Beneath the Band: Romeo y Julieta Cazadores

[El Presidente]

This series to explore whether a particular cigar is humidor worthy. Cost these days is an issue for many so let's see if we can highlight some absolute standouts. This should particularly assist those new to the cigar world.  

To be fair, most of the cigars we have featured to date have scored exceptionally well. Surprisingly well! 

Scoring is: 1-3 (Poor)   4-6 (Average to good)   7-10  (very good to excellent)  Use the Poll. 

You are more than free to comment away!

The Romeo y Julieta Cazadores is a Lonsdale that dates back to pre 1960. 

 

I love opening up the alfoil packaging for the first time on a bundle of Cazadores. My god, that aroma! 

That aroma is often combined with rosado wrappers. If those stars are aligned with decent construction, eight times out of 10 you are set for a true Cazadores experience. 

 

A great Cazadores is a richly flavoured smoking experience. No, they are not complex, just bloody tasty in a medium full profile. The Cazadores for me scratches that itch when I am in the mood for traditional/old school Cuban tobacco flavour.  

 

Romeo y Julieta Cazadores .....Let's kick off the discussion 

 

[JohnS]

Honestly, I haven't smoked enough of this Romeo y Julieta vitola to justify making a comment. I'm just waiting for @Li Bai to tell me more about what he thinks (about this cigar)!👍

[Li Bai]

2 hours ago, JohnS said:

Honestly, I haven't smoked enough of this Romeo y Julieta vitola to justify making a comment. I'm just waiting for @Li Bai to tell me more about what he thinks (about this cigar)!👍

You knew I'd jump on this topic as soon as I'd see it my friend😂🤣

I'm a big fan, they're like Park Chan Wook's Korean movies to me. I don't speak Korean (I don't understand RyJ as a marca), it's often ugly (the wrappers on these are too) but God, it's so deep and always leaves you a mindblowing aftertaste.

I love it 😍

[JohnS]

1 hour ago, Li Bai said:

You knew I'd jump on this topic as soon as I'd see it my friend😂🤣

Haha...yes, I knew!

[Chibearsv]

Used to be one of my favorite value CCs. Great change of pace cigar. Not a good value for me anymore. 😢

[Puros Y Vino]

Love this stick. I went deep on these well before the price hikes. When fresh, they are very rich and strong. While unlike most of the RyJ portfolio, these do maintain that sour cherry tasting note. I've been told by older, experienced smokers that this cigar was very typical of Pre-Embargo Cubans. When you're smoking these you're smoking CC history.

[Lucas Buck]

One of my favorites. Never disappoints with ten years age or more especially if left in the foil. Such rich, dense, voluptuous flavors. Mouth coating, succulent smoke from this medium ring long and tasty. Easily my favorite RyJ. 

[dicko]

I only have one box but they have been tasty, working man's smokes. Only complaint is the foil seems to be a bit of a mold attractant.

Sent from my SM-S938B using Tapatalk
 

[Çnote]

I'm going to dig one up. @Capn_Jackson, are you listening?

[El Presidente]

On 3/19/2026 at 11:53 PM, Puros Y Vino said:

Love this stick. I went deep on these well before the price hikes. When fresh, they are very rich and strong. While unlike most of the RyJ portfolio, these do maintain that sour cherry tasting note. I've been told by older, experienced smokers that this cigar was very typical of Pre-Embargo Cubans. When you're smoking these you're smoking CC history.

Love that "sour cherry note". 

I have found them remarkably consistent. 89-91 range 90% of the time. A few outilers in the 93's. Never above to my recollection. 

That makes is a brilliant $9 -10 USD cigar. The problem is they want $20 USD +

In the world of global pricing, for $20 USD you are playing in a very competitive weight class. The Cazadores gives a good lap dance but I am not sure it is playing in the same class as lasses in other clubs who's money makers have far more tricks.

[Chas.Alpha]

2 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Love that "sour cherry note". 

I have found them remarkably consistent. 

