There are two things that I notice immediately when looking at the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Reserve Maduro. First is the attractive silver and black wrapper that reminds me of the Oakland Raiders colors. It blends in nicely with the wrapper that sports a rich tone of dark chocolate. There’s some oil that’s visible, as well as a few prominent veins. The cigar feels mostly firm to the touch and has no soft spots. A subtle sweet aroma comes through prior to lighting. The cold taste, on the other hand, is earthy.

The Romeo y Julieta 1875 Reserve Maduro lights with ease. The draw is rather tough throughout the smoke, however. The gray ash is solid. The burn acts as if it wants to get out of hand and some touch-ups and re-lights are necessary. Needless to say, I am not exactly falling in love with the burn.

Luckily, the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Reserve Maduro Belicoso fares better in the flavor department, which helps to take some focus off of the less than desirable burn. The first third starts things off mildly, with sweetness and mild spice. It’s not until the second third that the spice’s power picks up a bit, but we are still in the medium-bodied range. Some tobacco is also present at this time. The spice continues into the final third, blending with chocolate and wood.

Overall, I would have to label the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Reserve Maduro as a mixed bag. I enjoyed the different flavors, but the burn tainted the entire experience, as too much maintenance was involved. A single sells for around $8, and you can also find the 1875 Reserve Maduro in packs of five or boxes of 27. It seems a bit overpriced to me, as there are better alternatives out there for less. Still, if you enjoy Romeo y Julieta cigars and like Maduro wrappers, feel free to give the 1875 Reserve Maduro a try.

The Romeo y Julieta 1875 Reserve Maduro earns a rating of three out of four stars.