Montecristo Espada

Montecristo is one of the most hallowed and recognized names in the world of premium cigars. The brand was created in Cuba in 1935, and the name for the brand was inspired by the Alexandre Dumas novel “The Count of Monte Cristo.” Legend has it this was a popular choice for the lectors in the factory to read to the torcedores on the factory floor. When the Cuban government nationalized the brand in 1960, the brand’s owners fled Cuba and eventually recreated the brand in the Dominican Republic for the American market. They skirted international trademark law by creating the brand for the US, as we still do not recognize Cuban trademarks here. This new Montecristo brand quickly established itself with US Consumers as a top tier cigar and continues to dominate the market today through a wealth of marks bearing the Montecristo name.

When Altadis’ Grupo de Maestros gets together to blend a new cigar, pay attention. When they work with the Plasencia family to create a new Montecristo, consider our interest piqued. The Montecristo Espada is that blend, and the project was spearheaded by Rafael Nodal. The Maestros and the Plasencias worked hand-in-hand over the course of two years to get this blend right. What they settled on was a puro featuring tobaccos grown on the Plasencia’s finest farms in Nicaragua from 2008, 2009, and 2010 crops. It features a beautiful, medium brown, Nicaraguan Jalapa Habano 2010 wrapper with an oily sheen. Tasting notes include flavors of earth, cedar, and caramel along with hints of citrus and hazelnut. It’s an outstanding addition to the Montecristo portfolio of premium cigars.