The Romeo y Julieta Petit Royals (Royales) Tubed is a high-end, contemporary Cuban cigar made for brief smoking sessions. It compresses the aromatic richness of a huge cigar into a brief 20 to 30-minute smoke and was introduced as a new vitola to capitalise on the trend for heavy ring gauges in shorter shapes. It is perfect for travel or on-the-go enjoyment without the need for an instant humidor because it is packaged inside a protected aluminium tube (Tubo).

First Third: Cedar, soft cream, and fresh floral sweetness are the bright opening dominant notes. The Experience: The traditional, sophisticated Romeo y Julieta trademark is the first part of the cigar. The draw is cold and voluminous from the first puff because of its wide 47 ring gauge. It is exceedingly smooth, with a subtle taste of white pepper on the retrohale and a fragrant, room-filling sweetness without any harshness.

Second Third: Vanilla, gentle espresso, and roasted almonds are the dominant notes of the creamy core. The Experience: In barely ten minutes, the cigar reaches its sweet spot. As the profile gets fuller and more texture-driven, the floral overtones diminish. Significantly thickening, the smoke coats the mouth with a unique nutty, woodsy flavour that harmoniously counterbalances a subtle, underlying bitterness from coffee beans.

Warm baking spices, earth, and toasted wood are the main notes of the warm finish. The Experience: Because of the short length, the heat and oils soon concentrate in the last stretch. A savoury leather and dark wood profile is introduced as the strength rises from a medium to a touch above. The heavy ring gauge keeps it amazingly cool and smooth right down to the nub, avoiding the bitter finish typical of lower ring gauges, even though the spice intensifies slightly (think nutmeg and cinnamon).