Romeo 505 Robusto (5 1/2 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-Coop.com website)

Altadis USA is once again teaming up with the Plasecnia family. At the 2016 IPCPR Trade Show, Altadis USA showcased the Romeo 505 Nicaragua by Romeo y Julieta- a new Nicaraguan puro offering being made at the Placencia factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.

While the Romeo 505 Nicaragua is a 100% Nicaraguan offering, it is not the first Nicaraguan puro under in the Romeo y Julieta Nicaragua puro. That honor goes to the RyJ by Romeo y Julieta which was released in 2013. However, the RyJ was produced in Honduras while Romeo 505 comes out of Nicaragua. At the same time, this is the second collaboration Altadis has done with the Plasecnias as two years ago the Espada by Montecristo was also done with them.

“With its rich volcanic soil and variety of microclimates, it’s only fitting that we chose Nicaragua as the single source for our boldest, spiciest addition to the Romeo, by Romeo y Julieta family,” said a company spokesperson in a press release. “We’re devilishly thrilled to introduce the Romeo 505 Nicaragua—the ‘rebel child’ of the family—for its notoriously Nicaraguan zest.

In addition to utilizing all Nicaraguan tobaccos in the filler, the Romeo 505 Nicaragua is available in four pressed sizes. Each size is available in 20 count boxes.

Blend Profile

Wrapper: Habano Jalapa

Binder: Habano Jalapa

Filler: Nicaraguan (Jalapa, Condega, Esteli)

Country of Origin: Nicaragua (Placencia SA)

Vitolas Available

Robusto: 5 1/2 x 50 (SRP $10.00) REVIEWED TODAY

Toro: 6 x 52 (SRP $10.25)

Churchill: 7 x 50 (SRP $10.50)

Piramides: 6 1/2 x 54 (SRP $10.75)

The cigar is dark and oily. It is a sharp box press. It has a nice feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors were a sweet orange citrus with some brown sugar, lots of nutmeg, lots of leather and black coffee. There was black pepper rated at an 8. 

A little over an inch in (15 minutes) the ash is very dark with sprinklings of salt. The flavors are like they started. I would call the cigar in balance at this point. You get everything in an even distribution. I would call the cigar medium to full bodied at this early stage. 

2 inches in (27 minutes) the cigar is no longer in balance. The leather and coffee notes have really jumped into the lead. I would say the split is 60/40, leather and coffee to sweet notes. The cigar is still medium to full bodied. The finish one of a cream/nutmeg combination with some lingering black pepper. 

With about 2 inches remaining (45 minutes) the flavor notes continue to go darker. Now it's a 70/30 split; leather/coffee to sweet notes. The cigar is full bodied now. The cigar has pretty much gone dark.

As the cigar ended (1 hour 3 minutes) the sweet notes made a resurgence. They are back to the 60/40 split making the cigar much better. The cigar was a bit of a roller coaster, starting off in balance then transitioning to a very dark noted cigar and back to a fairly balanced cigar. I enjoyed the first third of the cigar much more than the middle section when the cigar turned dark. The rebound sweetness in the final third got the cigar back to a nice score. These should be on shelves now just about anywhere.

Score: 91