Montecristo Cigars: The Complete Guide to the World's Most Famous Cuban Brand
By Michel Besson, Fine Cigars Club
If Cohiba is Cuba's most prestigious cigar, Montecristo is its most famous. It is the best-selling Cuban brand in the world, the cigar that introduced countless smokers to Havana tobacco, and the maker of what many consider the single most iconic vitola ever made — the Montecristo No. 2. From a brand founded in 1935 to the benchmark against which other Cuban cigars are measured, Montecristo's story is, in many ways, the story of the modern Havana cigar. This guide covers the history, what defines the Montecristo taste, every major line explained, how to spot a fake, and which Montecristo to choose.
The History of Montecristo
Montecristo was founded in 1935 in Havana by Alonso Menéndez, who had acquired the Particulares factory — and it was here that the very first Montecristo cigars were rolled. In July 1936 Menéndez took on a partner, the former Partagás commercial manager José Manuel "Pepe" García, and the two formed Menéndez, García y Cía. They divided the business to their strengths: Menéndez oversaw the tobacco and the construction of the cigars, while García ran sales and promotion. It was a formidable partnership, and they needed it — they were taking on long-established houses like Partagás and Romeo y Julieta, brands with nearly a century's head start.
The name came from Alexandre Dumas's novel The Count of Monte Cristo — a story that, by long factory tradition, was read aloud by the lector to the torcedores as they rolled. Its themes of patience, precision and transformation suited the craft, and the name stuck.
From the start the cigars were built on the finest Vuelta Abajo tobacco, and Montecristo earned a reputation for quality with unusual speed — first in Cuba, then abroad. Early international recognition was helped along by the backing of the British luxury house Dunhill, and the brand's ascent, against those older rivals, was remarkably quick.
What happened next is one of the great quirks of Havana history: Montecristo has never had a factory of its own. The brand became so successful, so fast, that in 1937 Menéndez and García were able to buy the H. Upmann brand and its factory outright from the British firm J. Frankau & Co. — for a reported £100,000, a fortune at the time. Production of Montecristo was moved into the H. Upmann factory, and from that point on the two brands have shared a home. To this day there is no dedicated Montecristo factory anywhere in Cuba; the cigars that carry the six-sword crest have always been made under the Upmann roof, through the factory's various relocations — Calle Virtudes from 1937, the famous Calle Amistad works beside Partagás from 1944, and later the José Martí factory in Vedado. The house that took Montecristo in has a remarkable story of its own — a German banker, seven gold medals and President Kennedy's 1,200-cigar stockpile — which we tell in our complete guide to H. Upmann.
How Montecristo became a global name
Montecristo's rise abroad was driven above all by the British market — and by a rivalry. In the 1930s the London firm J. Frankau & Co. was the exclusive UK distributor of H. Upmann, which had a devoted following. Its competitor, John Hunter Morris & Elkan Co. Ltd., wanted an exclusive Havana of its own to set against Upmann — and in 1936 it took on Montecristo, becoming sole UK distributor for the next fifteen years. It was Hunter, in fact, that gave the brand its most enduring asset: the six-swords-and-fleur-de-lis emblem, now one of the most recognised marks in the cigar world, was designed not in Havana but by the British distributor. The two houses later merged, and today Hunters & Frankau remains the sole official distributor of Cuban cigars in the United Kingdom — a direct line from that 1936 deal to the box you buy here.
The relationship was not without its trials. When war came, the Blitz devastated London — and Britain suspended the import of Cuban cigars for some thirteen years, cutting Montecristo off from the very market that had made its name. That its UK standing survived the interruption is a measure of how firmly the brand had already established itself.
When Montecristo launched it offered just a compact numbered series, the No. 1 through No. 5 — sizes still in production today. The now-legendary No. 2, the torpedo-shaped pirámide that became the brand's signature and is today the best-selling cigar on the world market, was part of that classic line. The No. 4, a petit corona, went on to spend decades as the single best-selling Cuban cigar of all.
Two Montecristos: Cuban and Dominican
Following the Cuban Revolution and the nationalisation of the tobacco industry in 1960, Menéndez and García — like every private brand owner on the island — lost everything, and the family left Cuba. Montecristo became property of the Cuban state, and production continued under the monopoly that is today Habanos S.A., with Montecristo as its flagship export brand.
