1875 Nicaragua

Cigar connoisseurs and lovers of the leaf are tipping their caps to the new Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua cigar that came on to the market in July 2018. This phenomenal Nicaraguan Puro is rocking full flavors from vintage tobaccos with the excellence we have all come to expect from the Plasencia family. From the look of things, the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua is destined to become a classic among cigar enthusiasts.

A Little History

Romeo y Julieta is an enormous name in the stogie world synonymous with rich, quality, premium cigars. It was coined in 1875 by Inocencio Alvarez and Manin Garcia after the legendary Shakespearean tale. Romeo y Julieta cigars are currently produced by Habanos SA for the Cuban market and Altadis SA for the American market.

About the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua

The Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua is a product of Altadis SA, a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco. To perpetuate the tradition of producing legendary cigars, Altadis SA employed the services of the Plasencia Family in Nicaragua to craft an exceptional cigar that combines the classic nuances of the 1875 Dominican with a modern Nicaraguan flare.

Honestly, it is difficult not to love this cigar. Boasting delicately aged long-fillers from Esteli, Jalapa, and La Mia, a double binder of Esteli and Jalapa- grown leaves, and an exquisite Corojo wrapper from Limonera, you have to agree that the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua is all class.

Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua Flavor Profile

Right off the bat, the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua has the makings of an aristocratic smoke. The construction is solid with barely visible seams and a triple cap. The body is a little veiny with two white, orange, and gold bands; one for the 1875 brand and the other to denote the Nicaraguan blend.

It comes in 4 vitolas; the Bully (5x50), the Toro (6x50), the Magnum (6x60), and the Churchill (7x47) all packed in 25-piece boxes.

Prelight

For this review, I decided to go with a Toro.

The wrapper is buttery and medium brown. It gives off notes of earthy nuttiness with strong hay and woody undertones. I also got a subtly dark, spicy, sweet cedar aroma that is synonymous with the Corojo wrapper.

My cold draw was light and breezy with just the right amount of resistance. There were definite notes of nuttiness, a little spice and cocoa flavors on a bed of rich tobacco sweetness. The wrapper is slightly oily on the lips.

First Third

My 1875 Nicaragua opened with heavy sweet cedar flavors, hints of dark cocoa, and subtle spice. A few draws in, and creamy notes kick in but not too strongly. The front of the palate picks up creamy nuttiness mixed with a slight woody flavor. Sweet hay and basic tobacco flavors linger for the long finish. The retrohale presents mild black pepper, but there is no harshness.

In regards to strength, this cigar is a weak-medium at best. There is a bit of kick with the spice, and the flavor is definitely full-bodied, but the strength stays mild-medium.

Smoke output is ample, and the burn is okay. There may be a few waves on the burn line but not anything to worry about. The ash is healthy silver-gray that remains sturdy for about an inch.

Mid Third

The middle section of my 1875 Nicaragua did not have any dramatic flavor changes. I noted, though, that the spice and rich chocolate flavors fell to the background.

The cigar settled into smooth toasted hay and sweet tobacco flavor. Even though the creamy notes are all but gone, there is no dryness in the smoke. My retrohale presented full barnyard and dry earth zing.

This section of the cigar felt quite luxurious. I really could not tell if the strength picked up because I did not feel a kick in my buzz. The balance of flavors spoke to my love for an authentic well-orchestrated tobacco blend which is what I expected from a Plasencia Family-made cigar.

The burn and ash remained consistent through the mid-section. Still loads of smoke output.

Final Third

The final third reintroduces creamy cocoa, hints of spice, and dry wood flavors to the front of the palate. The smooth toasted hay and sweet tobacco tang remain at the back of the palate and through the long finish. Upon retrohale, there are hints of cedar and nutty earth.

Towards the nub, my 1875 Nicaragua flavors get more prolific and a tad dark. This sudden kick in flavor is all this cigar needed to finish with a bang. The strength at the nub is a good medium, probably more so because of the full flavor.

Smoke output is phenomenal throughout this smoke.

Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua Ratings so far

Having been in the market only a few months, the Romeo y Julieta has a long way to go in matters reviews and ratings. That being said, the customer reviews so far have been stellar.

In my opinion, the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua is a 7/10. Why? Because even though the flavor profile is strong, there aren’t enough transitions and the strength did not quite live up to my expectations.

It was a great smoke though and thanks to the slow burn it ran for close to 2 hours.

How Does Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua compare to the Dominican RJ 1875?

The Dominican RJ 1875 is without a doubt one of the most revered cigars in the stogie world. Casual smokers, as well as cigar aficionados, swear by the quality of this smoke and that is why ratings of the Dominican RJ 1875 are in the 90’s.

The Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua has a long way to go before being sufficiently rated. A rating hinges on several attributes of the product, one of which is consistency. Consistency can only be determined over time.

Ultimately, the vast array of tobacco blends and exquisite craftsmanship of the Plasencia Family is bound to put the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua on the premium cigar chart. Whether or not it will reach the heights of the Dominican RJ 1875 remains to be seen.