Montecristo

In 1935, Alonso Menendez purchased the Particulares cigar factory in Cuba with hopes of creating a new premium cigar brand. During this time, it was common among torcedores (cigar rollers) to have the famous Alexandre Dumas novel “The Count of Monte Cristo” read by a lector on the cigar rolling floor. Inspired by this tradition, Menendez gave life to one of the most well known cigar brands today – Montecristo. From the very beginning, Montecristo cigars gained popularity due to their distinctive flavor, excellent aroma and superior quality. The tremendous success of Montecristo allowed Mr. Menendez to continue to grow his operation. Menendez brought on a new partner (José “Pepe” Garcia), and together, the duo created a new company – Menendez, Garcia y Cia. In 1937, the two purchased the H. Upmann factory and began producing Montecristo at this location. Following the Cuban Revolution, the cigar industry was nationalized causing Menendez and Garcia, like many other Cubans, to flee to the Canary Islands in 1961. Failed attempts at relaunch in the Canary Islands would not be the end of the Montecristo legacy. Menendez, Garcia y Cia. re-established the famed Montecristo brand for U.S. distribution from the Tabacalera de Garcia factory in La Romana, Dominican Republic in the mid-1970’s. To this day, Tabacalera de Garcia upholds the premium standard of Montecristo cigars in the U.S.