Smoke Inn Blog
Montecristo Cigars Tour
In last week’s blog, we revealed the history of the Montecristo cigar brand, from it’s beginning out of the Particulares Cigar brand in Cuba to the way it survived the Castro regime by way of Spain’s Canary Islands and finally to The Dominican Republic, where the American export version is still made today. In part 2, we take a tour of the Montecristo Cigars on offer today and learn a little something about each of them. All it takes is sampling a few of the premium cigars on this list to be convinced of Montecristo’s greatness, if you aren’t already. There’s a reason the Montecristo name is synonymous with premium cigars.
Montecristo White Label
The Montecristo White Series, also known as the Montecristo White Label, is a classic. Even if you haven’t smoked many Montecristo cigars, there’s a good chance you’ve enjoyed a Montecristo White Label. This is one of the richer selections in the Montecristo portfolio. It begins with a carefully aged Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper, a hallmark of the Montecristo brand. Inside we find a Nicaraguan binder embracing a thoughtful blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan long fillers
The Montecristo White Label lights up with a rich and creamy smoke, flooding the palate with notes of wood, nuts, and a subtle sweetness that lingers long after the smoke has settled. The construction is flawless, resulting in a smooth and even burn, leading to a sturdy ash that holds on for an impressive amount of time. It’s no mystery why the Montecristo White Label has long been a favorite and frequent inhabitant of even the choosiest aficionados humidors.
You can buy the Montecristo White Label here.
Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua
2020 marked the 85th anniversary of the illustrious Montecristo brand, originally founded in Cuba by Alonso Menéndez. Naturally, there was no way they were going to let this milestone pass without a commemorative Montecristo cigar to mark the occasion. What emerged was 4 lovely soft box-pressed vitolas courtesy of none other than Abdel Fernández, of AJ Fernández. The Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua is lovingly handcrafted at the AJ Fernández San Lotano factory in Ocotál, Nicaragua, north of Esteli.
As a smaller operation, AJ Fernández’ San Lotano facility offers more of a boutique environment that allows for meticulous attention to detail. The Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua, using a puro recipe of tobaccos grown exclusively on Fernández’ Nicaraguan farms is a flawless example. The cigars are then soft pressed using the traditional method, to avert stress on the tobacco leaf and allow for a careful marriage of flavors. Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua is a celebratory smoke worthy of its namesake, displaying a medium intensity and fine-tuned complexities for the seasoned palate. Anticipate toasted oak, cinnamon, sweet malt, coffee bean, and nougat through the finish.
You can buy the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua here.
Montecristo Classic
You didn’t really think we were going to assemble a list of the best Montecristo cigars and leave out the Montecristo Classic, did you? The Montecristo Classic Series is a favorite among aficionados who treasure a mild, but flavorful stick. Carefully crafted in the Dominican Republic’s legendary Tabacalera de García factory, the Montecristo Classic cigar features a silky-smooth Connecticut Shade wrapper of the finest quality to achieve the perfect balance of flavor and aroma.
The result is a rich, creamy smoke with notes of cedar, delicate spice, and a hint of sweetness. You’ll find all the classic hallmarks of a well-constructed cigar here. A clean draw and an even burn that produces a refined smoking texture. The flavor profile of these cigars is extraordinarily well-balanced. Mild enough to appeal to the novice and casual smoker, yet with the complexity required to please experienced cigar enthusiasts. Whether you are celebrating a special occasion or enjoying a quiet meditational smoke, the Montecristo Classic is a treat to be savored.
You can buy the Montecristo Classic right here.
Montecristo Epic
The highly acclaimed Montecristo Epic line is well-known for its Hollywood looks, flawless construction, and rich and robust, but always smooth flavors. A product of brainstorming from Altadis’ legendary band of master blenders, Grupo de Maestros, the Montecristo Epic is the Montecristo Epic is a cigar truly deserving of its name. From the moment you open the specially crafted 10-count box and lay eyes on the gorgeous chocolatey sticks within, you know you’re in for an experience. The packaging alone lets you know Altidis wasn’t playing around when it made the Montecristo Epic.
But you didn’t buy it for the box, so let’s dig in. The Epic is expertly crafted with some of the best construction you’ll ever have seen. The blend consists of a select Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and a special selection of vintage tobaccos, dating back to 2007, from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic used in the filler. When you sit down to enjoy the Montecristo Epic, expect to be greeted with rare complexity. This is a robust, but never overpowering cigar with a full body and flavors of chocolate, coffee, nuts, spices, and sweet caramel that rewards from start to finish. We think it’s an especially good after dinner smoke, but you can enjoy it anytime you’re in the mood for a cigar with some weight.
You can buy the Montecristo Epic right here.
Smoke Inn is Your Cigar Shop
That was just a brief primer on Montecristo Cigars to whet your appetite, we could probably write a book on ‘em, but it should get you started or perhaps inspire some exploration. If you’re new to this storied brand, or even premium cigars in general, we think the Montecristo Classic or Montecristo White Label is a great place to start. If high grade luxury cigars are old hat for you and you appreciate a bit more robust stick, we suggest the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua or Montecristo Epic. The truth though, is it would be hard to make a mistake with a Montecristo whichever way you go. As always, if you’re local or happen to be visiting South Florida, be sure to reward yourself with a visit to one of the country’s best cigar shops in person. We’d love to see you.
Our South Florida Locations:
- Smoke Inn Palm Beach Gardens
- Smoke Inn West Palm Beach
- Smoke Inn Delray Beach
- Smoke Inn Boynton Beach
- Smoke Inn Pompano Beach
- Smoke Inn Tequesta
- Smoke Inn Port St. Lucie
- Smoke Inn Vero Beach
