蒙特克里斯托

A Legend Born from the Title Page of a Novel

If Cohiba is the cigar of revolution, Montecristo is the cigar of literature. Its naming story is one of the most romantic legends in the cigar industry.

In July 1935, the Spanish-born businessman Alonso Menéndez acquired the Particulares factory in Havana. In that era, Cuban cigar factories had a distinctive tradition: the lector would read novels, newspapers, and political manifestos aloud while the torcedores worked. Many of these cigar rollers had limited literacy, and the lector was their only "radio station."

At the time, the favorite novel of the torcedores at the Particulares factory was The Count of Monte Cristo, published in 1844 by the French writer Alexandre Dumas, an epic of betrayal, revenge, and redemption. On the very day Menéndez acquired the factory, he decided: the new brand would be called Montecristo.

Six Swords and a Fleur-de-lis

Then came one of the most classic logo designs in the cigar industry.

The logo designed for Montecristo by the British distributor John Hunter Morris and Elkan Co. Ltd, six swords crossed into a triangle with a French royal fleur-de-lis at the center, was a tribute to the duel scenes in the novel. This design has remained almost unchanged for 90 years and is one of the most recognizable cigar-band designs.

There is also a second legend about the name: on a trip to Spain's Basque Country, the Menéndez family looked down over vineyards from the summit of Mount Altube and tasted a wine called Lácrima Christi. Menéndez shouted "Lácrima Christi!" and the valley echoed back "Montecristo!" The legend and the novel-based version each have their supporters, and this unresolved mystery has become part of the brand's aura.

1937: Taking Over the H. Upmann Factory

In 1936, Menéndez found the perfect partner: Pepe García, the former commercial director of Partagás and one of the most respected sales talents in the cigar industry at the time. The two formed Menéndez, García y Cía., with a clear division of responsibilities: Menéndez specialized in tobacco handling and cigar construction, while García led sales and marketing.

In 1937, they made a decision that would change the Cuban cigar industry: they acquired the H. Upmann factory at Calle Virtudes No. 609 in Havana and moved Montecristo production there. At the time, this factory had more than 1,100 torcedores, making it the largest factory in Havana. From then on, Montecristo and H. Upmann shared the same factory, a tradition that continues to this day.

British Gentlemen and the Key Role of Dunhill

Montecristo's rise to become one of the highest-volume Cuban cigars in the world today owes much to Alfred Dunhill. In the 1930s and 1940s, Dunhill actively introduced Montecristo into Britain's upper-class society, where the association between cigars and gentlemanly culture became deeply entrenched, from Churchill to the Duke of Windsor.

The importance of the British market even surpassed that of Cuba itself. Beginning in 1936, J. Frankau SA and John Hunter Morris and Elkan Co. Ltd each represented the British market. In 1963, they merged to form Hunters & Frankau, which remains the sole importer of Cuban cigars in the United Kingdom today.

Revolution: Fleeing with 7 Dollars

After the Cuban Revolution of 1959, the Castro government nationalized the cigar industry in full on September 15, 1960. Menéndez and García fled Cuba with 7 dollars. This figure, recorded in cigar history by Cigar Aficionado, is one of the most dramatic moments in the cigar industry.

The story did not end there. In 1961, Menéndez and his sons founded a new company in Spain's Canary Islands. Because of a trademark dispute with Cubatabaco, they were forced to rename the brand Montecruz. The logo was almost identical, except that the fleur-de-lis was replaced by a cross. Montecruz achieved major success in the U.S. market and at one point became the top-selling premium cigar in the United States.

But Menéndez was not satisfied. In 1972, he filed the Menéndez vs. Faber, Coe and Gregg Inc. lawsuit in the United States, asserting his rights to the Montecristo trademark. He won, gaining the right to sell Montecristo in the United States using non-Cuban tobacco. This ruling became a legal precedent for other exiled Cuban cigar makers seeking to reclaim trademarks.

In the mid-1970s, the Menéndez family moved production to the town of La Romana in the Dominican Republic. This is the origin of the Dominican version of Montecristo seen in the U.S. market today. From that point onward, there have been two Montecristos in the world: the original version operated by Cuba's Habanos S.A., and the U.S. version operated by the Dominican-based Altadis S.A.

Montecristo No.2: The King of Torpedoes

It is impossible to discuss Montecristo without mentioning Montecristo No.2. This 6⅛ × ring gauge 52 Pirámide cigar is one of the world's most iconic Torpedo cigars.

Its title as the "king of torpedoes" is not undeserved:

• Cigar Aficionado's 2013 Cigar of the Year, with a score of 96 points, the magazine's highest historical score for this cigar
• One of the original five stars in Cigar Aficionado's 1992 "Cuba's Star Cigars"
• Still retained among the top tier when re-evaluated 25 years later in 2017
• Blind-tasted by the magazine more than 20 times in total, with an average score consistently maintained above 90

What makes it distinctive is the influence of the Pirámide shape on flavor. The tapered head creates a smaller opening, and as the cigar burns, the smoke is concentrated through a narrow channel before expanding in the mouth, giving a more focused and more layered flavor experience than a typical straight-sided cigar.

In terms of flavor, Cigar Aficionado's 2013 blind-tasting notes read: "Leather, sweet spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, and the brand's signature tangy wood note on the finish. It has both flavor and strength, satisfying experienced cigar enthusiasts without overwhelming newcomers."

Five Original Sizes Plus the World That Came After

The five original sizes that Menéndez introduced when he founded the brand in 1935, No.1, No.2, No.3, No.4, and No.5, have been used almost unchanged for 90 years, an extremely rare case of longevity in the Cuban cigar industry.

