There’s no better feeling than waking up on Christmas morning and making a beeline for the presents under the tree — whatever age you are, or claim to be. Whilst the occasion of unwrapping gifts may not be exactly the same for you now as it was twenty-something years ago, it’s still a moment where one can truly appreciate all that is dear to them. So what does the ideal Christmas look like for us?
Luke Alland enjoys a Romeo y Julieta Cedros De Luxe No. 2
Well, probably the same as you: a morning with family opening gifts and sharing joy, followed by good coffee, a small breakfast (keeping space is of vital importance), and a short Cuban cigar of the panetelas variety. Recently I’ve been enjoying Cohiba’s iteration. Then it’s time for Christmas lunch prep. A good few hours in the kitchen, to be enjoyed for a few hours on the dining table. Once lunch is done (and we’re able to actually move again), it’s a quick walk outside to refresh the senses, followed by a sojourn back to the sofa where we’ll spend the majority of the late afternoon and evening. When here, we’ll plow through our favourite Christmas films, whilst sharing festive anecdotes over our drinks of choice (exclusively bourbon for me), before breaking out the humidor and smoking some festive cigars. But not just any cigars.
Shaun Gordon smokes a Romeo y Julieta Cedros De Luxe No. 3
Now, should I have a pick of the litter, I’d normally opt for a Behike, because, well, why wouldn’t I? However, as these cigars are usually of a high price point, or extremely hard to come by (when we announced a restock on our Instagram earlier this week, they sold out in under half an hour…), there are a selection of cigars that also fit the festive billing, courtesy of the wonderful folks over at Romeo y Julieta.
There’s something quite nostalgic and festive about the smell of cedar. The aromatic wood sings from the same hymnbook as cinnamon and sandal, after all. But cedar has the wonderful ability of making stunning cigars that extra bit special, as not only does it protect the leaf wrapper of the cigar itself, but the sleeve helps maintain the bouquet of the cigar and also provides a touch of that wonderful cedar taste. It’s subtle and yet distinctive. So which cigars would we select for the occasion? Well, all of them.
The Romeo y Julieta Cedros De Luxe, Cedros De Luxe No. 2 and Cedros De Luxe No. 3
Beginning with the Romeo y Julieta Cedros De Luxe, it comes as one of the Habanos LCDH Editions. The burn and draw of this cigar is second to none, providing a near faultless smoke every time. The mild, smooth and woody flavour profile is accentuated by the cedar, and represented by the caramel colour of the wrapper. Not only is this a great smoke, but it makes for a wonderful gift, should you be feeling generous.
Continuing with Romeo y Julieta and showcasing cigars in chronological order, we also have the Cedros De Luxe No. 2 and Cedros De Luxe No. 3. The No. 2 has proven to be a popular format on the Cuban cigar market, delivering light and fresh flavours through its Coronas vitola — measuring at 142mm by 42 ring gauge. No. 3, meanwhile, packs as much of a punch, but in a shorter format. Hand-crafted, it features a Marevas vitola: the same ring gauge as the Coronas but only 129mm long in comparison. It’s a medium-bodied cigar which delivers notes of creamy chocolate, coffee and pepper — perfect for an after (Christmas) dinner smoke. Now is a time for giving, and one should always enjoy it to the fullest extent. So when it comes to deciding which cigar to smoke, we say the more the merrier.
Shaun Gordon and the Romeo y Julieta Cedros De Luxe No. 3