The Different Sides of Montecristo Cigars

Montecristo is a cigar name nearly every smoker recognizes. It has a lot of history, and smokers may think they understand it from smoking it many years ago. But that's probably not the case any more - the brand has grown and modernized over time while keeping its traditional roots. The modern Montecristo portfolio stretches from smooth, traditional Dominican cigars to darker blends and full-flavored Nicaraguan puros. That gives smokers plenty of ways to explore the brand, and it makes Montecristo more diverse than its classic reputation might suggest.

Here are six cigars that show some very different sides of Montecristo.

1. Montecristo Classic: Start With the Traditional Side

If you're trying to understand Montecristo, the Classic Series is a good place to establish a baseline. Made in the Dominican Republic, Montecristo Classic represents the smoother, more traditional side of the non-Cuban Montecristo portfolio. It's the kind of cigar that helped establish what many American cigar smokers expect when they see the Montecristo name: balanced, refined, and approachable.

The blend uses a Connecticut Shade wrapper over Dominican binder and long-filler tobaccos. Expect a smooth smoking experience with characteristics like...

• Creamy
• Woody
• Nutty
• Lightly spicy

Classic also provides a useful reference point for everything that follows. Once you know this side of Montecristo, the differences found in Platinum, Espada, and 1935 Anniversary Nicaraguan become much more obvious.

Try Montecristo Classic if: You enjoy smooth-to-medium-bodied Dominican cigars or want a traditional introduction to the Montecristo portfolio.

2. Montecristo White Series: A Creamier Side Montecristo

White Series stays on the smoother side of the brand, but brings its own character to the smoking experience. An Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper surrounds a Nicaraguan binder and a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan long-fillers. The combination produces a creamy profile with enough underlying flavor to keep the cigar interesting.

You may encounter notes of...

• Wood
• Nuts
• Cream
• Light spice

The overall experience remains smooth and approachable. That puts White Series and Classic relatively close to one another in terms of the smoker they might appeal to, but they're not interchangeable. White Series gives you another way to experience the more restrained side of Montecristo before moving toward the richer blends in the portfolio.

Try Montecristo White Series if: You enjoy creamy Connecticut-wrapped cigars and want a smooth Montecristo with a mix of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco underneath.

3. Montecristo Casino: Another Look at Classic Montecristo

Montecristo Casino gives you another variation on the brand's traditional Dominican formula. Made in the Dominican Republic, Casino combines a Connecticut Shade wrapper with Dominican binder and long-filler tobaccos. It's a medium-bodied blend built around the smoothness and balance that many smokers already associate with Montecristo.

Casino isn't here because it changes what a Montecristo can be. It belongs because it shows how much territory the brand can cover within its more traditional style before we move into blends that depart from tradition.

Try Montecristo Casino if: You like traditional Dominican Montecristos and want another Connecticut-wrapped expression of that familiar style.

4. Montecristo Platinum: Explore the Darker Side

Montecristo Platinum is where our tour starts moving away from smooth Connecticut-wrapped cigars. Its darker wrapper immediately signals the change. Platinum uses a Mexican San Andres wrapper with Dominican binder and a blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian filler tobaccos.

That combination creates a richer profile, with flavors that can lean toward...

• Coffee
• Cocoa
• Earth
• Wood
• Spice

There's more depth and intensity here than you'd expect from Classic or White Series. It's an important cigar in this lineup because it demonstrates that moving through the Montecristo portfolio isn't only a matter of going from mild to strong. Changing the wrapper and introducing tobaccos from several countries can change the entire character of the cigar. The inclusion of Peruvian tobacco is particularly interesting in this cigar.

Try Montecristo Platinum if: You like San Andres wrappers or want a richer Montecristo without jumping directly into the brand's Nicaraguan puros.

5. Montecristo Espada: Montecristo Goes Nicaraguan

Espada marked a major departure for Montecristo when it arrived in 2014. It was the first Montecristo made entirely with Nicaraguan tobacco.

Created through a collaboration between the Altadis blending team and Plasencia, Espada is produced in Nicaragua using tobacco from several of the country's growing regions. The original blend incorporates tobacco from Jalapa, Ometepe, and Condega.

Espada offers more spice and intensity than the traditional Dominican side of Montecristo while still aiming for the balance expected from the brand. Depending on the size and your palate, expect flavors in the neighborhood of...

• Earth
• Wood
• Sweetness
• Pepper
• Baking spices

The cigar earned some major recognition. The Espada by Montecristo Quillon received 92 points from Cigar Aficionado and ranked No. 20 on its Top 25 Cigars of 2015. Espada is one of the clearest examples of Montecristo stepping outside its established formula while keeping the brand recognizable.

Try Montecristo Espada if: You enjoy medium-to-full-bodied Nicaraguan cigars and want to see what happens when Montecristo moves away from its Dominican roots

6. Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaraguan: The Modern Powerhouse

If Espada opened the door to an all-Nicaraguan Montecristo, the 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua line takes the idea even further.

Created to commemorate Montecristo's 85th anniversary, the cigar was developed through a collaboration between Rafael Nodal of Altadis U.S.A. and Nicaraguan cigarmaker A.J. Fernandez. It's made entirely with Nicaraguan tobacco and presents a much bolder side of the Montecristo name.

Expect a rich profile built around...

• Earth
• Coffee
• Pepper
• Leather
• Wood

Sweeter flavors can emerge throughout the smoke. This is a long way from the creamy experience of Montecristo Classic or White Series, and that's exactly why it belongs at the end of this tour.

This line has also received significant critical acclaim. The Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua No. 2 earned 95 points and the No. 2 position on Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 Cigars of 2021. More recently, the larger Espeso received 97 points and finished No. 2 on the publication's 2024 list. That's an impressive showing for a cigar that also represents one of the biggest stylistic departures from the traditional Montecristo profile.

Try Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua if: You prefer fuller, richer Nicaraguan cigars and want to experience one of the boldest modern expressions of Montecristo.

Which Montecristo Cigar Should You Try?

Your normal cigar preferences are the easiest place to start. If you like smooth Dominican cigars, look toward Montecristo Classic or Montecristo Casino.

For a creamy Connecticut-wrapped experience with some Nicaraguan tobacco in the blend, try Montecristo White Series.

If your tastes run darker and richer, Montecristo Platinum moves toward San Andres tobacco, cocoa, coffee, earth, and spice.

Nicaraguan cigar smokers have two very different options. Montecristo Espada represents the brand's first move into a Nicaraguan puro, while Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua takes you into a bolder, very modern expression.

Trying cigars from all parts of the spectrum is the best way to appreciate how broad the Montecristo portfolio has become. There's something for everyone to like in their lineup.

Final Thoughts

Montecristo's reputation was built over decades, but the brand hasn't remained locked into one style. Classic, White Series, and Casino show different approaches to the smoother side of the portfolio. Platinum brings darker tobacco and a richer profile into the mix. Espada moves Montecristo into an all-Nicaraguan blend, while 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua shows just how bold the name can get.

That's what makes Montecristo interesting to explore. You can stay close to the traditional profile or move a long way from it without ever leaving the brand, and they do just as good a job making something great along all parts of this spectrum.