Montecristo is one of the most widely recognised cigar names, and its numbered sizes became a shorthand for classic Cuban formats. The marque was founded in 1935.
A name from the reading tables
The founders, Alonso Menéndez and José (Pepe) García, are commonly said to have named the brand after Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, reputedly a favourite with the lectores who read aloud to rolling floors. It is a charming story that fits the factory culture of the time, although, like many brand legends, it is difficult to document precisely.
The numbered range
Rather than giving each size a name, the original line used numbers. Among them, the No. 2 — a tapered torpedo — and the No. 4 — a petit corona — became especially well known. Explore these formats in What Is a Torpedo Cigar? and Understanding Cigar Vitolas.
Later history
Montecristo was for a time produced alongside H. Upmann, and the two marques share part of their history; see H. Upmann: A Banker’s Cigar. After 1959 the name continued in Cuba, while a Montecristo brand was also established outside Cuba, so origin information on the box matters.
In the catalogue
See every Montecristo entry, including the Torpedo and Corona formats.
