Romeo y Julieta Hermosos No 2 LE 2004 Review

[BobLobLaw]

Love rummaging around the humidor especially when you have certain "criteria" to fill. In accordance with the review theme of the week I settled on a Romeo y Julieta Hermosos No 2 LE 2004. I have had one about a year ago and remember it being good, not great. My good friend just recently had one and raved about it. So figured it was due for another try. Barely makes the cut for a "fatty" at 48 by 6.2 inches, but it will do!

Along with the cigar I am also smoking some homemade bacon! Cured it for just over a week and today its getting 3 hours of applewood before being slowly brought up to an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Will then rest in fridge before taking to family gathering this weekend for slicing and devouring. My first attempt at bacon, hoping for good results!

And finally, as has become the norm I will be playing/blogging about a poker tourney for the few who enjoy reading along. Today is a 5,000 chip deep stack tourney. Speaking of which as I type this intro I get KK on the button. Someone in middle position raises to 70 one caller then a re-raise to my right for 150. I come over the top for 700. Folds around to the raises who calls. Flop falls 4s,Jd,7s. Check, check. Turn is a K giving me trips and he bets 800 into me. Love when that happens. I only call since I have position. River is a 4 giving me the boat. He leads out with his stack and I snap call expecting to show a cooler to jacks or maybe aces. Nope, he has K,Q offsuit for a weak top pair and is out. 4 hands later take out a shortstack with AQ vs QQ on a flopped A. Up to 12.6k already. Good start.

Had to come inside to post the pics, but I will be back in a few with prelight thoughts! Mmmmmmm bacon

[BobLobLaw]

Prelight its kinda an ugly cigar. Thick brown wrapper that looks rustic and rough. You know how sometimes the wrapper is silky smooth as if it was one solid piece? Not this guy. No visible oils, but you can def feel the oil on your fingers after picking it up. Cigar feels solid and is a bit firm when squeezed. Clip with my xikar, brush off the head and take a draw. Whoa! Solid spice and pepper on the back of the throat! Not sure if its the little pieces of tobacco so I brush and try again, same thing. This shows promise.

Fire up the foot and take my first draw. The smoke has a fantastic texture! It is rich, creamy, smooth and soft in the mouth. No spice or pepper. Its like a light milk chocolate with a hint of fruit, maybe raspberry. The flavor is good, but the soft silky smoke is really what has my attention for now. Draw is spot on perfect. This guy is nothing like what its appearance/aroma at cold suggested.

Playing minimal hands not wanting to piss away my good start. At first break and still at 12.6k in chips. No notable hands. Will return for first third of cigar

[CanuckSARTech]

Interesting start.

I have one of these sitting in my humidor cabinet, from a LCDH purchase locally to me about 2 years ago. I was thinking about lighting it up later on this summer, and savouring it after a few years of some quality aging, and seeing if it's worthwhile to invest in a box.

I'll be checking out your review with interest.

[BobLobLaw]

This cigar is only a half inch in and already becoming amazing. The chocolate is getting darker and now there is a hint of coffee as well. But still so creamy and rich Its like smoking a dark chocolate cheesecake with a coffee on the side. Fantastic.

Win a small pot preflop with AA. No real action as I am playing tight. After complaining of no premium pairs last time I have already had aces and kings. Hope I'm not using them up too early!

Into the final parts of the first third and the cigar is stil holding strong. Burn/draw are perfect. Still smooth and creamy with chocolate and fruit. Delish. May need to find some more of these before they are gone for good!

[BobLobLaw]

Cigar is still smoking well into the second third. Relights only because I neglected it. After the amazing opening the cigar has not improved, but that would be hard since it was so good. I am sipping slowly and just enjoying it. These nights of a cigar and the balcony are quickly becoming something I look forward to and this cigar fits the bill perfectly.

Canuk, def try yours out, but I highly recommend that box!

Tourney wise I have gone a bit card dead. Messed around in a few pots, nothing of note. Sitting at 9k and trying not to play stupid b.c I am bored. Saw one guy with KQ hearts lose it all after flopping a flush and running into A,6 hearts. Ouch

[BobLobLaw]

Last third starts to pick up a bit more oomph and the sweet creamy fruity chocolate is replaced by more leather, wood and black coffee. Not as good as the initial flavors, but def different and still very flavorful.

At least the cigar is good, b/c the cards suck. Just plugging along, nothing of excitement. Seems like every other flop would have made my previous hand into a monster.

[BobLobLaw]

Fantastic cigar, just put her to bed. I am really starting to come around on the RyJ marca. One of the best cigars I have had in recent memory.

Cards still not going well. Picked up QQ UTG and took a small pot on an A high flop. Would not have been pretty if raised. Stole another small one with K10 hearts. Sitting at 7.8k, but one of the shorter stacks in the tourney. Need something good soon.

Pretty uneventful. Doubled up with A,J against KK hitting an A on the flop. Stuck around another 20 min or so before going busto with 10,10 vs KJ when all 10k of my chips were in the middle preflop. Problem was it was against a chip leader with 45k. Not sure if shoving was the move when he can call with just about anything. In any event a K flopped and I was bumped at 54th. Top 27 was the money so this was my push to coast in.

[matt14]

One of my favourites over the last few years. My boat was in port last week for a few days hiding from the Typhoon so flew the wife across to Shekou for a couple days and she broughtme a cigar re-up, and she brought my last No2. As she says its only a cigar, luckily though I have 2 boxes sat in my locker! Thanks Lisa! We are a few hrs out of port and I am thinking that will be devoured tonight. Depending on how hammered we get I may get some pics on my phone!! Maybe manage a review !

[BobLobLaw]

Very cool, I am envious of your two extra boxes! Even if you get hammered let us know what you thought. Its funny when you let someone else choose your cigar because they usually pick something really good that you are hesitant to smoke, but like your wife said its only a cigar right?

[CanuckSARTech]

Great review. I am looking forward to mine now.

[Habanakane21]

You had me at smoked bacon!!! Great review too...Creamy and Chocolate...I'm sold!! thanks

[habanohal]

You had me at smoked bacon!!! Great review too...Creamy and Chocolate...I'm sold!! thanks

IMO these were the best EL releades too date. I have smoked 5 boxes of them and all were fantastic It still pains me that recently I had too sell my last box too cover a few bills. Hopefully I will run into another box in the future

[matt14]

Very cool, I am envious of your two extra boxes! Even if you get hammered let us know what you thought. Its funny when you let someone else choose your cigar because they usually pick something really good that you are hesitant to smoke, but like your wife said its only a cigar right?

She turned up with a Co Sublime as well, if anything she has good taste!!

The No2 was pretty goodhit its stride straight off the bat, very full rounded flavours exactly as you described it with a touch of sourness, although that may be down to the cider I was drinking. Burn was razor sharp all the way didnt need fussing with or relighting. Couple shots but was copping too much grief off the guys !!

Turned out to be a monster night out staggering back to the boat pickled at around 6am with a bag full of sausage and egg Mc muffins!!

[BobLobLaw]

Missed the game yesterday Bob, hopefully will be there to support next week mate!

Thanks Bster as you can see you did not miss much! After more then doubling to 13k in the first 10 min I really never got above that again. Gonna try and make the FOH game tomorrow.

Forgot an update on the bacon. It ended up taking a looooooog time to get to 140 internal temp. Went to bed at 11:30 with it at 122 and going maybe one degree every 5 min! Set an alarm for 1:30 an pulled at 141. Stumbled back to bed and overslept Tuesday so quickly seran wrapped and stuck in fridge to let smoke penetrate better. Will take it out tonight and sample a small piece.