Montecristo is one of the most recognizable names in cigars, and for years the U.S. version of the brand meant a mild, creamy Dominican smoke. The Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua is a different animal: dark, box-pressed, and built with a Nicaraguan backbone. This is a research-based review, drawn from published reviews and the details released by Altadis U.S.A.
Why It Exists
Montecristo traces its roots to 1935 in Havana. In the U.S., Altadis U.S.A. owns the trademark and has long made its own version of the brand. To mark the brand’s 85th anniversary, Altadis announced the 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua in October 2020, with the cigars reaching shelves that November.
The company described it as a tribute to the old tradition of soft-pressing cigars, using extra-aged Nicaraguan tobacco. It was blended with Abdel “A.J.” Fernandez, who rolls the cigars at his San Lotano factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua.
The Blend
- Wrapper: Nicaraguan
- Binder: Nicaraguan
- Filler: Nicaraguan
- Factory: San Lotano, Ocotal, Nicaragua
- Format: Soft box-pressed
- Strength: Generally described as medium to full
It is a Nicaraguan puro, with tobacco grown on Fernandez’s farms. It was introduced as a regular-production line, not a limited edition.
Sizes and Price
The line launched in four sizes, all soft box-pressed:
- Demi: 5 1/2 x 46 (box of 20)
- No. 2: 6 1/8 x 52, a belicoso (box of 10)
- Toro: 6 x 54 (box of 10)
- Churchill: 7 x 52 (box of 10)
Launch MSRPs ran from about $10.40 for the Demi to about $17.50 for the Churchill. Street prices today will vary by retailer and size, so check before you buy.
Appearance and Construction
Reviewers describe a deep, dark brown wrapper with plenty of oil, noticeable veins, and a rough, toothy feel. The soft box-press gives it a squared-off look without being flat. Published reviews report an excellent draw, a mostly straight burn, and very heavy smoke output.
What to Expect in the Smoke
- Pre-light: Earth, hay, leather, and oak, with espresso beans on the cold draw.
- First third: A pepper-forward start. One reviewer called the retrohale on the opening puffs almost punishing, but the spice settles quickly. Black coffee, leather, and earth take over, with a touch of caramel sweetness.
- Middle: Oak and creamy leather lead, with espresso, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, and baking spice moving in and out. Strength builds toward a solid medium and beyond.
- Final third: Cinnamon, oak, and earth continue, with coffee still in the mix.
Different sizes and different reviewers land on slightly different notes, but the common thread is coffee, leather, oak, and spice, with a strength that creeps up on you.
Who Should Smoke It
This is a good pick for smokers who want a dark, coffee-forward Nicaraguan at a mid-teens price and who already know the name Montecristo but not this side of it. Newer smokers should take it slow. Let the first few puffs settle before you retrohale, and pair it with a black coffee or a stout.
Bottom Line
The 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua shows what happens when a legacy brand hands the blend to a Nicaraguan specialist. If your idea of Montecristo is mild and creamy, this one will change it.