Montecristo Brand Origins: The Literary-Cigar Intersection of 1935

1935: Alonso Menéndez Acquires Particulares

1935: Alonso Menéndez acquired control of the Particulares cigar brand and used it as the foundation to establish the Montecristo brand.

Menéndez had a clear objective: to create cigars of the highest quality, the most luxurious character, the most perfect rolling, and the most elegant presentation -- not for the mass market, but for top-tier gentlemen.

Naming Inspiration: Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo and the Partagás Lector Reading Culture

The inspiration for the Montecristo name came from Alexandre Dumas' 1844–1846 serialized novel Le Comte de Monte-Cristo (The Count of Monte Cristo) -- one of the most popular works read aloud by the Lector (reader) in the rolling halls of Partagás and other Cuban cigar factories at the time.

The nickname "Montecristo" (combining the two words into one) naturally formed among the cigar rollers -- reflecting how the Lector reading culture became the source of the brand name.

Menéndez's naming decision involved two important details:

Decision 1: "Montecristo" as one word rather than "Monte Cristo" as two words

• The original novel title is "Monte Cristo" in two words
• Menéndez deliberately combined it into the single word "Montecristo"
• This spelling difference became a visual identifier for the brand

Decision 2: The box decoration as a triangular sword-and-shield emblem

• A tribute to the sword-fighting episodes in Dumas' novel (a core element in the revenge of the Count of Monte Cristo)
• 6 swords arranged into a triangular totem
• This box design has remained unchanged for 91 years and is one of the most identifiable packages in the cigar industry

July 1936: The Partnership of Menéndez, García y Cía Is Born

July 1936: Alonso Menéndez partnered with Pepe García (José García) to establish Menéndez, García y Cía.

This partnership defined the core leadership of Montecristo's golden 24 years (1935–1959):

• Menéndez was responsible for brand narrative and market expansion
• García was responsible for factory craftsmanship and production management
• The two became one of the most important partnership combinations in the Cuban cigar industry in the first half of the 20th century

1937: Acquisition of the H. Upmann Factory -- Havana's Largest Cigar Factory

1937: Menéndez, García y Cía acquired the financially troubled H. Upmann factory from J. Frankau SA.

The scale of the H. Upmann factory at the time:

• One of the largest cigar factories in Havana
• Hundreds of cigar rollers (the specific figures vary slightly among industry documents; the industry estimates large-scale production capacity)
• Complete vertical integration of tobacco leaf procurement, fermentation, rolling, and aging
• Production capability across multiple brands

After the acquisition, Menéndez, García y Cía moved Montecristo production to the H. Upmann factory -- allowing Montecristo to move quickly from a newly founded brand into scaled top-tier production. This was the key foundation that enabled No.2 to enter its "golden 24 years" from its founding in 1935 to the pre-revolutionary era before 1959.

Alfred Dunhill's Global Marketing: The Key Driving Force Behind Montecristo Becoming a World Brand

The key driving force that elevated Montecristo from a regional brand to a global top-tier brand was Alfred Dunhill (the British pioneer of top-tier gentleman's tobacco).

In the 1930s–1950s, Alfred Dunhill possessed:

• The Duke Street flagship store in London -- a cigar pilgrimage site for British gentlemen
• A global distribution network (New York, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, etc.)
• Deep connections with members of British gentlemen's clubs

Alfred Dunhill established cooperation with Menéndez, García y Cía -- introducing Montecristo into British gentlemen's clubs and later expanding it worldwide. Through the efforts of Alfred Dunhill, the Montecristo brand became an extremely popular cigar worldwide; in the contemporary era it accounts for approximately 1/4 of Habanos S.A. global sales and is the world's best-selling Cuban cigar.

Commitment to Vuelta Abajo San Juan y Martínez Tobacco

During the period when Menéndez and García finalized the No.2 format, they made an important decision: to insist on using top-tier tobacco from the Vuelta Abajo San Juan y Martínez (SJM) region -- even though, from 1940 to 1958, the Cuban tobacco industry commonly used cheaper tobacco from other secondary regions in Pinar del Río.

