Vitola:

I have here the Havana Reserve of the known and loved Romeo Y Julieta line. I have had it before and remember it being a good smoke, so I thought I would review it this time around. This cigar is large — it looks to be 8 inches, and what appears to be something close to a 60 gauge. It sports a smooth, cappuccino colored habano wrapper. There is one medium-sized vein running down one side of it, but hopefully it won’t cause too many issues.

First Third:

I will again be using a punch cut this time. The dry draw is excellent, and I’ve got high hopes for an even burn. The first few puffs are mainly subtle notes of coffee. Then a certain earthiness picks up and coats the palate — it’s slightly bitter and woody, but heavy. It’s hard to describe, but it isn’t unlike the peaty aftertaste that lingers on your tongue after a sip of scotch. As of now, there is no sweetness, just tobacco, earth, and hints of coffee.

About an inch in, I sense sweetness in the bouquet. Sort of a spicy bittersweet taste on the palate. The smell is most definitely coffee, although it is fleeting. The sweetness is something close to toffee or butterscotch, but it’s not very strong. The taste is still very earthy and slightly bitter. The burn is getting a little uneven, but it’s acceptable from a stick of this gauge.

About halfway through the first third. The flavors are pretty much the same, but what little sweetness there was to begin with is almost gone. The type of sweetness is also not so much like sugar as it is like tobacco. The coffee is also toning down a bit, and the flavor is mainly just spicy, bittersweet and earthy. The spice is mild like white pepper.

Second Third:

The flavors and tastes have been pretty much the same as described in the second half of the first third, and I am waiting for a change that is indicative of the second third.

I’m a little bit into the second third, and I think I sense some woodiness. The smell is slightly bitter, mildly creamy, and “dry”, much like burning cedar. I’m currently getting wood, earth, pepper, and slightly sweet tobacco. Honestly, the flavors are a little boring as of now, but it might be that I am expecting too much of a change (due to the cigars I’ve recently smoked) rather than enjoying the flavor of straight tobacco. After all, this is a Romeo Y Julieta, known for its consistency and solidity rather than exotic flavors.

I’m about halfway through the second third, and still getting the same flavors. The cigar needed a slight touch-up, but the burn is overall fairly even. Canoeing usually goes down the veins first, but the vein on this particular stick hasn’t caused any problems, which is always a plus.

Final Third:

So far, things are still pretty uneventful in the flavor department, which again, should be expected from a Romeo Y Julieta.

Finally, with about an inch and a half left, I sense a spike of creaminess in the flavor. A nice change, but to be honest, any change would have been welcome at this point. But there isn’t much left to smoke, so I’m forced to put this cigar out.

Verdict:

Frankly I was a little disappointed by the lack of character from this cigar, though to be fair, as previously mentioned, the line of Romeo Y Julietas aren’t known for exotic flavors or complexity. Perhaps I was expecting something more special because this was a Habana Reserve. The smoking time was good as well as the construction, but I was expecting a more flavorful smoke. Unfortunately, this stick could not deliver. This is certainly a solid cigar and a pleasant smoke, don’t get me wrong. We mustn’t allow my unreasonable expectations to downplay this cigar. I think the lesson of the day is to always know what you’re expecting when you light up a stick.

Total Smoking Time: 1 hour 34 minutes