After the revolution, in the 1970s and 1980s, the new factory director José Manuel González led the introduction of five new sizes: Montecristo A, 9¼ × 47, the longest cigar in regular Cuban production today; Especial No.1; Especial No.2; Joyita; and Petit Tubo.

Historically, three sizes, No.6, No.7, and B, have been discontinued, though B occasionally appears in small batches. At a Christie's auction, a box of 30 Montecristo B cigars once sold for 6,500 pounds, approximately 8,500 U.S. dollars, averaging 284 U.S. dollars per cigar, making it one of the rarest Cuban cigars.

Recent new lines:

• Edmundo (2004): 5⅜ × 52, named after the novel's protagonist Edmond Dantès, later extended with Petit Edmundo, Double Edmundo, and Edmundo Dantes Conde 109, a regional edition
• Montecristo Open (2009): positioned around outdoor sporting occasions, with four formats: Junior, Master, Regata, and Eagle
• Línea 1935 (2017): Maltés (Robusto), Dumas, and Leyenda. Dumas is Montecristo's first regular-production Robusto
• 80 Aniversario (released in 2016): an 80th-anniversary limited edition, with only 30,000 boxes produced

Che Guevara's Favorite

If the Cohiba Lancero is the emblem of Castro, Montecristo No.4 is Che Guevara's cigar. This Petit Corona, 5⅛ × 42, is one of the cigars most often seen with revolutionary elites in historical photographs. For a long time, it was the highest-selling Cuban cigar in the world, later surpassed by Partagás Serie D No.4.

Montecristo No.4 is also regarded as a standard entry point for newcomers to Cuban cigars: a 30-60 minute smoking time, medium strength, relatively accessible positioning, and balanced flavor make it a common starting point for entering the world of Cuban cigars.

What the Chinese-Speaking World Should Know About Montecristo

For cigar enthusiasts in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, several facts are important:

1. Cuban version vs. Dominican version: Legally, the two are entirely separate, and their blends are completely different. What is usually found in duty-free shops in Taiwan and official shops in Hong Kong is the Cuban version (Habanos S.A.). What is found inside the United States is entirely the Dominican version (Altadis). The Dominican version is usually milder and uses Ecuador Connecticut wrapper.

2. Montecristo White Series, the Dominican version, is regarded as one of the notable medium-strength Connecticut-style cigars in the market, but this is already "another Montecristo" and differs greatly in flavor from the Cuban version.

3. Aging potential of No.2: Cigar Aficionado has reported tasting No.2 cigars aged for 10-50 years, noting that they could still continue to improve. This is extremely rare among cigar brands associated with faster consumption. Where conditions allow, aging a full box of No.2 for five years before beginning appreciation is often considered a meaningful approach.

4. Brand share: Montecristo accounts for approximately 25% of Habanos S.A.'s global sales, making it the true leading Cuban brand.

Why Montecristo Is "the Connoisseur's Entry Point and the Newcomer's Ultimate Goal"

This may sound contradictory, but it holds true.

For newcomers: No.4's medium strength, balanced flavor, accessibility, and half-hour experience make it a standard starting point for Cuban cigars.

For connoisseurs: No.2 remains the benchmark for Pirámide cigars after 90 years; the Edmundo series represents modern Cuban cigar craftsmanship; A offers a 9¼-inch ritual-level experience; and aged No.2 is an ultimate goal for collectors.

This is why Montecristo has stood firm for 90 years. It is not merely that one particular size is especially strong; rather, every product line under the brand reaches an exceptional level in its own position.

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Montecristo Appreciation at W Cigar Bar

Montecristo is one of the Cuban cigar brands that W Cigar Bar Gentlemen's Cigar Lounge, located in Da'an District, Taipei, has long presented to enthusiasts. The Montecristo series appreciation experience curated personally by "Cigar Prince" Wilson Tsai, from regular entry-level lines to rare Edición Regional and Limitada releases, allows Taipei cigar lounge enthusiasts to understand the brand's full context in a cigar dining lounge-level appreciation space.

W Cigar Bar works through four official channels for Cuban cigars: PCC authorized dealer (Pacific Cigar Company), official Cuban state-run stores, Swiss sole distributor, and Spanish sole distributor. Diversified official sourcing and multiple authentication chains form a key provenance reference for Taiwan cigar enthusiasts distinguishing authenticity. W Cigar Bar also provides appreciation and collection of aged versions, making it one of the few Da'an District cigar lounges with both orthodox Habanos provenance and aging depth in a cigar dining lounge setting. For Montecristo enthusiasts:

• Newcomers: appreciation of Montecristo No.4 (Cuba's leading sales volume) at W Cigar Bar is a standard starting point for entering the world of Monte
• Advanced enthusiasts: W Cigar Bar's VIP cigar cellar service can hold Montecristo No.2 (the classic 1935 Pirámide) and 80 Aniversario
• Collectors: W Cigar Bar periodically introduces limited Edición Regional and Edición Limitada Montecristo series

W Cigar Bible (bible.wcigarbar.com) is W Cigar Bar's cigar-culture knowledge base, created with dedication by "Cigar Prince" Wilson Tsai, compiling the complete histories, craftsmanship, products, and cultural stories of 60+ Cuban and non-Cuban brands.

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© W Cigar Bar Gentlemen's Cigar Lounge | This article was written and curated by "Cigar Prince" Wilson Tsai | Located in Da'an District, Taipei

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