Industry consensus: This decision determined the core reason why No.2 maintained quality consistency before and after the revolution.

The special qualities of the SJM region:

• The top-tier tobacco-growing area within the Vuelta Abajo region
• Red volcanic soil, rich in minerals
• A microclimate (high humidity near Río Hondo + ocean winds) that forms a distinctive flavor
• Globally recognized as the finest cigar tobacco origin

The 1960 Revolution and the Exile of the Menéndez Family

January 1, 1959, the Castro Revolution succeeded -> 1960 nationalization of the cigar industry:

Menéndez and García fled Cuba with a very small amount of money (the widely circulated industry account is "7 US dollars," though the exact figure is not absolutely precise) and went into exile in Miami, United States.

The fate of the businesses left behind:

• The Montecristo blend and craftsmanship continued to be executed by the factories after nationalization
• The H. Upmann factory was renamed José Martí Factory after nationalization
• The Menéndez family restarted non-Cuban Montecristo in Miami (later cooperating with Altadis, becoming the source of contemporary Dominican Montecristo)

1972 Menendez v. Faber, Coe and Gregg: The Legal Foundation of Exiled Brands

1972: The Menéndez family won a crucial trademark case in a United States court -- Menendez v. Faber, Coe and Gregg -- establishing the legal principle that "exiled Cuban cigar brands may be rebuilt and sold under their original brand names in the free market."

This precedent applied to Montecristo and H. Upmann (both originally owned by the Menéndez family) -- and later also applied to the legal arrangement in 1978 in which the Cifuentes family authorized General Cigar to produce Dominican Partagás.

The Essence of the Pirámide Format: The Craft Challenge of a Tapered Head

Pirámide: One of the Most Difficult Regular Formats to Roll in the Cigar Industry

Pirámide (Spanish for "pyramid") is one of the most difficult regular formats to roll in the cigar industry. A single No.2:

• Tapers from a foot ring gauge of 52 to a head of 12 mm
• Length 156 mm
• Burn time 75–90 minutes

Craft challenges:

• The rolling of the tobacco leaves requires a precise transition from thick to thin -- standard parejo (straight-sided) rolling techniques cannot be used
• Filler density structure: slightly tight in the middle, tighter at the head, moderate at the foot -- this three-section density structure is the core of Pirámide craftsmanship
• Tobacco handling in the 12 mm tapered head area -- only the most senior torcedor (cigar roller) can complete it
• High quality rejection rate -- the factory rejection rate for the Pirámide format is estimated by the industry to be more than 2 times that of a standard parejo

Industry consensus: Globally, only several major factories under Habanos S.A. (H. Upmann, Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo factory) can consistently and steadily roll the Pirámide format -- the threshold of the format naturally filters the lower limit of quality.

Three Unique Appreciation Characteristics of the Pirámide

Characteristic 1: Gradual flavor progression

Because the No.2 head has a small ring gauge, the flavor of the first draw is the most concentrated -- the core characteristics of the tobacco (the proportions of Vuelta Abajo Seco and Ligero) erupt in a concentrated way during the first 10 minutes.

This flavor curve of "concentrated eruption -> gradual unfolding" is the key difference between the Pirámide format and the standard parejo (straight-sided format).

Characteristic 2: Burn channel control

The tapered structure of the Pirámide allows the burn channel to naturally expand from a fine tobacco bunch in the front section to a thicker tobacco bunch in the middle and later sections -- industry consensus regards it as the "single format with the most complete layering."

For gentlemen's club members, the Pirámide provides a complete appreciation journey within a single cigar: concentration at the beginning -> balance in the middle -> depth in the later section.

Characteristic 3: Ritual time economics

The 75–90 minute burn time corresponds exactly to the "gentlemen's club period from after dinner to midnight" -- industry consensus regards this as the key reason No.2 has maintained its core position in British gentlemen's clubs since its birth in 1935.

