Romeo y Julieta Cigars

The decision to name Romeo y Julieta cigars after Shakespeare’s most famous play was made by the torcedores themselves.  The lectors of Havana – those who read to the cigar rollers while they work – are among the Cuban cigar industry’s most famous institutions, and at the end of the 19th century one of their favourite works to recite was the tale of the star-cross’d lovers.  So enraptured were the factory personnel that in 1875 they elected to name a new marca in honour of the play, and so began one of the most famous stories in the Habanos lexicon.

Today’s Romeo y Julieta boxes still wear an image of the young lovers’ famous meeting on a balcony in Verona, surrounded by the gold medals won by the brand’s cigars over the years.  This image is an example of the strong and successful branding created in the early part of the 20th century by Don “Pepin” Rodriguez, the shrewd businessman who built the profile of the cigars to the global level it sits at today.  Rodriguez also built on the strong example set by Ramon Allones cigars in having bands placed on each stick – in fact, he expanded on the practice by allowing clients to commission their own, personalised cigar bands.  It is estimated that over 20,000 such bands were in use at the peak of the trend.

The Romeo y Julieta style is for medium-strength cigars, hand-rolled with premium tobacco from the Vuelta Abajo region.  They share their literary heritage with Montecristo cigars: in 1935 Montecristo’s rollers followed the example of their colleagues by choosing their favourite book as the source of their name.  The connections do not end there - almost 100 years later, Romeo y Julieta reversed the roles by following Montecristo’s example of having different strength profiles for different sections of their vitolario.  The 145th anniversary of Romeo y Julieta was marked by the release of the Linea de Oro – The Golden Line – in 2020, a medium-to-full strength blend in 3 new vitolas and exquisite luxury packaging.  Like the Linea 1935 from Montecristo and the Behike line of Cohiba, these represent the pinnacle of Romeo y Julieta.

The pinnacle of this venerable old brand is particularly lofty, and famously captured the heart (and tastebuds!) of Winston Churchill.  The legendary British statesman, by the time already well-known for his massive cigar consumption, visited Cuba in 1946.  Having announced Romeo y Julieta as his favourite brand, the decision was made to honour his custom by naming his favourite vitola after him – the 7 inch by 47 ring gauge Churchills.  This size (officially known as Julieta No, 2 on the factory floor) has been used by many other brands for both Regular Production and Limited Edition cigars, but the original is by far the most famous.  The brand’s version of the classic robusto vitola is now known as the Short Churchill, and there are ‘wide’ and ‘petit’ versions as well – a fitting tribute to the influence on prestige having such a great man associate himself with the brand has had.

Romeo y Julieta Churchills: The most famous cigar from this brand, and possibly the most famous cigar of all time.  Expect over 80 minutes of smoke, bearing chocolate, cedar and espresso notes, along with just a hint of vanilla.  A true connoisseur’s smoke.

Romeo y Julieta Hidalgos: The thickest of the Linea de Oro, at 57 ring gauge, but not the longest at a mere 4 ⅞ inches.  The red lacquer boxes and opulent gold foil bands at the foot make these cigars wonderful to behold; the extra strength and rich notes of coffee, earth and leather make them fabulous to smoke.

Romeo y Julieta Belicosos: The tapered end of the Belicosos shape is a favourite among aficionados for the way it concentrates the flavour on one part of the palette.  The Romeo y Julieta version is an excellent example, full of smooth chocolate and fresh wood notes.

As one of the 6 Global Brands from Habanos SA, Romeo y Julieta are not available to be selected by distributors for Regional Edition cigars.  They are, however, regularly used for prestigious Limited Editions as the name already carries a great deal of weight with serious collectors.  The first official Chinese Zodiac cigar from Habanos – commemorating the Year of the Rat – was made by Romeo y Julieta, and the Capuletos of 2016 – named for Juliet’s family in the famous play – among the most sought-after of recent years.

Many aficionados will have experienced their first Cuban cigar as a Romeo y Julieta, and many now consider the brand to be their favourite smoke.  They produce one of the widest ranges in Havana, meaning there is something for everyone in their catalogue, and have smokes to range from after-dinner long sessions to short, inter-meeting puffs.  Their history is almost unrivalled and their popularity similarly high, thanks to the sheer quality of the cigars and an unwavering, centuries-old commitment to the highest of standards.  Just as the play is one of the greatest pieces of literature ever committed to the page, Romeo y Julieta is one of the greatest properties in the history of the tobacco industry.

Brand Founded: 1874

Strength: Medium; Medium-to-full

Construction: Handmade, Tripa Larga

Continuous Production Cigars: 27