In 2012, Altadis USA made a statement. The Romeo y Julieta name had been synonymous with smooth, mellow, elegant Dominican blends since the brand’s American production began — a reputation built over decades on Connecticut wrappers, Dominican long-fillers, and an approachable character that welcomed every level of smoker. The Romeo by Romeo y Julieta changed all of that. A full-bodied, Ecuadorian Habano-wrapped, Dominican-core cigar that earned a 94-point rating and the #3 Cigar of the Year from Cigar Aficionado — the highest single-cigar recognition the Romeo y Julieta name had ever achieved — and announced to the premium cigar world that this brand had more range than anyone had given it credit for.

A dark, hand-selected Ecuadorian Habano wrapper — chosen specifically for its rich color, robust flavor potential, and the depth of character that a properly selected Habano leaf from Ecuador delivers over Dominican long-fillers — covers a Dominican binder and a Dominican long-filler blend that carries the Romeo y Julieta brand’s heritage inside a construction designed for power and complexity rather than approachability. Black and red pepper layer through the opening third with a boldness that the standard Romeo y Julieta lineup never reaches, chewy leather and dried fruit developing through the middle and finish in a complex, dynamic profile that justified the 94-point rating and the Top 3 of the Year recognition entirely on its own merits.

Why You’ll Love It

94 Points and #3 Cigar of 2012: The highest critical recognition ever earned by a Romeo y Julieta release at the time of its debut placed the Romeo by Romeo y Julieta in a category the brand had never occupied before — a full-bodied, pepper-forward Habano-wrapped cigar that redefined what the Romeo y Julieta name could mean in the hands of Altadis USA’s blending team.

The Bold Romeo y Julieta: The Romeo by Romeo y Julieta was designed as a deliberate departure from the brand’s mellow Dominican heritage — a cigar built for smokers who love the Romeo y Julieta name but have always wanted more power, more complexity, and more of the assertive full-body character that the standard lineup never delivers.

Hand-Selected Ecuadorian Habano: The dark, hand-selected Ecuadorian Habano wrapper’s rich color and robust flavor potential are the defining characteristics that make the Romeo by Romeo y Julieta immediately distinguishable from every other cigar in the RyJ family — a cover leaf chosen for maximum visual impact and maximum flavor expression over the Dominican core beneath it.