There's a new production of Puccini's famous La Bohéme, but it won't be playing in any opera house—it will be found in tobacconists. Boutique Blends president Rafael Nodal, has named his newest cigar brand in honor of his favorite opera.
91%
Very Good
AllBlind Cigar ReviewsDaniel S.DianaDominican RepublicFeaturedGrupo de MaestrosHabanoJason H.NaturalRafael NodalRomeo y Julieta (DR)Toro
·"For a mild cigar this one checked off many of the points I like from a fuller bodied and fuller flavored cigar. I feel this is a cigar for almost anyone to enjoy, and look forward to smoking one again soon!" -Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
AJ FernandezAllFeaturedGrupo de MaestrosMaduroMexican San AndresNewsNicaraguaRafael NodalRomeo y Julieta (DR)
·Today, Altadis U.S.A. and AJ Fernandez announced another collaboration, the Romeo San Andrés by Romeo y Julieta. The cigar is made in Estelí, Nicaragua at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez. The blend uses an aged San Andrés wrapper, one of the more popular wrappers today.
The line of Aging Room Cigars, under the Altadis umbrella of brands, will soon expand with their newest facing. A cigar called Pura Cepa, which translates to Pure Bred. It is a Nicaraguan puro with tobaccos from multiple Nicaraguan growing regions.
This was by far my favorite new cigar from IPCPR this year and one of my favorites overall this year. This was so smooth and buttery and the flavors were always balanced and great. It had just the right amount of spice throughout. The flavor profile and aged tobacco flavors I found are usually unique to Cuban cigars. It was full flavored and complex with lots of transitions without being overly powerful. The price is a bit steep, but I will be buying a box of these, no question. I give this a personal score of 96 (Extraordinary).
Altadis U.S.A. has announced a new version of their Onyx line, Onyx Bold Nicaragua. The original Onyx Reserve line was launched in 2001 and gained fame quickly with a high score in Cigar Aficionado. This new version is designed to be bolder, and is described as medium-to-full-bodied.
The award-winning lineup of Aging Room cigars (Altadis U.S.A.) will get some welcome additions at the 2018 IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas. Among these new cigars will be the Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Core Series. This cigar collection is an expression of artistry from Aging Room founder Rafael Nodal. Aging Room cigars are intended to show a commitment to small batch production, and use fine aged tobaccos.
94%
Excellent
"This was a fairly complex and transitional medium-bodied cigar. The flavors were well-balanced, and definitely up my alley. The only downside was the amount of attention this needed all the way through. I’d absolutely pick up another one in hopes that the burn issues I had were just a fluke. It was still an enjoyable experience even with a couple of touch-ups and a relight." -Chris M. (Chris)
Aging RoomAllBlind Cigar ReviewsDerekDominican RepublicEmmettFeaturedGreggHabanoIPCPRNaturalPerfectoRafael NodalRobertRon
·"Creamy cedar with light pepper joined by splashes of coffee around the halfway point. It blends really well with the nutmeg and cocoa flavors in the tobacco providing a nice balance and a pleasant smoking experience." -Ron (shuckins)
Altadis U.S.A. is bringing back a line from Aging Room, Oliveros Gran Retorno. Oliveros Gran Retorno is a small batch production that undergoes a unique aging process. The blend uses extra aged tobacco that has been aging in traditional bales for 24 months, then they rested in “reposado” in the factory Cedar Room for six months, and then the cigars themselves have been aged for at least 33 months after rolling.