@Elpresidente This is a good place to ask this question. 20-30 years ago, I considered the R&J Churchill in my top 3 of all time. My memories were of a predominantly woody smoke with pleasant baking spices. After having very limited access to CCs for some years, I was shocked to find the somewhat overpowering cherry notes that seem to dominate the entire R&J marca, which I don’t much care for. I sort of tolerate it with the Cazzie because I like the size and the mongrel aspects. Is the cherry profile something that came somewhere between 2008-2019, or has my sensitivity to it (sweet) changed?

[zeedubbya]

9 hours ago, Chas.Alpha said:

@Elpresidente This is a good place to ask this question. 20-30 years ago, I considered the R&J Churchill in my top 3 of all time. My memories were of a predominantly woody smoke with pleasant baking spices. After having very limited access to CCs for some years, I was shocked to find the somewhat overpowering cherry notes that seem to dominate the entire R&J marca, which I don’t much care for. I sort of tolerate it with the Cazzie because I like the size and the mongrel aspects. Is the cherry profile something that came somewhere between 2008-2019, or has my sensitivity to it (sweet) changed?

I’m curious about this as well. I don’t recall a cherry note being overtly present in RyJ until around the time the Short Churchill was released in 2006/2007. One of the most cherry laden cigars I ever smoked was from a PSP box of RyJ PCs, so so good, heavy cherry, powerful cigar.

It seems Min Ron Nee supports your memory @Chas.Alpha as he mentions the RyJ Churchill as being a 4/5 strength cigar, robust and complex. I don’t have distinct memories of RyJ Churchills of old (didn’t smoke that many), but post 2012 I’ve tried aren’t 4/5, robust or complex really.  

On topic, I only smoked through (nearly) one box of Cazadores and found them to be exactly as described, more like a taste of old Cuban tobacco than maybe anything else, but that box definitely had some massive inconsistencies in roll, draw, burn, and flavor. Maybe it was an outlier. I never bought another box because that one was memorable, but not in a good way. I kind of wish I had now seeing the positive reviews here, but at $20 each it’ll never happen, sadly.  

[JPark3]

I've never had one, they always manage to elude me, but they've always seemed like they'd be in my wheelhouse. I will say that I like what people call "ugly wrappers." For some reason, I find that they add character.

[Capn_Jackson]

On 3/20/2026 at 3:42 PM, Çnote said:

I'm going to dig one up. @Capn_Jackson, are you listening?

I’m here. While my family’s on Spring Break, my check-ins have been fewer and farther between. Don’t think I’ve got any RyJ Cazzies left, smoked a stack of ‘em early last year though. Might have one or two lying in the cabinet.

[LaoFan]

When you get a solid box (not all...), for the size, it's as good value as you can find in the Habanos world. Delicious.

[El Presidente]

On 3/21/2026 at 1:08 PM, Chas.Alpha said:

@Elpresidente This is a good place to ask this question. 20-30 years ago, I considered the R&J Churchill in my top 3 of all time. My memories were of a predominantly woody smoke with pleasant baking spices. After having very limited access to CCs for some years, I was shocked to find the somewhat overpowering cherry notes that seem to dominate the entire R&J marca, which I don’t much care for. I sort of tolerate it with the Cazzie because I like the size and the mongrel aspects. Is the cherry profile something that came somewhere between 2008-2019, or has my sensitivity to it (sweet) changed?

 Twenty years ago was 2006. R&J Churchill hasn't much changed from then. 

 Thirty years ago, 1996. They were fuller bodied and woodier. 

 Romeo y Julieta Factory closed (fully) around 2004. I don't think it is a coincidence 2005 is when people think many R&J blends changed. 

 Keep in mind also that we were 5 years into the surprising successful LE program and the new marketing epoch of Habanos/Tabacuba. 

 Romeo y Julieta marketing lent itself perfectly to mid bodied sweet nuanced cigars. Almost ever R&J cigar released since 2005 has followed that formulae. 

 My theory only.

[LaoFan]

All this talk...I had to light one up.

Such a powerful flavour. The cherry is definitely a thing. 

[Ford2112]

Never had a Cazzie which is odd considering my love for Lonsdales. I was going to spring for some pre-Cigmageddon stock, but alas my spending is largely not Habanos anymore. Sounds like I should hunt down a couple of these.