First Viceroy cigarettes were manufactured and marketed in the United States of America in 1930's. They are the first cigarettes known to have cork-tipped filters.

From the very beginning Viceroy cigarettes were targeted to middle and low class being considerably cheaper than their rivals on the market. The quality however was good enough for the price paid. Television advertisments of 1960's and 1980's spread the following famous Viceroy slogan "Not too strong, not too light, Viceroy's got the taste that's right!"

The brand was originally owned by Brown & Williamson a sub-division of British American Tobacco at that time. Since 2004 the brand belongs to Reynolds American Inc, which is a joint venture between RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company and the US Branch of British American Tobacco.

Viceroy cigarettes are in high demand in coutries like: Romania, Chile, Argentina, Turkey and some Middle East countries. Viceroy Blue and Viceroy Red are sold as budget cigarettes in Canada.

The brand constantly updated its range of flavours and tobacco strength variations by introducting new sub-brands. In 1990 Lights Box Kings and Viceroy Box Kings were introduced on the American tobacco market. Viceroy Ultralights followed and a wide variety of other types with Viceroy Menthol being born in 2000. Like any other cigarette brands the names lights and ultralights were recently removed from all pack names due to the ban imposed in 2007, the cigarettes being currently named by the colors of the packs to be easier recognised by loyal smokers (e.g. Viceroy Blue, Viceroy Silver).