The name is Bond, James Bond. As captivating as he is charming, the man with the golden franchise was inspired by his creator — Ian Fleming. An ex-Naval Intelligence Officer with a rich fondness for bespoke suits, hand-rolled cigars, and martinis, these experiences were the instigator behind the iconic spy.

Bond may operate in a different hemisphere to us, but that doesn’t stop every man’s craving to be James Bond and every woman’s desire to be with him. Bond’s life is seemingly every man’s dream — intrigue, adventure, and traveling the world in opulence while a beautiful female falls at his feet.

Throughout the years, the cigar industry has undoubtedly been shaken and stirred by the James Bond phenomenon. Let’s look at how the not-so-secret agent has lit up on our screens.

Twenty-seven films and seven 007’s later, the James Bond movie franchise is one of the highest-grossing in history, with a combined gross of almost $7 billion. Skyfall (2012), starring Daniel Craig, became the first James Bond film to join the billionaires’ club for ticket sales at the box office. However, it’s not only their receipts that make the eyes water.

The franchise has also accumulated a wealth of entries in the Guinness Book of Records and is especially renowned for its action sequences and risk-taking in the stunt department. These include the longest speedboat jump in a film (Live and Let Die, 1974) and the most cannon rolls in a car (Casino Royale, 2006).

In Bond’s most recent outing, No Time To Die (2021), a total of 136.4kg TNT equivalent was detonated on set. This sparked another record, this time for the most explosives set off in a single film take.

Pierce Brosnan’s fourth and final appearance as Bond comes in Die Another Day (2002), where he is betrayed during a mission in North Korea. While the film received mixed reviews, it does have some fantastic cigar scenes deserving of Hollywood status.

The standout is arguably the one that trailblazed “James Bond cigars.” Bond visits a Cuban cigar factory to speak with a sleeper agent stationed there. Arriving at the factory, 007 asks for “Delectados,” a code word for the sleeper agent, not a type of cigar. Shortly after the film was released, however, cigar companies jumped at the opportunity to appease Bond fans and began manufacturing Delectados as a unique new type of cigar.

Die-hard fans may also have noticed Delectado’s in No Time To Die as a nod to the franchise’s first thriller of the millennium. Like Bond, it’s elegant and sophisticated, with each stick coming in its own coffin and sporting regal gold artwork that takes its look from the actual cigar band in the film.

Another classic cigar scene in Die Another Day is when bikini-clad Jinx Johnson (played by Halle Berry) emerges from the ocean. At the same time, Bond flips between his binoculars, a mojito, and a Romeo y Julieta Churchill stogie. Amusingly, Bond says he’s an ornithologist and professes he’s there “for the birds.”

Many cigar companies jumped on the Delectado cigars bandwagon in the early 2000s, and the Tabacalera Diaz Cabrera factory in the Dominican Republic has given this famous smoke another reincarnation.

The man behind this factory is Eladio Diaz — the famed master blender who helped build Davidoff Cigars over the past three decades. As it is the first release from the factory and a tribute to numerous Bond films, it’s been met with considerable speculation and excitement from the industry.

Romeo y Julieta is the cigar brand most synonymous with Bond films and has received much product placement from its creators. A special edition cigar was even co-released with Die Another Day, supplied with its own 007 humidors. As aforementioned, Bond puffs on a fat Romeo y Julieta Churchill in the film while sipping on his rum-based, sun-soaked Mojito.

One of the most popular Cuban heritage brands, Romeo y Julieta cigars have an illustrious history and are loved by cigar aficionados across the globe. From JR with love, here are three of our favorites that come with a guaranteed license to thrill.

• Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
• Strength: Medium
• Wrapper: Indonesia
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic
• Sizes Available:
• Romeo y Julieta 1875 Bully (5 x 50)
• Romeo y Julieta 1875 Gran Toro (6 x 54)
• Romeo y Julieta 1875 Mini Red Aroma (2.88 x 20)
• Romeo y Julieta 1875 Mini White Original (2.88 x 20)

Commemorating the year the brand was founded, the Romeo Y Julieta 1875 is dressed in an oily brown, aromatic Indonesian Shade Grown TBN wrapper. Formed around a classic Dominican binder and a blend of Dominican filler tobaccos, it has an easy draw and nice, slow burn.

This pleasurable smoke burns mouthwatering notes of cedar, cocoa, leather, and pepper, with flurries of creaminess on the finish. For an anniversary cigar with this kind of pedigree, it delivers in every department.

• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Strength: Medium-Full
• Wrapper: Habana 2000
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Sizes Available:
• Romeo y Julieta Crafted by AJ Fernandez Gordo (6 x 60)
• Romeo y Julieta Crafted by AJ Fernandez Robusto (5 x 52)
• Romeo y Julieta Crafted by AJ Fernandez Toro (6 x 52)

When two industry titans collaborate, it’s only natural to expect fireworks and the Romeo Crafted By AJ Fernandez burns with a bang and then some. A chocolate brown Habana 2000 Maduro wrapper covers a Nicaraguan binder and filler loaded with flavor.

Full and flavorful draws start strong and refuse to let up, with prominent hits of cocoa, spice, and sweet cedar, alongside fruity accents. This luxurious smoke is fitting for any aspiring Bond — pair it with a glass of Kentucky’s finest whiskey while sitting on the deck watching the sky fall.

• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Strength: Medium
• Wrapper: Nicaragua
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Sizes Available:
• Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Churchill (7 x 50)
• Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Corona (5.50 x 44)
• Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Magnum (6 x 60)
• Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua No. 2 (6.12 x 52)
• Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Robusto (5 x 50)
• Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Toro (6 x 54)

Another Romeo y Julieta smoke worthy of a place in James Bond’s cigar collection is this captivating Nicaraguan puro. Manufactured at AJ Fernandez’s factory, there’s a lovely oily sheen to the Maduro wrapper with a caramel tinge and aromas of barnyard and cedar.

Perfectly positioned for the seasoned cigar enthusiast, it exhibits a bolder Nicaraguan flair than its Dominican counterpart. Once you’ve removed the cap and put fire to foot, you’ll be rewarded with a terrific procession of cedar, chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, and spice, with a woody finish.

To James Bond, the world will never be enough, but he has undoubtedly left a mark on popular culture. You can spy out all of these cigars, and many other premium smokes at jrcigars.com.