Worlds Oldest Cigar Brand
Romeo & Julieta is a name of two brands. The “real” one is from the island of Cuba and is under the organization Habanos SA, the Cuban state owned company. Though, the other one is produced in the Dominican Republic for Altadis SA.
The company Romeo & Julieta was established in 1875 by Inocencio Alvarez and Mannin Garcia. Also as you have understand that the brands name is named after the famous play that has been written by Shakespeare.
Between 1885 and 1900 the cigar won numerous of awards for its excellence in cigars. However, the brand truly took off after it was acquired by Jose, Pepin, Rodriguez Fernandez, former head of the Cabañas factory in Havana, and his firm, Rodríguez, Argüelles y Cia, in 1903.
At its height, as many as 2000 personalized cigar bands were produced for customers. The brand was also known at this time for specializing in figurado cigars, such as perfectos and pirámides, with over a thousand such shapes believed to have been in production.
Sir Winston Churchill enjoyed this particular cigar and one special type of Romeo & Julieta cigar has been named after him.
After Rodriguez's death in 1954 (he was 88 years old), the revolution, and the subsequent nationalization of the tobacco industry, the brand was moved to La Romana in the Dominican Republic, where production of a Romeo y Julieta cigar for the American market continues today under the direction of Altadis SA. The Cuban government nationalized the brand and still produces and distributes it world-wide as one of its top-selling global brands.
