Affordable Alternatives to Montecristo Cigars
Montecristo is among the most famous Cuban cigar brands in the world, alongside Cohiba and Romeo y Julieta. Montecristo means “mountain of Christ,” and the brand is named for The Count of Monte Cristo, a novel by Alexandre Dumas and one of the most popular books read by the lectores to the rollers who worked in Cuban cigar factories in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Alonzo Menendez created Montecristo cigars when he bought the Particulars brand in 1935. He owned the brand up until 1960, when Fidel Castro nationalized the Cuban cigar industry, confiscating tobacco farms and factories across the island. Nonetheless, the Cuban Montecristo No. 2, a classic Torpedo, is one of the single most famous cigar vitolas in the world. Today, Montecristo cigars are made in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua as well as Cuba. Although non-Cuban Montecristos are less expensive than the Cuban blends, they still command a higher price than other premiums due to the historic brand name. That’s why we’ve put together some affordable alternatives.
Montecristo Cigar Alternatives
The top-selling non-Cuban Montecristo cigars include the original Dominican Montecristo blend, Montecristo White, and Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua, which is a stronger edition, crafted in Nicaragua, that earned a 97-point rating with ‘#2 Cigar of the Year’ honors in Cigar Aficionado in 2021. And they all stretch into the range of $20 or more per cigar, depending on the size. Below, we’ve got some spectacular alternatives to smoke that offer exceptional quality and comparable flavor to Montecristo’s finest.
1. Ashton Classic
The original Montecristo comes in a yellow box, and the cigars feature brown-and-white bands with the famous fleur-de-lis logo. This mild Dominican blend is a quintessential beginner’s cigar. Many aficionados who start with Montecristo stick with it simply because they haven’t tried enough alternatives. Ashton Classic should be at the top of the list. You can find this premium gem in over 75 countries. It’s blended and produced by legendary cigarmaker Carlito Fuente. A golden Connecticut Shade wrapper surrounds a mellow recipe of Dominican long-filler tobaccos handmade in several popular sizes. Notes of cashew, cedar, coffee bean, and almond create an exceptional profile that fans of Montecristo adore.
2. La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut
La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut is a mellow and smooth bestseller blended by renowned father-and-son cigarmakers Pepin and Jaime Garcia in Estelí, Nicaragua. A Connecticut-seed wrapper, harvested in Ecuador, embraces vintage Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos in several popular sizes. Luscious notes of almond, cedar, cashew, and coffee bean mingle with hints of buttercream throughout a rich and velvety smoke. Add this 92-rated jewel to your rotation from La Aroma de Cuba for a fraction of the price of a Montecristo.
3. San Cristobal Elegancia
San Cristobal Elegancia is the mildest blend in the San Cristobal portfolio, and its spicy backbone makes it an excellent alternative for fans of Montecristo White cigars. Tasting notes of white pepper, cashew, almond, and coffee bean develop throughout an approachable and complex profile produced by the award-winning Garcia family, makers of My Father cigars. An Ecuador Connecticut wrapper covers a sophisticated core of Nicaraguan long-fillers matured for optimal flavor and aroma in six popular sizes.
4. Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente Natural
Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente has been one of the bestselling cigars in the world for several decades for good reason. Carlito Fuente blends this mellow and affordable collection from premium Dominican long-fillers finished in a golden-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper in several traditional sizes. Tasting notes of cedar, nuts, and coffee bean weave a soft and silky tapestry over the palate with hints of spice before an easygoing finish unfolds.
5. Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne
Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne is the bedrock of the entire Perdomo portfolio. An Ecuador Connecticut wrapper covers a medium-bodied amalgam of Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos grown on Perdomo family estates. Tasting notes of coffee bean, oak, cedar, and graham crackers meld with hints of white pepper in a collection of thick ring gauge sizes. By operating his own farms and factory, brand founder Nick Perdomo keep his overhead low and offers the most bang for your buck. Taste the results when you pick up 10th Anniversary Champagne cigars today.
