PCA 2025: Romeo y Julieta

The 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show saw Altadis U.S.A.’s Romeo y Julieta take center stage. Having covered the PCA Trade Show for 15 years, I can honestly say that I have never seen an exhibit quite like the one for Romeo y Julieta. Although Altadis U.S.A. was my “company” going into the Trade Show, I didn’t expect to witness something at the level of Romeo y Julieta. Their exhibit was essentially a booth within a booth, showcasing the rich history of this iconic brand. The highlight of the event was the celebration of Romeo y Julieta’s 150th anniversary, marked by a special cigar crafted for this significant milestone. This cigar features a unique blend of tobaccos from Altadis and its partners that has never been seen before.

An interactive video display in the booth guided you through the rich history of the Romeo y Julieta brand.

There was also a fantastic coffee bar with a barista on-site.

Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary

The 150th Anniversary release was previewed at Procigar, but PCA 2025 was the official launch.

The Romeo y Julieta 150th anniversary includes tobaccos grown by key partners of Altadis U.S.A. This consists of an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper sourced from AJ Fernandez and a Mexican binder from the Turrent family. The fillers use Dominican tobaccos from José Mendez & Co. and Honduran tobaccos from the Plasencias. The filler also incorporates Peruvian tobacco from David Perez. Production comes out of Tabacalera de Garcia in La Romana, Dominican Republic. The Romeo y Julieta comes in three sizes, each in 16-count boxes. The Prologue size also comes in three-count tins.

Prologue: 50 x 5 (SRP $25.00/cigar)
Balconet: 54 x 6 (SRP $27.00/cigar)
Crescendo: 50 x 7 (SRP $28.00/cigar)

Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary Humidor

This one was quite unique and should go down as one of the highlights of PCA 2025. This humidor comes with 50 cigars. Thirty-five of the cigars are a mix of Romeo y Julieta portfolio offerings, but 15 of them are a special size for the 150th Anniversary release. That size is Altadis’ iconic 52 x 6 1/2 No 2 belicoso, called Reconciliation. Pricing for this unit comes in at $5,500.00

The humidor is housed within another unit that features an electronic system for raising and lowering the humidor itself. This unit is designed with an architectural aesthetic. Additionally, there are keys stored inside the doors on the outside for accessing the humidor.

Romeo y Julieta Run for the Roses

While Romeo y Julieta is 150 years old, it is one year younger than the Kentucky Derby. This year, Altadis released a new Romeo y Julieta. It is a sequel to a limited Run for the Roses cigar done by Romeo y Julieta for the 150th Kentucky Derby in 2024. The 2025 Run for the Roses for the 151st edition of the Derby will have a somewhat wider distribution. This one hit stores just in time for the Derby.

The cigar is produced in the Dominican Republic at Tabacalera de Garcia. The Romeo y Julieta Run for the Roses has been aging in the factory’s cedar room for five years. The 50 x 6 Toro cigar is made with all Nicaraguan tobaccos and is available in two packaging formats. The first is a single in commemorative coffins. The second format is a 20-count collector’s edition box. The 20-count boxes are available at retailers nationwide. Meanwhile, the single cigar coffin was sold at kiosks around Churchill Downs during Derby Week.