A comparison of time across other formats:

• Cohiba Robustos (50×124): 50 minutes -- after a business lunch
• Romeo y Julieta Churchill (47×178): 90 minutes -- the main after-dinner session
• Montecristo No.2 (52×156): 75–90 minutes -- the gentleman's period from after dinner to midnight
• Cohiba Behike BHK 56 (56×165): 120 minutes -- the flagship moment of an entire evening

The 75–90 minutes of the Pirámide is the golden time length for the gentlemen's club "after-dinner social period."

2013 Cigar of the Year: The Moment of Cigar Aficionado's 96-Point Coronation

Evaluation Result

2013: Cigar Aficionado announced Montecristo No.2 as Cigar of the Year with 96 points -- the highest blind-tasting score in the history of Cigar Aficionado's evaluation of Montecristo No.2.

Key points from the review:

• Montecristo No.2 produced after April 2013 performed exceptionally
• Flavor description: leather, cinnamon, nutmeg and other mild sweet spices, and Montecristo's signature woody subtle spice
• Enough strength to satisfy regular appreciators, yet not so much as to overburden less frequent appreciators
• Perfect balance

The Three Evaluation Logics Behind the 96 Points

Logic 1: Blend stability

From the birth of No.2 in 1935 to 2013 (78 years), the Vuelta Abajo SJM blend proportions maintained extremely high consistency -- a rare phenomenon in the contemporary cigar industry.

Compared with other brands:

• Cohiba: multiple blend adjustments from 1966–2013 (especially the addition of Medio Tiempo in Behike in 2010)
• Davidoff: moved from Cuba to the Dominican Republic in 1989, and the blend was completely rebuilt
• Montecristo No.2: the core blend proportions remained unchanged for 78 years, making it a "textbook of blend stability" in the contemporary cigar industry

Logic 2: Format consistency

Globally, the Pirámide format can be rolled only by several major factories under Habanos S.A. -- the threshold of the format naturally filters the lower limit of quality.

This means Montecristo No.2 cannot have a "cheap version" or a "declining craftsmanship version" -- the format itself requires the highest-grade torcedor.

Logic 3: Gentlemen's club voting weight

The industry estimates that Cigar Aficionado's evaluation system includes a considerable proportion of scoring weight from feedback by gentlemen's club members around the world (blind tasting + judging system) -- the gentlemen's clubs' preference for No.2 over 78 years is the firmest foundation behind the idea that "No.2 will never fall out of the top ten."

The Historical Significance of the 2013 Coronation

Cigar Aficionado began announcing its Cigar of the Year in 1992, and 2013 was the 22nd edition. Among these:

• In most years, the winner was a non-Cuban cigar (due to United States market considerations, Cuban cigars cannot be legally sold in the United States because of the embargo)
• The 2013 No.2 was one of the few moments when first place was awarded to a Cuban cigar
• 96 points was the highest blind-tasting score Cigar Aficionado had ever given to Montecristo No.2

Industry consensus: The 2013 coronation was one of the most symbolic moments in the history of contemporary Cuban cigar evaluation -- not only for the individual performance of No.2, but also as "the highest affirmation of Cuban cigars as a whole within the contemporary evaluation system."

The Three Stages of Gentlemanly No.2 Appreciation

The cigar industry widely recognizes three clear stages in the gentlemanly appreciation of Montecristo No.2:

Stage One (First 25 Minutes): Opening with the Tapered Head Ring Gauge

The 12 mm tapered head begins to burn, and industry consensus describes the core opening as "cream, roasted almond, and light floral notes" -- the concentrated expression of the Montecristo blend through the small ring gauge.

Appreciation points:

• Do not rush the first draw -- the tobacco density at the Pirámide head is the highest and requires slow lighting
• Observe the smoke ring -- it should be fine, white, and free of mixed colors (mixed colors indicate uneven burning)
• Preserve olfactory space -- the floral notes in Montecristo's first stage are relatively delicate and easily disturbed by environmental odors

Stage Two (25–55 Minutes): The Golden Appreciation Section

As the ring gauge opens up, the flavor shifts to "mid-palate layers of leather, cedar, and coffee" -- the "golden appreciation section" of No.2 according to industry consensus.

