidad. In fact, these guys have been cranking out great cigars since 1918. Over the years, Altadis U.S.A. has grown into one of the largest cigar manufacturers in the world and has gained access to the best tobacco leaves from growers worldwide. Today, they are always poised to create new brands that will accommodate the ever-changing tastes of the modern smoker, and so far, they are off to a great start. So let us a take a close look at the latest goodies that Team Altadis has to offer.
Romeo y Julieta RYJ
Altadis USA released the RyJ by Romeo y Julieta late in 2013. Not exactly a new brand, but, since some of you may not have been fortunate enough to smoke one, and it is their first Nicaraguan Puro, It certainly warrants another look.
RyJ by Romeo y Julieta utilizes a Nicaraguan Corojo Jalapa wrapper that is silky smooth and milk chocolate in color. A double binder from the Estelí & Jalapa valley growing regions in Nicaragua and a vintage blend of 2010 Nicaraguan long-fillers completes package.
But how does it taste you ask?
Let’s go to the video where are very own, the lovely Nick Libretti, better known as the #CIGARchitect will give you an in depth review of this beauty.
H. Upmann Golden Nicaragua
The legendary H. Upmann brand, established on Cuba in 1844 one of oldest and most reliable marques in the industry has just gotten a major face-lift!
Set aside to age in cedar since 2012, this brand new offering is now a coveted treasure featuring the very best that Nicaragua has to offer.
Full-flavored and literally overflowing with rich, sweet and spicy flavors, H. Upmann Golden Nicaragua features a lustrous Cuban-seed wrapper grown in an area of Jalapa that receives early-morning sunlight, and afternoon shade from the adjacent mountains. The binder—also Cuban-seed tobacco—is grown in the Estelí area where the natural cloud cover allows just enough sun to result in full and robust flavor without any harsh or bitter notes. This blend of double-fermented leaf from Estelí, Jalapa, and the small La Comia farm is finished with just a touch of Honduran tobacco to round out the cigar into a truly luxurious experience befitting the Upmann name.
Now it’s time for you to light up a stogy, grab some popcorn, and sit back and relax as our vivacious and adorable Nick Libretti, #CIGARchitect extols the virtues of this stunning stick.
Romeo y Julieta Star Crossed Dark
When fashioning the original Romeo y Julieta Star Crossed, Altadis USA set out to create a bold bountiful medium-bodied premium stick that captured the essence of this legendary brand while still offering some luxurious nuances for the modern smoker. Now on the heels of this bestselling offering, we are proud to introduce the Romeo y Julieta Star Crossed Dark. The idea for this venture came to us because we wanted a Romeo that utilized one of the hottest wrappers out there, the” Ecuadorian Habano”. Our resident experts in conjunction with the nice folks at Altadis felt this beautiful leaf would perfectly compliment the Star Crossed line! A lot of time, effort, and sampling went into choosing the perfect mixture of top quality tobaccos to earn the title of Romeo Star Crossed Dark, and boy did we find the winner! This new cigar is more robust than the original, and it literally blew us away with its sweetness and smooth, well-balanced flavor profile. An aggressive Romeo is what we wanted and it is exactly what we got. More importantly, we also think this is exactly what you want. We challenge you to experience the Dark, and enjoy what we think is one of the finest Romeo Y Julieta’s ever created.
Our resident Romeo, the sexy #CIGARchitect Nick Libretti, nearly jumped off his balcony after smoking this Dark gem. Just listen to his passionate review!
Where can you get all three of these top-quality smokes? Right here at JR Cigar your one stop shop for all of your smoking needs! And for hours of entertainment, and cigar knowledge, including interviews with many of the big players in the industry, be sure to follow the #CIGARchitect, and crew, on our sensational YouTube channel!
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