Romeo y Julieta was founded in Havana, Cuba, in 1875 by Inocencio Alvarez and Manuel García, named after Shakespeare's eponymous tragedy, reflecting the brand's romantic heritage. In 1903, the renowned as "Pepín" Pepín Rodríguez Fernández took over and, with exceptional marketing talent and dedication to high-quality cigars, propelled the brand to international peak, not only leading trends through up to over 2000 customized bands but also establishing its illustrious status in the cigar world due to lifelong admiration by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.