Cigar Aficionado

Romeo y Julieta is going Mexican. The newest version of this storied line comes draped in a dark, Mexican San Andrés wrapper and should be hitting cigar shops in March. Aptly named Romeo San Andrés by Romeo y Julieta, the new line is made in Rafael Nodal, Altadis Head of Product Capability. This marks the first time Romeo y Julieta has ever come in a Mexican wrapper.

“San Andrés is arguably one of the best wrappers in the market,” Nodal said. “It has unique characteristics and the ability to enhance a blend if fermented correctly.”

The brand is set to retail between $9 and $10 and comes in four sizes: Robusto at 5 inches by 50 ring gauge; Toro, 6 by 54; Pirámides, 6 1/8 by 52; and Short Magnum, 5 1/2 by 60. They come in boxes of 20.

“Normally you have a new project in mind and then get to work on a blend for the project,” explained Nodal. But this cigar project was different. “In this case, A.J. [Fernandez] and I were blending some of his aged tobaccos with no project in mind, other than the goal of developing a blend with complex flavors, aroma and exceptional balance.”

After experimenting with tobaccos, Nodal and Fernandez decided on a blend that consists of Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers, a Nicaraguan binder and Mexican San Andrés wrapper.

The Romeo San Andrés by Romeo y Julieta is another example of Altadis U.S.A. contracting with third-party manufacturers to produce modern, more full-bodied interpretations of this iconic heritage brand. It s other lines such as the Romeo 505 (made by Plasencia Cigars) and Romeo by Romeo y Julieta Aging Room Made by Tabacalera Palma, of which the Cantaor size was named the No. 15 cigar of 2017.

Romeo San Andrés is also one of many collaborations between Altadis and A.J. Fernandez, who has produced H. Upmann for the large company.

For a vertical brand tasting of the new Romeo San Andrés by Romeo y Julieta, see an issue of Cigar Insider, the semimonthly newsletter from the editors of Cigar Aficionado.