Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary Balconet

Since the late 1700s, when private companies were first recognized for their cigar brands—separate from the Spanish tobacco monopoly of the time—only 11 such entities had reached the coveted ‘150th anniversary’ milestone. Earlier this year, that number became 12, as one of the world’s best-known names—Romeo y Julieta—joined the ranks of the select few that have operated continuously for over 150 years.

In proper form, the occasion coincided with a special cigar release: Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary.

“This anniversary demands a cigar as exceptional as our legacy,” said Rafael Nodal, VP of product capability at Tabacalera U.S.A. “That’s why we introduced new rolling methods at Tabacalera de Garcia. For the first time, a specially trained team of master rollers employed innovative techniques, ensuring each cigar reflects 150 years of legacy.”

Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary Balconet Breakdown

Not taking the achievement lightly, parent company Altadis USA assembled what could be described as the cigar world’s equivalent of a musical supergroup—replacing all-star musicians with tobacco agronomists of comparable caliber. This includes the likes of A.J. Fernández, the Turrent family, the Plasencia family, and Jose Mendez & Co.

A.J. contributed to the wrapper component, delivering an Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf that was fermented under his guidance. The binder is a San Andrés leaf from Mexico, of which the Turrents are best known. The Plasencias delivered Peruvian and Honduran leaves for portions of the filler, the latter being grown in the Jamastran Valley. The Dominican leaves in the filler were grown by Jose Mendez & Co., and the blend was rounded out with an aged leaf of undisclosed origin.

Differing from many of Altadis’ recent modern takes on legacy brands, the Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary was not rolled in Nicaragua by A.J. Fernández. Instead, it was produced at Altadis’ own Tabacalera de García factory in the Dominican Republic, where a specially trained team of master rollers reportedly employed “new rolling methods” and “innovative techniques.”

The cigars are offered in four sizes, with naming conventions unified by the narrative structure and emotional themes of Romeo and Juliet. Each size corresponds to a stage or element of the play’s story arc—Prologue (beginning), Balconet (romantic peak), Crescendo (climax), and Reconciliation (resolution).

Appearance

The Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary Balconet showcases the kind of precision and uniformity you hope for in a high-end release—flawless seams, minimal veins, and a near-perfect wrapper application from head to foot. The wrapper is smooth and Colorado rosado in hue, showing a glimmering sheen of oil under sunlight. The veins are fine and unobtrusive, seams are clean and tight, and the triple cap is expertly applied. The toro feels medium-firm when squeezed, with a slightly rigid structure that could suggest the use of a double binder or a particularly dense bunch.

The banding is tasteful, though perhaps more understated than expected for a milestone release. The primary band uses the brand’s modern motif, while the sub-band offers a floral-embossed texture that adds subtle elegance. That said, the design takes a curious turn toward the front, where the pattern cuts off in order to display “150th ANNIVERSARY” in a way that feels slightly abrupt compared to the otherwise polished aesthetic.

Aromatically, the wrapper leans classic, offering notes of hay, barnyard musk, and a trace of mineral. There’s a distinct herbal quality—somewhere between oregano and basil—that gives the bouquet a warm, savory twist. At the foot, a deeper profile emerges, with earthy tones, more barnyard, and a pop of black peppercorn. The pre-light draw is just shy of medium-firm, delivering a surprisingly vivid mix of oregano, corn chips, and a slight pepper bite on the tongue.

Smoking Experience

The Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary Balconet opens with a controlled, elegant warmth—subtle baking spices and a faint floral sweetness land softly on the tongue, with cinnamon and gray pepper rolling gently through the retrohale. There’s nothing aggressive or overbearing here; instead, the cigar rewards a slow, measured cadence, offering a refined balance between spice, sweetness, and a long, clean finish that clings delicately to the palate.

Draw resistance is right in the ideal range—medium-firm and consistent—delivering a medium-plus smoke output that spreads across the tip and back sides of the tongue. The initial sweetness, while restrained, takes on a syrupy, honeydew-like tone that contrasts nicely with the lightly spiced retrohale. With smaller puffs, the cigar leans juicy and floral; double puffs stir up more spice, dialing back in some of that gray pepper warmth for a more dynamic, full-palate experience.

The burn holds up nicely for the most part, with a slightly wavy line that requires a minor touchup around the halfway mark. Ash is light gray and soft in appearance, yet surprisingly clingy—often holding firm past the one-inch mark and even resisting when gently tapped. Through this stretch, the profile shifts, losing some of the initial spice and making way for a more floral-forward experience, still anchored by a rounded sweetness and clean finish.

Crossing into the second half, the body gains some heft and oiliness, showing signs of sage, black peppercorn, and a subtle buttery character across the mid-palate. It becomes earthier as it warms, introducing notes of charred oak, molasses bread, and faint anise. The overall sweetness begins to taper, but the smoke remains clean, textured, and balanced.

While the final third loses a bit of the complexity and precision from earlier, it holds on to enough nuance and structure to smoke confidently into the nub. The Balconet doesn’t aim to dazzle with brute strength or shock value—it’s a slow burn with old-world refinement, built for those that appreciate craftsmanship and dialed-in balance.

Would I Smoke This Cigar Again?

I’ll be honest—I can count on one hand the number of non-Cuban Romeo y Julieta cigars I’d smoke again (or that have even made a lasting impression)… this one jumps to the top of that list. Considering the large quantity of diverse tobaccos used in the recipe, I think the blending team did an incredible job in terms of balance. Everything seems to work together in harmony, being cohesive yet engaging from start to finish. The construction is clearly top-notch—doing its part to justify the hefty price point—but it’s the profile that truly shines, delivering a surprisingly mellow strength that lets the engaging flavor and texture take center stage.

• Not surprisingly, the Cuban side of Romeo y Julieta also introduced a 150th-anniversary release this year: Romeo y Julieta Amantes. The cigar is a 6″ x 53 Sobresalientes vitola, debuting during the Festival del Habano XXV. It features a unique “150” band, a secondary foot band, and comes in boxes of 20, though pricing and release date remain unknown.
• Last month, the brand released the accompanying Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary Humidor, priced at $5,500 and limited to 150 units. The humidor was first showcased at this year’s PCA trade show, and features an electrically powered tray that rises from within the interior when a hidden button is pressed. While the unit can store 150 cigars, it arrives with 50—15 of which are the exclusive Reconciliation size of the Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary.
• The cigars are also available in three-count tins aimed at smoking experiences on the go, which are only offered in the 6″ x 54 Balconet size.
• Currently, the Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary cigar ranks on Dojoverse as “100% Smokable,” placing in the top 35 percent of cigars on the all-time leaderboard.

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