Learn with Lewis: Discovering Montecristo Cigars

As an apprentice at C.Gars Ltd, my role gives me the opportunity to learn about the cigars, whisky and accessories we offer. In this edition of Learn with Lewis, I wanted to understand why Montecristo is one of the most recognised Cuban cigar brands and explore some of the different cigars within its range. Follow me as I share what I learnt about Montecristo and the cigars that stood out to me.

What I Learnt About Montecristo

Montecristo was created in Havana in 1935 after Alonso Menéndez acquired the Particulares factory. The brand was named after Alexandre Dumas’ novel The Count of Monte Cristo, which was reportedly a popular story among the cigar rollers who listened to books being read aloud while they worked.

The Montecristo emblem, featuring six crossed swords surrounding a fleur-de-lis, has since become one of the most recognisable symbols in the cigar world.

What interested me most was how broad the Montecristo range is. It includes classic numbered cigars, larger Edmundo formats, the medium-strength Open Series and the premium Línea 1935 collection. This means the brand offers different sizes and flavour profiles rather than one single type of smoking experience.

A more detailed account of the brand’s origins can be found in our history of Montecristo cigars .

The Montecristo Cigars That Interested Me Most

I explored cigars from several parts of the Montecristo range. Each offered something different in terms of size, strength and smoking experience.

Cigar	Size	What I Learnt
Montecristo Open Range	From 4 3/8 inches 38 ring gauge	The Open Series stood out as a more approachable introduction to Montecristo. It is medium in strength and may suit someone looking for a balanced cigar without immediately moving into the fuller classic range.
Montecristo Edmundo	5 1/3 inches 52 ring gauge	The Edmundo interested me because it combines a substantial ring gauge with a manageable length. Its profile can include cedar, leather, pepper and touches of citrus, making it a cigar I would consider after becoming familiar with milder formats.
Montecristo Especial	7 1/2 inches 38 ring gauge	The Especial is a long, slender cigar with a very different shape from the Edmundo. I found the format particularly interesting because it demonstrates how ring gauge can affect the pace and development of a cigar.
Montecristo Supremos	5 1/4 inches 55 ring gauge	The Supremos showed me how limited editions can differ from regular production cigars. Its larger ring gauge, darker wrapper and additional ageing produced a richer expression of the familiar Montecristo character.
Montecristo Línea 1935 Dumas	5 1/4 inches 49 ring gauge	Línea 1935 is positioned as a premium and fuller-bodied expression of Montecristo. The Dumas stood out as a cigar I would be interested in exploring after gaining more experience with the classic range.

The Three Montecristo Cigars I Would Explore First

Montecristo Open Regata

I would consider the Open Regata as an introduction to the brand because of its medium strength and approachable profile.

Montecristo No. 4

The No. 4 is one of the best-known Montecristo cigars and provides a useful introduction to the classic range in a relatively compact format.

Montecristo Edmundo

I would then move to the Edmundo for a larger cigar with a longer smoking time and a fuller expression of Montecristo’s character.

What I Learnt

The main thing I learnt is that Montecristo is not represented by one single style of cigar. The range includes approachable medium-strength options, classic medium-to-full-bodied cigars, larger modern formats and premium collections.

Understanding the different lines, sizes and strengths makes it much easier to choose a Montecristo based on experience, preferred smoking time and flavour profile.

Current prices and the factors that affect them are covered in our Montecristo cigar price guide .

Explore Montecristo Cigars

Browse the current collection of Montecristo No. 2, No. 4, Edmundo, Open Series, Línea 1935 and other formats in our Montecristo cigar range .

I hope you enjoyed this edition of Learn with Lewis and learnt something new about Montecristo.

Lewis