As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2026, J.C. Newman Cigar Co. has announced a historic collaboration with America250, the official organization overseeing the nation’s Semiquincentennial commemoration. Beginning next month, cigars hand-rolled at J.C. Newman’s legendary El Reloj factory in Tampa, Florida, will bear the official America250 seal — marking them as the official cigars of America’s 250th anniversary.
“J.C. Newman is proud to roll official cigars of the 250th Anniversary of the United States,” said Drew Newman, fourth-generation cigar maker. “Cigars have been an important part of our country since its founding. Therefore, it is only fitting that we celebrate America’s 250th birthday with cigars handmade in America.”
The announcement highlights the deep-rooted connection between cigars, tobacco, and American history. Tobacco cultivation began in the Virginia Colony in 1612 and became one of the economic foundations of the early Americas. Many of the nation’s founders — including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson — were tobacco farmers.
J.C. Newman Cigar Co., founded in 1895, carries that legacy forward. Once one of 40,000 cigar factories across the United States, El Reloj now stands as the last traditional, large-scale cigar factory still hand-rolling cigars in the country.
“It is our privilege to keep America’s historic cigar-making tradition alive by handcrafting exquisite cigars in America,” Newman added.
The America250 partnership is part of a national initiative created by Congress in 2016 through the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, which was tasked with coordinating nationwide celebrations and engaging Americans in marking the milestone. America250 licenses its branding for select made-in-America products — a category that J.C. Newman’s handmade cigars embody perfectly.
Cigar enthusiasts and history lovers alike are invited to visit El Reloj, J.C. Newman’s working factory and museum, where the new America250 cigars will be rolled. Visitors can take guided tours, learn to hand-roll cigars, or attend private events in the beautifully restored facility — currently the highest-rated museum in Tampa on TripAdvisor.
In his 1958 autobiography Smoke Dreams, company founder Julius C. Newman captured the same patriotic sentiment that continues to drive the family business today:
“I could not help but realize more than ever what a great country this is. I am filled more than ever with deep pride to be an American.”