Altadis U.S.A. Inc. made a bold statement with the launch of its Romeo by Romeo y Julieta line last year. Not only is the packaging very assertive, but the blend is perhaps the strongest, most complex Romeo y Julieta to come out of the Dominican Republic. One of the major departures for the Romeo brand is the wrapper. Traditional non-Cuban Romeos are made with Indonesian wrappers and have a much milder flavor profile. Romeo by Romeo y Julieta carries a dark, oily leaf of Ecuadoran Habano-seed wrapper around a gutsy Dominican blend. Though many companies are using this type of wrapper, Altadis has really hit the mark with its new line. Most of the sizes are fairly large, which adheres to current trends, but at 6 1/8 inches by 52 ring, the Pirámide is a classic Cuban pyramid size. Each puff layers the palate with a brawny core of black and red pepper spice, savory leather flavor and sweet impressions of raisins and dried fruit—a truly balanced smoke that covers the sweet, salty and spicy spectrum with elegance and strength. It’s rolled at the Tabacalera de Garcia factory in La Romana, Dominican Republic and includes Dominican Olor and Piloto to complement the flavorful wrapper. While the Romeo by Romeo y Julieta may seem to contradict the idea that a large operation can never achieve the type of quality and complexity usually associated with smaller, boutique style brands, it may be time to rethink that notion.

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