Established in 1875 by Mannin Garcia and Inocencio Alvarez, Romeo y Julieta began to gain popularity after the brand’s acquisition in 1903 by Jose “Pepin” Rodriguez Fernandez, who was the sort of worldly, entrepreneurial businessman who travelled often to Europe and... through the Americas to promote the brand (entering his horse, Julieta, into numerous equestrian events as a novel means of PR). Named of course for the classic Shakespearean tragedy, Romeo y Julieta (known amongst aficionada as R-y-J,) became popular amongst the upper echelons of early 20th-century Society, and many requested personalised bands on their cigars. At one point, the company produced some 2,000 different personalised cigar bands for its wealthy clients. Amongst its devotees, Romeo y Julieta could certainly count Sir Winston Churchill, and the brand’s flagship today is a hefty vitola named in his honour. In fact, the Churchill size (a 7” x 47 ring gauge cigar) has become an industry standard, with various marques making their own versions of the eponymous smoke.