Habanos S.A. is bringing a decidedly retro feel to two of its newest products which are being shown off at the 35th Havana International Fair next week, as today the cigar company announced the first two members of its Línea Retro series.

The Partagás Capitols and Romeo y Julieta Club Kings are both petit coronas measuring 5 1/10 (129mm) x 42, a size that the company describes as being “possibly the most popular format in the history of Habanos,” adding that it has long been considered the “standard size” of cigars.

Both cigars come in five-count metal box presentations with a design inspired by the original pocket cigar holders that became popular in the 1970s, complete with retro designs. The cases also feature a a technical design developed exclusively for Habanos, S.A. that will solely be used for the Línea Retro product launches.

For the Partagás brand, the Capitols marks a reintroduction of the size to the line, as a pair of discontinued cigars shares the size. The Partagás Petit Coronas was discontinued in 2002 after being on the market since before the 1960s, while the Partagás Petit Privados, a tubed cigar, was discontinued in the 1980s.

For Romeo y Julieta, the size is currently offered in two releases, the Petit Coronas and the Cedros de Luxe No.3, a cedar-wrapped petit corona, both of which have been in active production since before the Cuban Revolution. In addition, a number of discontinued Romeo y Julieta releases share the Marevas size. The Romeo y Julieta Club Kings was discontinued in the 1980s, while the Romeo No. 2 de Luxe, which came in an aluminum tubo, was discontinued in 2002. Additionally, a rare release called the Plateados de Romeo shared the size, also coming in five-count aluminum tins before it was discontinued in 1988, according to CubanCigarWebsite.com.

Habanos S.A. noted that the Línea Retro concept will be gradually introduced to other brands in the portfolio.

The Línea Retro will be formally unveiled at the 35th Havana International Fair, which runs from Oct. 30 – Nov. 3 at the EXPOCUBA exhibition center. A formal release date to retail has not yet been announced.

Images courtesy of Habanos S.A.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.