Best of the Leaf Awards

The PCA Best of the Leaf Awards recognizes retailers who have demonstrated the highest standards of excellence in aesthetics, product display, humidor selection and presentation, staff knowledge and training, and community impact.

The goal of the PCA Best of the Leaf Awards is not only to recognize and support excellent retail operators around the country, but to showcase the best of what specialty tobacco retailing offers.

Recognition is awarded based upon how well candidates excel in the following areas:

• Aesthetics: Show us aesthetics that showcases the uniqueness of your shop/lounge/bar’s personality, including but not limited to lighting, furniture, decorations, cleanliness, ventilation.
• Product Display: Show us how you display everything outside the humidor — accessories, spirits, glassware, apparel, and how it’s organized, priced, and presented. If your business doesn’t sell accessories or retail merchandise (e.g., a cigar bar with no retail component), you may note that in your response.
• Humidor: Show us how you keep the humidor running optimally, products properly humidified and displayed, well-stocked with depth and breadth of selection with clear pricing, well-lit, and inviting.
• Community & Service Impact: Tell us about your charitable work, community partnerships, local events, and advocacy efforts. Describe the impact, explain what it was and why it mattered.
• Staff Knowledge & Training: Tell us how your staff is trained and how you invest in their cigar knowledge. This can include formal certification (e.g., the PCA-owned Cigar Academy), in-house training programs, or ongoing education.

Finalists will be selected based on region and establishment category.

BOTL REGIONS

• West: Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska
• Midwest: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio
• South: Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
• Northeast: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia.
• International: All countries outside of the United States, including but not limited to Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.

For each region there will be a PCA Best of the Leaf award for each of the three establishment categories:

• Lounge: A retail store offering a dedicated space for premium cigar and pipe smoking.
• Bar: An establishment where the primary sales come from spirits and food sales. This establishment offers an area within it for cigar or pipe smoking.
• Premium Tobacconist Cigar Shop: A retail store focused on selling cigars and related accessories; the store does not have a lounge or bar area.

JUDGING PROCESS
The judging panel consists of industry experts who use a rubric that aligns with the criteria. Additionally, the public consumer’s scoring will be taken into consideration.

ELIGIBILITY RULES

• Nominees must hold an active 2027 PCA Membership to qualify.
• Best of the Leaf Winners of 2026 may be nominated again in 2028, unless the nomination is for a different store or location, in which case it qualifies immediately.
• Individuals serving on the PCA Board of Directors, their employees, and members of the Best of the Leaf subcommittee are ineligible to be nominated in the Best of the Leaf awards.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

1. Log in to or sign up at the link below
2. Select Maria Cervantes from the drop-down menu below.
3. Add your responses
4. Fill out Your Summary of Excellence
5. Upload 3 photos for each judging category: 3 Aesthetics, 3 Product Display, 3 Humidor, and 1 walk-through video (a total of 9 photos and 1 video).
6. Check the confirmation boxes
7. Hit submit

Note: Please use 1600 x 900 dimensions for all media, where possible. If your shop wins, horizontal photos and videos will make your business look better in the awards ceremony presentation. If you encounter problems while uploading your submission, you can email the materials in a zip file using a file sharing service such as WeSendIt or DropBox and provide a download link to maria@premiumcigars.org.

Note: You will be asked to enter your email to log in or sign up. Enter your email to proceed.

If you encounter problems while uploading your submission, you can email the materials in a zip file using a file sharing service such as WeSendIt or DropBox and provide a download link to maria@premiumcigars.org.