PCA 2023: Montecristo

One of the most exciting things about Altadis U.S.A. returning to the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show is that the Montecristo brand was also back at the show. Montecristo can be considered the most premium brand in the Altadis U.S.A. portfolio, which is exactly how Altadis U.S.A. positioned it. The focus for Montecristo was around the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua line. Made by AJ Fernandez, the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua line was released during the pandemic, and this was the first time it was on display at a PCA Trade Show. Altadis U.S.A. also showcased a luxury humidor known as Tesero de Oro. In addition, the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante, a new blend under the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary line, got a full launch. The Diamante is being positioned as a more premium release than the 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua. Not only was the Diamante the star of the Altadis U.S.A. booth, but it also was one of the stars of the Show.

The Montecristo Tesoro de Oro humidor was showcased earlier in the year at the Total Products Expo (TPE) 2023 and was once again featured at PCA 2023. The name Tesoro de Oro means “treasure of gold,” and it gets its name from the golden treasure found by Edmond Dantes in Alexandre Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo.” It is that novel that is the inspiration for the Montecristo brand.

Inside the humidor are 80 cigars. This includes 30 Montecristo 1935 Anniversary No. 2 cigars and 50 of an exclusive 55 x 6 figurado shape of the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary that is exclusively for this humidor. A total of 300 humidors were produced. Each humidor unit (with the cigars) is priced at $5,000.00

Photo Credit: Altadis U.S.A.

When Montecristo’s 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua was being developed, another blend was considered. Blender Rafael Nodal felt that the tobaccos in the blend needed more aging, so the blend was not used at that time. That blend was the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante. The Diamante was announced back in March. While it was soft-launched to Casa de Montecristo stores before Altadis U.S.A. decided to come back to PCA, it decided to do a full launch at this year’s show.

The Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante uses all-Nicaraguan tobaccos. The blend features a lower priming hybrid Cuban seed wrapper from the Jalapa region, a binder from Ometepe, and three fillers from Estelí. The line is being released in six soft box-pressed sizes: Icon (48 x 4 3/4, SRP $16.42), Robusto (54 x 5, SRP $22.86), Toro (55 x 5, SRP $24.20), No. 2 (56 x 6 1/2, SRP $24.78), Grande (60 x 6, SRP $25.16), and Churchill (54 x 7, SRP $26.08). Each size is presented in ten-count boxes. These cigars are currently shipping.