The American version of the decidedly British "Three Castles" cigarette became the Three Kings Cigarette in 1928. The Union Tobacco Company felt that smokers couldn't easily distinguish between "Three Castles" cork tip and the plain end packaging, and that it was advisable to change the brand name, colors, and graphics. A promotional flyer picturing the new packs, plus text that stated the tobacco blend hadn't been altered, alerted "Three Castles" smokers. The "Three Castles" Cigarettes were originally introduced to British smokers in 1878. The brand name comes from William Makepeace Thackeray's 1857 novel, The Virginians. The "Three Castles" Tobacco mentioned in the popular book was a make believe brand invented by the author.