10 Best Montecristo Cigars
Montecristo is seldom left out of the discussion of the best cigars in the world, and the Cuban Montecristo No. 2 is the one that gets the most attention. But Dominican and Nicaraguan Montecristo cigars hold their own, and you’ll find the iconic No. 2 Torpedo size in a number of these blends, which are produced by Altadis U.S.A. And, unlike Cubans, they’re readily available for purchase in cigar shops across the States.
Like Romeo y Julieta, the history of Montecristo cigars is rooted in a work of literature, The Count of Monte Cristo, an adventure novel completed in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It was a novel regularly requested by cigar rollers in the days when cigar factory lectors read aloud to the workers in the rolling galleries. Considering Montecristo recently commemorated its 85th anniversary with the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua blend, ranked as Cigar Aficionado’s ‘No. 2 Cigar of the Year’ for 2021, let’s explore one of the most famous brands in existence with our list of the best Montecristo cigars you can smoke right now.
1. Montecristo
The original Montecristo is among the best Dominican cigars made today. Its golden-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper conceals a mellow and tasteful blend of Dominican long-fillers in a collection of traditional sizes, the most popular of which is the world-famous No. 2. A buttery and grassy profile of nuts and cedar appeals to new cigar lovers everywhere. If you’re a connoisseur of Connecticut cigars, Montecristo belongs in your rotation.
2. Montecristo White
Nutty and mild notes of blonde roast coffee with cream and fresh bread characterize the medium-bodied Montecristo White in five classic sizes. A caramel-brown Connecticut-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador encapsulates a silky blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan long-fillers in a well-made edition. Creamy and earthy tasting notes resonate with a slightly chalky texture and hints of roasted nuts.
3. Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua
This woody and peppery smoke earned a 95-point rating and ‘#2 Cigar of the Year’ honors from Cigar Aficionado for 2021. It’s handmade in Nicaragua and blended by AJ Fernandez entirely from Nicaraguan tobaccos, including its oily, deep-brown wrapper leaf. Zesty notes of leather, red pepper, and milk chocolate cover the palate with a malty texture before a pronounced finish pulses in the nostrils and over the taste buds. Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua adds new dimension to the brand’s historic portfolio.
4. Montecristo AJ Fernandez
It’s not surprising how many brands want to work with one of Nicaragua’s hottest cigar-makers, AJ Fernandez, when you add up the sheer number of Cuban-legacy cigars he’s created. Montecristo AJ Fernandez is a recent blend that bears his name and is intended to appeal to fans of full-bodied cigars. Hints of clove and fresh coffee mingle with cocoa and hickory in a complex profile handmade from Nicaraguan and Dominican long-fillers finished in an Ecuador Habano wrapper leaf.
5. Montecristo Classic
A traditional Connecticut Shade wrapper marries a conventional and creamy blend of Dominican binder and filler tobaccos in series of popular sizes handmade in the Dominican Republic. Montecristo Classic is just a touch stronger than the original Montecristo, but it maintains a toasty and woody taste with smoked almond, cedar, and baking spices in the background.
6. Montecristo Epic
Montecristo Epic is easy to spot in the flat, bright-yellow boxes of ten cigars this blend is packaged in. A Cuban-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador covers a complex core of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos in a cigar that debuted in 2012. Notes of earth and wheat bread reveal hints of caramel with a leathery texture in handful of traditional shapes.
7. Montecristo Platinum
Montecristo Platinum premiered more than a decade and half ago, but it’s garnered ratings as high as 94 points from Cigar Aficionado in recent years. It’s drawn from a complex blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian tobaccos finished in an oily wrapper leaf from San Andres. Notes of hickory and black pepper mingle with hints of dried raisin and cherry before a profound finish sets in.
8. Montecristo Nicaragua
Another critical hit from AJ Fernandez, Montecristo Nicaragua reflects a bolder taste and aroma blended to appeal to connoisseurs of the best Nicaraguan cigars. An oily Cuban-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador is drawn over a robust blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos. Its dark and succulent profile of wood, espresso, and dried fruit earned a 93-point rating and an appearance in Cigar Aficionado’s ‘Top 10 Cigars of the Year’ for 2018.
9. Montecristo White Vintage Connecticut
In 2015, Montecristo White Vintage Connecticut launched with an intricate blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian tobaccos tucked under a Connecticut Shade wrapper in a handful of classic shapes. The cigars are noted for a trio of cigar bands, including an oversized band in the center that depicts a curing barn in a tobacco field. Zesty notes of bread dough and wood resonate with leathery texture and traces of minerals and bittersweet cocoa.
10. Montecristo Monte
Zesty tasting notes of dark chocolate, oak, roasted nuts, and black pepper gather in pleasant proportions in Montecristo Monte, a cigar introduced in 2013 when it scored 93 points and a spot in Cigar Aficionado’s ‘Top 10 Cigars of the Year.’ A succulent Cuban-seed wrapper harvested in Ecuador covers a Dominican filler and a double binder, Dominican Olor and Nicaraguan Corojo.
