Romeo y Julieta Cigar Brands

Romeo y Julieta cigars are renowned for their rich taste, high quality, and affordable price. This classic, Cuban heritage brand is expertly handcrafted in The Dominican Republic with choice, cedar-aged Dominican long-filler tobaccos flawlessly rolled in silky, fragrant Indonesian TBN (shade-grown) wrappers. The smoke is smooth, creamy, and medium in body with excellent balance and a note of sweet spice on the finish. These attributes, plus an impressive sales record that spans decades, clearly demonstrates that Romeo y Julieta cigars are the perfect choice for any occasion.

History of Romeo y Julieta cigars

Founded in Havana in 1875, Romeo y Julieta Cuban cigars were named for the lead characters in one of Shakespeare's most enduring plays. During its early years the brand acquired numerous gold medals for its excellent tobaccos at exhibitions in Antwerp, Paris, and Brussels.

In 1903 the Romeo y Julieta brand was purchased by the firm of Rodriguez, Argüelles y Cia, headed by José Rodriguez, former manager of Havana's famous Cabañas factory. Though the brand had already amassed numerous awards within the industry, it was not all that popular until José Rodriguez, who had a natural knack for marketing, turned it into the world-famous brand and eventually became the sole owner of the Romeo y Julieta Cigar Factory.

Determined to spread the word of his cigars, Rodriguez traveled the world promoting Romeo y Julieta. One clever promotion idea involved buying a racehorse and naming her Julieta. By entering Julieta in horse races around the world, Rodriguez spread the brand name. In another witty marketing move, Rodriguez opened a Romeo y Julieta cigar shop in the Hotel Capulet in Verona, Italy.

Rodriguez's efforts paid-off big time. The Romeo y Julieta brand became one of the most popular Cuban cigars for sale; so popular, in fact, that he began making personalized bands for the brand's most affluent customers. At one point, the company was producing 2,000 different personalized bands. In 1946 Rodriguez met one of his most distinguished clients, Sir Winston Churchill. Moreover, Rodriguez is credited with creating the "Julieta No.2," the shape we know today as the "Churchill."

After the Cuban embargo, production of Romeo y Julieta cigars moved to the Dominican Republic, and are made at Tabacalera De Garcia under the direction of Vice President & General Manager, José Seijas. Born a native of The Dominican Republic in 1950, Seijas has been working at Tabacalera de García since he was 24 years old. Seijas began his career analyzing tobacco crops, and today he's responsible for blending some of the world's finest premium Dominican cigars including the Dominican-made H. Upmann, Trinidad, and Montecristo lines.

Romeo y Julieta Cigar Brands

Having earned a reputation for choosing the best tobaccos and the consistency of flavor in his blends, José Seijas remains "the man" responsible for the production of all Romeo y Julieta Dominican cigars, including selections such as Romeo Reserva Real. Its blend of prime Dominican long-fillers spiked with Nicaraguan ligero and an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper have made it one of the most universally-loved Romeo cigars.

In 2012 an entirely different kind of Romeo cigar surfaced, the ROMEO by Romeo y Julieta selection. Using a specially-selected, dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that caps a potent Dominican tobacco core, the Romeo by Romeo y Julieta Piramide made the #3 slot for Aficionado's "Top-25 Cigars" of the year saying, "...the blend is perhaps the strongest, most complex Romeo y Julieta to come out of the Dominican Republic."

As if a bolder Romeo y Julieta cigar wasn't enough, 2012 also saw the debut of the Romeo y Julieta Havoc series, another full-bodied line blended with hearty, 2 to 3-yr.-aged Nicaraguan & Honduran tobaccos presented in three wide ring sizes: 56, 58, and 60.