Montecristo

Montecristo is by far the best-selling Cuban brand in the world, and for many smokers it is the gateway into premium cigars. Founded in 1935 by Alonso Menéndez and his partner Pepe García, it has always stood for a perfect balance that appeals to novice and seasoned connoisseur alike. Today Montecristo accounts for a huge share of all Cuban production, and its logo is recognised even by people who have never read a word about cigars.

Origins

In 1935, Alonso Menéndez bought an old factory and, with his business partner Pepe García, founded a brand built on select tobacco from the Vuelta Abajo region. Within a few years it became a global hit, and the Montecristo name appeared in the finest clubs of London and New York. After the nationalisation of Cuban industry in 1960, production passed to the state company Cubatabaco, today's Habanos S.A.

History

The name was born on the factory floor: by tradition, one worker would read aloud to the others to make the work go faster, and the torcedores' favourite book was Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo. The famous logo of six crossed swords and a fleur-de-lis was designed by the British distributor Hunters & Frankau. Since then the brand has grown into dozens of lines and shapes, from small cigarillos to prestigious limited editions.

How & where it's made

Cuban Montecristo is made in Cuba from tobacco grown mostly in the Vuelta Abajo, and is renowned for its consistency — two cigars from two different boxes taste practically identical. The Montecristo No. 4, a small petit corona, is likely the best-selling cigar in the world, while the Montecristo No. 2, a pointed torpedo, is routinely cited as the benchmark for the entire shape.

Style

On the palate Montecristo offers its trademark blend of coffee, cocoa, wood and a gentle spice. This is not a cigar out to overwhelm you with strength — rather with a perfect balance and clarity that never disappoints, equally at home with a glass of rum or a morning coffee.

Did you know

As with Cohiba, there is also a Dominican Montecristo for the US market, made by Altadis. For connoisseurs these are two different brands sharing one name — the Cuban "real one" and the American "other one" — and telling them apart is something of a point of pride.