The exiled founders did not surrender the name easily. Alonso's son Benjamín Menéndez set up in the Canary Islands in 1961 and launched Montecruz — a barely-disguised stand-in, from the crossed swords to the near-identical name — which became a strong seller in the United States. The operation later moved to La Romana in the Dominican Republic, and a landmark 1972 US court case established the right of the exiled cigarmakers to market their old brand names outside Cuba. Montecruz was, in effect, reborn as a Dominican Montecristo for the American market.
That is why there are two Montecristos today. The one in this guide is the Cuban Montecristo — made in Havana, distributed worldwide by Habanos S.A., and sold everywhere except the United States. Separately, a Dominican Montecristo is made in the Dominican Republic by Altadis for the US market, where the embargo blocks the Cuban original. It is a genuinely different cigar: different country, different factory, different tobacco (Dominican and Nicaraguan rather than Cuban), and generally milder than the Havana. It has nothing to do with the Cuban production or the H. Upmann factory — the only shared thread is that, after decades of corporate mergers, both brands now sit under the same ultimate parent, Imperial Brands.
For a UK buyer the distinction is simple: the genuine Havana — the cigar this guide is about, and the only Montecristo we sell — is the Cuban one, supplied through official channels. It was also under Cuban state production, incidentally, that several of the sizes smokers know today were added: the Petit Tubo, the No. A, the Especial and others joined the range through the 1970s and 80s.
What Defines the Montecristo Taste
The classic Montecristo profile is one of the most recognisable in all of cigars: a medium-to-full-bodied smoke built around cocoa, coffee, roasted nuts and a distinctive tangy, slightly bittersweet edge that aficionados often call the "Montecristo twang." Where Cohiba is refined, grassy and elegant, Montecristo is deeper and more muscular — richer on the palate, with a chocolate-and-espresso core that has defined the house style for generations.
That character comes from the brand's tobacco, drawn from the Vuelta Abajo region of Pinar del Río — the finest cigar-growing land in Cuba — and from a blend that has always favoured body and flavour over subtlety. It is the profile that made Montecristo the cigar so many smokers cut their teeth on, and the one many return to for life. For a gentler, more aromatic Havana in the same everyday register, our Romeo y Julieta guide covers the other great Havana all-rounder — and for something bolder still, our Partagás guide covers the fullest-bodied of the great Havana houses.
The Montecristo Range: Every Major Line Explained
Montecristo today spans everything from the original numbered classics to modern, easy-drawing lines built for a new generation. Here are the lines we stock and recommend at Fine Cigars Club.
Montecristo No. 4
The most famous petit corona in the world, and for decades the single best-selling Cuban cigar. At 129mm × 42 ring gauge, the No. 4 is the definitive Montecristo — the cigar that introduced more smokers to Havana tobacco than any other. Medium-to-full, with the classic cocoa-coffee-and-twang profile in a format short enough for an hour's smoke. If you want to understand what "a Cuban cigar" tastes like at its most representative, this is where to start.
Montecristo Petit (Tubos)
The No. 4's profile in a convenient aluminium tube — the same beloved petit corona blend, sealed and protected for carrying in a jacket pocket or travelling. The tubo keeps the cigar in perfect condition until you're ready, making it one of the most practical ways to enjoy a genuine Havana on the move without a case or humidor to hand.
Shop Montecristo Petit Tubos →
Montecristo Double Edmundo
The Edmundo family is the modern Montecristo — thicker ring gauges built for contemporary tastes, named (fittingly) after Edmond Dantès, the hero of the Dumas novel. The Double Edmundo is the larger, more generous expression: 155mm × 50 ring gauge, a full hour-and-a-half of smoking. It delivers the house cocoa-and-coffee character with more volume and a cooler, rounder draw than the slim classics — an ideal choice for an unhurried evening cigar.
Shop Montecristo Double Edmundo →
Montecristo Línea 1935 Maltés
Launched in 2017, the Línea 1935 is Montecristo's premium modern line — named for the brand's founding year and positioned as its most sophisticated regular-production release. The Maltés is the Toro of the range at 150mm × 53 ring gauge, presented with a distinctive dark band. It's a more layered, refined take on the Montecristo profile: still recognisably cocoa and coffee, but with added complexity, spice and a longer finish. This is the line for the smoker who knows the classics and wants to see how far the house style can be taken.
