In Our Memory Of: Romeo y Julieta Corona

Friday, October 28th, 2011

The Romeo y Julieta Corona is one of the oldest coronas still in regular production. When the Corona was a popular size, the Romeo was always a safe bet for smokers that preferred a milder smoke. Nowadays, it is one of the many cigars that are often being overlooked.

In my previous experience with this cigar I was left with nothing to remember, apart from the fact that it is a mild and pleasant smoke. The Romeo Corona I will be smoking today has some age in it, I would assume between 8 and 10 years, so I am really looking forward to see how it has matured.

Appearance 12 /15

As you would expect from and aged Romeo, the wrapper on this corona is light brown with a green hue. It has some veins, very few wrinkles and no imperfections. The bunch is firm all the way through, with no soft or hard spots. The prelight draw is tight and no matter how close I put the fut of the cigar to my nose, I couldn’t get any aromas at all.

Flavour & Body 22 / 25

The cigar starts with a mild body and mostly woody flavours. As you smoke in the first third, some sweet, fruity flavours appear, joining the dominant wood. On the second third the cigar gets some more complexity; along with wood and fruit, some citrus, vanilla and a little bit of spice join the mix. The body is mild to medium and the cigar smokes quite well. In the last third the spicy flavours are amplified and takes over, while the sweet and fruity aromas disappear. The last inch is also quite bitter, but not yet unpleasant.

Draw & Burn 22 /25

The cigar burns and draws well all the way through. The draw is on the tighter side, without creating any problems in the cigar’s burn, which is even all the way through. Only a couple of retouches are required in the last third. The ash is flaky, dark grey in colour and falls off regularly, every half inch, revealing a flat coal.

Overall 31/35

I cannot say that I was overly impressed by the Romeo Corona; that, however, has not got anything to do with the cigar itself, but with my personal preference. What the Romeo Corona has in complexity it lacks in strength; in the last third it was borderline medium bodied, which makes it a great choice for a breakfast cigar, or a cigar for the novice smoker. It is however obvious that with about 10 years of age it has gone past its prime. Four to six years are recommended for this Corona, in order to get the right balance of flavour and body.

romeo_y_julieta_corona_4

TOTAL 87 /100

Verdict: You will not come across many Romeo Coronas any more, as they have lost their popularity and it is no surprise that they are being axed from regular production. My recommendation? Although it is a decent cigar, there are coronas out there that I would prefer to smoke.