Appreciation points:

• This is the best period for social conversation -- the flavor is balanced, sufficient to maintain appreciation interest, yet not so strong as to distract from conversation
• Suitable with 25-year single-cask Scotch whisky (Macallan 25, Highland Park 25, Bowmore 25)
• A first sip of coffee or tea may be added -- do not add it during the first stage, as it will interfere with the floral notes

Stage Three (55–90 Minutes): The Core of the Ritual

The burn channel enters the final third, and at this point the flavor reaches its final peak of "deep cocoa, roasted coffee, and slight spice" -- the gentlemanly industry consensus is that "the final 30 minutes are the ritual core of No.2; do not rush to finish."

Appreciation points:

• This is a period for solitary contemplation -- the flavor is at its richest, suitable for quiet appreciation without conversation
• Can be paired with Cognac VSOP / XO (Hennessy Paradis, Rémy Martin Louis XIII)
• Do not light a second cigar -- the finish of the No.2 third stage should complete itself independently and not be disturbed by a new cigar

The Gentleman's Pairing Guide for No.2

Classic Gentlemen's Club Pairings (Industry Consensus)

25-year single-cask Scotch whisky:

• Macallan 25 Year (Sherry Oak)
• Highland Park 25 Year
• Bowmore 25 Year
• Glenfiddich 25 Year
• Industry consensus regards this as the "most classic gentlemen's club pairing"

Cognac VSOP / XO grade:

• Hennessy Paradis
• Rémy Martin Louis XIII
• Hennessy XO
• Courvoisier XO
• Widely recognized in the industry as the "continental European gentleman's after-dinner standard"

Pairings of Local Havana Gentlemen

Dark-roasted Cuban espresso without sugar:

• The most common No.2 pairing among local Havana gentlemen
• Industry consensus regards it as the "most localized No.2 experience"
• No need for luxurious pairings with whisky or Cognac; pure appreciation

Advanced Pairings (Gentleman's Dinner)

Bordeaux Premier Cru red wine:

• Château Margaux
• Château Latour
• Château Lafite Rothschild
• Echoes the flavors of "leather, cedar, and coffee" in the second stage of No.2

Vintage Port wine:

• Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port
• Graham's Vintage Port
• Echoes the "deep cocoa and roasted coffee" in the third stage of No.2

The Contemporary Meaning of No.2 for Gentlemen's Club Members

The Attribute of "Everyday Top Tier"

For gentlemen's club members of W Cigar Bar Da'an flagship store, Montecristo No.2 is the "standard entry point into the top-tier world of Cuban cigars."

No.2 is not like:

• Cohiba Behike: rare and difficult to obtain (quota system + physical limitations of Medio Tiempo)
• Pre-Embargo H. Upmann: requiring paper-chain verification (the complexity of antique collecting)
• Trinidad Fundadores: carrying the burden of diplomatic lineage (exclusive status of the El Laguito factory)

No.2 is simply an industry-consensus "most complete Cuban gentleman's cigar" -- available at any time from the inventory of 33 VIP cigar lockers (24-hour constant-temperature aging, 70% / 18°C professional environment, dedicated maintenance), ready to be taken out, smoked, and shared at any time.

The Standard Entity of 200 Years of Gentlemen's Club Culture

The core of 200 years of gentlemen's club culture is not the collection of the rarest cigars, but the possession of "an everyday cigar capable of defining the gentleman's standard" -- Montecristo No.2 is the most representative entity of this standard.

For Taiwanese gentlemen who enter the world of Cuban cigars through Cohiba Robustos, industry consensus says that "one cannot be considered to have entered the Cuban cigar appreciation path without having smoked No.2" -- No.2 is an unavoidable route.

