The Legacy of the Fleur-de-Lis
History and artistry meld in the rhythmic chant of a lector some flicking pages, rising above the hot confinement. Until a few years ago, they also gathered there at El Arte with Nan Ferrer to practice their traditional Cuban music. In 1935, the Particulares Factory was where torcedores rolled cigars by hand and worked, listening to grand stories of adventure from Alexandre Dumas. The workers were so inspired by the tale of Edmond Dantès, hero of *The Count of Monte Cristo,* that they asked to have the brand named after him.
This wasn’t just the introduction of a new brand; it was the ushering in of a cultural phenomenon, a legend that would grow to establish the benchmark for what could be expected from an entire cigar industry.
The vibe of a Montecristo session is slow, on purpose. And with an unmistakable whiff of pre-revolutionary glamour and literary sophistication from its logo to the yellow packaging, this is a brand that inspires. A brand that doesn't follow the natural rotation of fashion, but that is secure it's contemporary style due to a TLD (timeless design), has become a sought-after name used by all those who wish to excel in both elegance and also content.
To cradle one in your hand is to hold a piece of Cuban history, honed across generations of political turmoil and agricultural innovation.
Heritage and History
The official history of the brand opened in 1935 when Alonso Menéndez bought the Particulares Factory. With the desire of developing a brand that would surpass the heavy hitters at the time, Menéndez (and later Pepe García) concentrated on strict quality control and higher quality leaf. H. Upmann As the brand continued to thrive, it came as no surprise that in 1937 the partners purchased one of the most iconic factories in Havana; The H.
Upmann Factory. This benchmark established the brand, as it started to overtake older and more pedigreed houses in both European and American markets.
It was a period of tumult on a grand scale in the middle of the 20th century. After the 1959 Cuban Revolution, it was nationalized in September of that year. Though the original Cuban founders had fled to launch businesses overseas (in Honduras, Nicaragua and Dominican Republic), the line of Montecristo on the mother island was maintained by Cubatabaco (later to become Habanos S. A.).
The original terroir held on -- even though the founding family was in exile. It expanded into a global giant in the 1970s and ’80s, in large part on the distribution of Alfred Dunhill as it came to control about one-quarter of Cuban cigar sales worldwide.
The Tobacco of Vuelta Abajo
A Trip To The Source: Pinar del Río, Cuba The brand heart resides on the ground of the province of Pinar del Río and especially in the Vuelta Abajo region. Of this limited MU (for a millennium or so of something so prolific), most consider it the greatest tobacco growing site on earth, with its one-and-onlyal)size microclimate and “alkaloid filled” vegas that cannot be found anywhere else. All of these came from "throwaway" spots on the leaf, but each inch whether it's on a Montecristo #2 (as is all three I might add...) is grown in such brutal soil that unless your producing some almost inhumanly perfumed bush otherwise most typical tasting smokes flavors remains shallow candy.
It is a traditional long-fill piece of construction with only the binder and filler out poured into a Corojo criollo coat. This wrapper, known for its oily feel and reddish brown colour is generally called "claro" or "colorado" based on the respective blend. These leaves are aged well to let nature mellow the natural tannins, and concentrate the essential oils. This process leads to a full bodied cigar with an efficient and easy draw with the same burn characteristics of master crafted premium hand rolled cigars.
Signature Lines and Vitolas
The collection is anchored by the “Original Series,” a numbered set mostly unchanged for years. The Montecristo No. 2 is the most iconic cigar in the world –a Pirámides (torpedo) measuring 52 x 156mm it is enjoyed by millions for its truncated head, which forces the smoke to evoke more intense flavours than you could possibly imagine from a simple fill of Habano tobacco. A close second in the popularity stakes is, fittingly, the No.
4 -the Petit Corona that has become the most smoked size within the US since launch at Dinkelin Metz — a magnificent little 30-minute slice of brand DNA if ever there was one!
In more recent years the brand has grown with modern palates and lifestyles in mind. The Edmundo range (named after the Count, or Vendetta himself) is notable for heavier ring gauges such as the Wide Edmundo and Double Edmundo and thus a cooler, more voluminous smoke. For a lighter smoke, Kapp created brands in the Open Series—the Open Eagle and Open Regata with a mellower blend for outdoor enjoyment.
At the top of the line is the Linea 1935, an ultra-premium line that embodies the brand’s strongest and most complex strength profile to date.
The Tasting Experience
A Montecristo: Notes A medium to full smoke with a profile tinged in complexity of sweet and savouries. The first few puffs after lighting up may introduce a trademark tang of cedar and roasted coffee. As the cigar develops, the flavor turns to a creamy middle, of cocoa notes and toasted nuts even with light vanilla tones. It is usually long and peppery in the finish, with a sweet sense of rich earthy fire sticking to the tongue.
Strength is not a problem and sufficiently balanced with elegance to no overshadow the blending nuance of the blend. Because of their flexibility, you can smoke these everywhere and with just about anything. A morning No. 5 is the perfect breakfast cigar for a robust Cuban espresso, and a more meaty No. 2 or an Edmundo should be matched with aged rum, peaty Islay malt or vintage Port. The smoke is so intricate that you need an environment where you can enjoy it changing in a slow way, in aroma and strength.
A Standard of Excellence
This brand is the convergence of romance and horticulture for both collector and novice. It is a name that could be found in James Bond novels and on world leader’s humidors, but it still can be sought after by anyone who understands the art of hand-rolled, premium cigar. To smoke one is to partake in a tradition that has outlasted revolutions and fads, faithfully holding on to the original vision of Alonso Menéndez.
Drilling down into this rich lineage is a trip to the heart of Havana’s tobacco tradition.
