CigarsLover Magazine Awards Issue

CIGARS
AWARDS
Best Brand
Cuba
Romeo y Julieta is among the oldest brands in Cuba.
The first historical traces date back to 1873 or 1875
when the Asturians Alvarez Rodriguez and Josè
"Manin" Garcia Garcia officially registered the brand
by choosing a name that, openly evoked Shakespeare's tragedy,
conferred luxury and prestige. In the span of about
twenty-five years, the company of Rodriguez and Garcia
not only grew appreciably but managed to become a leader
among Cuban manufacturers of the time.
In 1903, after an insignificant intermediate corporate transition,
the brand and its factory were acquired by Josè Rodriguez
Fernandez, nicknamed "Don Pepin", and his company
Rodriguez, Arguelles y Cia, set up with three other partners.
Only two years later, a new and mammoth factory was inaugurated,
which could count on 1100 employees (750 of whom
were rollers) and even on motor vehicles for the delivery of orders.
Behind this enormous success was the wit and skills of
Don Pepin, who brought about many innovations in the cigar
sector, such as a new way of advertising, marketing research,
and attention to the worldwide distribution network. Romeo
y Julieta also owes its success to two factors: it was the
brand that produced the most Figurado and Perfecto (sizes
that were very "fashionable" between the 1940s and 1950s)
and the massive and careful use of bands, used even with ad
hoc customizations for the wealthiest customers. Currently,
the brand is counted among the six global brands of Habanos
S.A., and it is also the one that, together with Montecristo,
holds the highest number of cigars sold. The portfolio is
vast, and although offering similar cigars, it manages to satisfy
even the most challenging and demanding palates while
maintaining an important production constancy, considering
the global sales volumes. Furthermore, the launch of the "Linea
de Oro" gives new life to the brand with super premium
cigars, able to offer smokes in line with the brand but with an
even more refined flavor profile.
132 #5-2022 CigarsLover Magazine