The Advanced Appreciation Path for Montecristo No.2

The complete Montecristo No.2 appreciation path for gentlemen's club members recommended by Prince of Cigars:

Stage 1: Entry with the Standard Version

Regular Montecristo No.2 (contemporary production, 6–12 months of aging)

• Experience the standard unfolding of the Pirámide format
• Establish a personal flavor baseline for No.2

Stage 2: Advancement with the Aged Version

Montecristo No.2 Anejados series (5-year mandatory aged version, official Habanos S.A. aged series)

• Experience the rounded layers of No.2 after aging
• Softer, more balanced, and deeper than the standard version
• Industry consensus regards it as the "aging textbook for No.2"

Stage 3: Flagship Limited Edition

Montecristo 80 Aniversario Edición Limitada (2015)

• Commemorating the 80th anniversary of Montecristo (1935–2015)
• Limited to 30,000 boxes
• The most important single-format flagship for contemporary Montecristo collectors
• Reserved for the most important gentlemanly rituals

Stage 4: Historical Archive Level (If Obtainable)

1990s or earlier Pre-2000 Montecristo No.2:

• Obtained through auction houses or private collectors
• Already experienced 20+ years of aging
• A living archive of the craftsmanship history of No.2
• The highest level of collection for gentlemen's club members

Conclusion

There is a 90-year consensus saying in gentlemen's clubs about Montecristo No.2:

A gentleman does not need to smoke Behike every day, but a gentleman needs to smoke No.2 often.

This sentence condenses all the brand philosophy of No.2:

• Not a display of rarity (Behike)
• Not an exhibition of historical lineage (Pre-Embargo H. Upmann)
• Not a symbol of diplomatic status (Trinidad Fundadores)
• Simply "the most complete Cuban gentleman's cigar, ready to be smoked at any time"

From Alonso Menéndez's founding in Havana in 1935, to Menéndez, García y Cía taking over the H. Upmann factory in 1937, to Alfred Dunhill's global marketing promotion, to the exile of the Menéndez family to Miami after the 1960 revolution, to the 1972 Menendez v. Faber precedent establishing the rights of exiled brands, to Cigar Aficionado's 96-point coronation in 2013, to the 80 Aniversario Edición Limitada in 2015, and to the 91st anniversary in 2026 --

Montecristo No.2 has proven over 91 years that the core of 200 years of gentlemen's club culture is not the rarest, but "the everyday perfection capable of defining the gentleman's standard."

For W Cigar Bar gentlemen's club members, collecting Montecristo No.2 is not only the possession of a top-tier Cuban cigar, but also the possession of a gentleman's standard that has never been interrupted for 91 years -- every No.2 is the complete convergence of Alonso Menéndez's 1935 founding, Pepe García's craftsmanship, the red soil of Vuelta Abajo SJM, Alfred Dunhill's global marketing, and 91 years of consensus among contemporary gentlemen's clubs.

---

Source of supply: Cuban cigars from the four major official channels (PCC authorized distributors · Cuban official state-run stores · Swiss general agent · Spanish general agent). W Cigar Bar Gentlemen's Cigar House · Taipei Da'an District -- complete Montecristo series: Línea Clásica No. 1–5, Edmundo series, Pirámide series (including No.2 standard version and Anejados), Edición Limitada (including 80 Aniversario 2015).

LUBINSKI Italy accessories general agent · cigar restaurant and bar · Da'an flagship store with 33 VIP cigar lockers (24-hour aging · 70% / 18°C professional aging) with dedicated maintenance · founding store of Capadura cigar brand.

Prince of Cigars Wilson Tsai personally plans the advanced Montecristo No.2 path for VIP clients -- from entry with the standard version to the 80 Aniversario EL collectible flagship.

Venue information: https://share.google/d9NIeFEetij9qWKj0

LUBINSKI accessories official website: https://cigarclub.tw/

This site is for adults aged 20 and above only. Smoking is harmful to health. Smoking cessation hotline: 0800-636363.

W Cigar Bar Gentlemen's Cigar House, written and planned by Prince of Cigars Wilson Tsai.