Shop Montecristo Línea 1935 Maltés →
Montecristo Open Regata
The Open series was created to bring new smokers into the brand — lighter, smoother and more accessible than the numbered classics, with each format named for a leisure pursuit (Eagle for golf, Master for cards, Junior, and Regata for sailing). The Regata is a 130mm × 47 pirámide — a small torpedo with an easy, approachable draw and a mellower, more aromatic profile than the traditional line. An excellent daytime cigar and a natural gateway for anyone new to Cuban tobacco.
Shop Montecristo Open Regata →
How to Spot a Fake Montecristo
Montecristo is the best-selling Havana in the world, which also makes it one of the most counterfeited. A few principles protect you:
- Buy from a reputable source. The single most reliable safeguard is provenance. Genuine Cuban Montecristo reaches the UK through Hunters & Frankau, the sole official distributor; buying from an established retailer removes almost all risk.
- Check the bands and printing. Genuine Montecristo bands are crisply printed with clean, even embossing and precise colour. Blurred text, muddy colour or rough edges are red flags.
- Look for the seals. Cuban boxes carry the Habanos S.A. warranty seal and a factory/date code; the seal should be intact, correctly positioned and cleanly printed.
- Be wary of "too good to be true" pricing. Genuine Havanas have a floor price. Deep discounts, especially from unofficial online sellers or street vendors abroad, are the classic counterfeit signal.
- Construction. A genuine Montecristo is firm and even, with a smooth wrapper and a well-formed cap. Soft spots, uneven filling or a poorly finished head suggest a fake.
Which Montecristo Should You Choose?
- New to Cuban cigars? Start with the Open Regata for an easy, approachable introduction, or the No. 4 if you want the definitive classic profile straight away.
- Want the iconic Montecristo experience? The No. 4 — the world's most famous petit corona and the truest expression of the house style.
- After something for the pocket or for travel? The Petit Tubos — the classic blend, sealed and ready to go.
- Looking for a longer, fuller evening cigar? The Double Edmundo — modern ring gauge, cool draw, an hour and a half of the house cocoa-and-coffee character.
- A connoisseur who knows the classics? The Línea 1935 Maltés — the brand's most refined and complex regular release.
Whichever you choose, you're smoking a piece of cigar history — a brand born in 1935, made to this day in the H. Upmann factory, and still the most famous name Havana has ever produced.
Explore our full Montecristo range →
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are Montecristo cigars made? Cuban Montecristo cigars have been made in the H. Upmann factory in Havana since 1937. Montecristo has never had a factory of its own — its founders bought the H. Upmann factory outright in 1937, and the two brands have shared a home ever since, through the factory's various Havana locations. A separate Dominican Montecristo, made by Altadis, exists only for the US market.
What is the most famous Montecristo cigar? The Montecristo No. 2 — a torpedo-shaped pirámide — is the brand's signature and the best-selling cigar on the world market. The Montecristo No. 4, a petit corona, was for decades the single best-selling Cuban cigar of all.
What is the difference between Cuban and Dominican Montecristo? They are two separate cigars. The Cuban Montecristo is made in Havana by Habanos S.A. and sold worldwide except in the United States. The Dominican Montecristo is made in the Dominican Republic by Altadis for the US market, where the embargo bars Cuban cigars. They use different tobacco (the Dominican version blends Dominican and Nicaraguan leaf) and the Dominican is generally milder. In the UK you buy the genuine Cuban Havana.
What does a Montecristo taste like? The classic Cuban Montecristo profile is medium-to-full-bodied, built around cocoa, coffee and roasted nuts, with a distinctive tangy, slightly bittersweet edge aficionados call the "Montecristo twang." It is richer and more robust than the smoother, grassier Cohiba style.
Which Montecristo is best for a beginner? The Montecristo Open Regata is the most approachable — lighter, smoother and easy-drawing, created specifically to welcome new smokers. If you want the definitive classic straight away, the No. 4 is the natural starting point.
How can I tell if a Montecristo is genuine? Buy from a reputable retailer supplied through official UK channels (Hunters & Frankau is the sole official distributor of Cuban cigars in the UK). Check for crisp band printing, an intact Habanos S.A. warranty seal with a factory and date code, firm even construction, and be wary of prices that seem too low to be real.
Fine Cigars Club is a UK retailer of premium cigars. All Cuban cigars we sell are genuine Havanas supplied through official UK channels.
