The Best Montecristo Cigars: How to Choose

Few names in the cigar world carry the weight of Montecristo. Born in Havana in 1935 and named for the Dumas novel read aloud in the rolling galleries, it remains one of the most recognised marques in the world and the benchmark by which many smokers first measure a true Habano. The range is broad, though, running from gentle short smokes to powerful limited editions, and that breadth is exactly why choosing can feel daunting. This guide to the best Montecristo cigars has been hand-picked by our buyers at Chaveta to help you find the right one for your palate, your occasion and your level of experience. Whether you are reaching for your first or building a cellar, we will point you to the cigar that suits. Montecristo is an adult product, intended for those of legal smoking age.

How we chose the best Montecristo cigars

Our selection criteria were straightforward. We looked across the full Montecristo line and chose cigars that are genuinely worth your time and money, weighing a few things in particular:

• Range of strength and size — from approachable short smokes to fuller, more serious vitolas, so there is a clear path for every palate.
• Consistency — the classic Montecristo cedar-and-coffee profile, reliably present across the line.
• Smoking time and occasion — a quick mid-morning cigar is a very different proposition to a leisurely after-dinner torpedo.
• Value within the marque — standout cigars at every price tier, from everyday singles to collector pieces.

The classics: where most smokers should start

1. Montecristo No. 2

If you ask which Montecristo is best, the honest answer for most enthusiasts is the No. 2. This is the cigar that made the torpedo (piramide) shape famous, and it is widely regarded as one of the finest production Habanos ever made. The tapered head concentrates the smoke beautifully, opening with that signature Montecristo cedar and roasted-coffee character before building toward cocoa, leather and a faint spice through the second half. It is a medium-to-full cigar with real depth, rewarding an hour or more of unhurried smoking. The No. 2 is not the cheapest place to start, but it is the cigar that best captures what the marque is about, and it is the natural centrepiece of any Montecristo journey. Treat it as the destination, even if you arrive via something gentler first.

In brief: medium–full · Cuba · Piramide (torpedo) · around an hour. Shop the Montecristo No. 2 →

2. Montecristo No. 4

For sheer cultural reach, nothing in the Cuban catalogue rivals the No. 4. It is the world's best-selling Habano, and for good reason: a petit corona that delivers the classic Montecristo profile in a compact, three-quarter-hour format at an entirely sensible price. The flavour leans medium, with toasted cedar, light coffee and a creamy finish that never overwhelms. This is the cigar we most often recommend to someone moving up from milder smokes into proper Cuban territory, which is why it features so prominently in our guide to the best Cuban cigars for beginners. Buy a handful, smoke them often, and you will quickly learn what the Montecristo house style tastes like. It is the most reliable entry point in the range.

In brief: medium · Cuba · Petit Corona · around 45 minutes. Shop the Montecristo No. 4 →

3. Montecristo No. 3

Sitting between the No. 4 and the larger vitolas, the No. 3 is a classic corona and something of a connoisseur's quiet favourite. It offers around an hour of smoking with a more elegant, drawn-out development than its smaller sibling. Expect the familiar cedar and coffee on the opening, then a gradual move toward nuttier, slightly sweeter notes as it settles. The corona is a wonderfully balanced shape: enough length to evolve, but never demanding. If you have enjoyed the No. 4 and want a little more time and refinement without stepping up to the fuller torpedo, the No. 3 is the logical next pour. It suits the smoker who values poise over power.

In brief: medium · Cuba · Corona · around an hour. Shop the Montecristo No. 3 →

4. Montecristo No. 5

The No. 5 is the smallest of the numbered series, a short, slim cigar built for the moments when time is short but you still want something properly made. In roughly half an hour it delivers a concentrated hit of the Montecristo signature: cedar, coffee and a gentle creaminess, all in a neat, pocketable size. It is an excellent mid-morning or post-lunch smoke, and a sensible choice when the weather or the schedule does not allow for a leisurely hour. We often suggest it alongside our other quick smokes for when you are short on time. For the price, it punches well above its modest dimensions, and it makes an easy everyday companion.

In brief: medium · Cuba · short, slim vitola · around 30 minutes. Shop the Montecristo No. 5 →

The Edmundo family: modern, thicker vitolas

5. Montecristo Edmundo

Introduced in 2004 and named after the novel's hero, the Edmundo was Montecristo's answer to the modern taste for thicker ring gauges. The wider gauge gives the blend room to breathe, producing a cooler, rounder smoke than the slimmer classics. The profile is recognisably Montecristo — cedar, coffee, cocoa — but fuller and more luxurious, with a creamy texture that comes from the broader format. It needs the best part of an hour and rewards an unhurried sitting. If you find the traditional coronas a touch lean and prefer a substantial, contemporary cigar with plenty of body, the Edmundo is the one to reach for. It has become a firm favourite among modern Habanos smokers.

In brief: medium–full · Cuba · Edmundo (thick robusto) · around an hour. Shop the Montecristo Edmundo →

6. Montecristo Petit Edmundo

The Petit Edmundo takes everything that makes the Edmundo appealing and condenses it into a shorter, equally thick format that is ready sooner. It offers around three-quarters of an hour of that same rich, creamy Montecristo character — cedar and coffee up front, cocoa and a little spice as it develops — without committing you to a full hour. Many smokers find it the sweet spot of the Edmundo line: enough ring gauge for a cool, full draw, but compact enough for an after-lunch cigar or a smoke on the move. It is also an excellent way to sample the fuller, modern side of Montecristo before investing in the larger vitolas.

In brief: medium–full · Cuba · Petit Edmundo (short, thick) · around 45 minutes. Shop the Montecristo Petit Edmundo →

7. Montecristo Petit No. 2

For those who love the No. 2 but cannot always spare an hour, the Petit No. 2 is an inspired addition to the range. It keeps the celebrated piramide shape of its famous namesake but shortens the length, delivering the concentrated, tapered-head experience of the torpedo in around three-quarters of an hour. The smoke opens with cedar and espresso, building to leather and cocoa much as the full-size No. 2 does, only on a tighter timeline. It is a brilliant compromise: the drama of the torpedo without the commitment. We rate it highly for after-dinner smoking when a full piramide would be too much, a theme we explore further in our guide to the best cigars for after dinner.

In brief: medium–full · Cuba · Petit Piramide (short torpedo) · around 45 minutes. Shop the Montecristo Petit No. 2 →

Easy starters and short smokes

8. Montecristo Petit Tubos

Few cigars travel as gracefully as a tubo. The Petit Tubos houses a small Montecristo in an aluminium tube, sealing in freshness and making it the ideal cigar to slip into a jacket pocket for a round of golf, a long lunch or a trip. Inside is a gentle, approachable smoke of around half an hour, with the marque's familiar cedar and light coffee in a softer register. The tube protects the cigar from knocks and keeps it at humidity until you are ready, which makes it a genuinely practical choice for life away from the humidor. It is also a tidy, self-contained little gift. For an accessible Montecristo with no fuss, this is hard to beat.

In brief: mild–medium · Cuba · small tubed cigar · around 30 minutes. Shop the Montecristo Petit Tubos →

9. Montecristo Open Junior

The Open line was created with a younger, more contemporary smoker in mind, and the Junior is its most approachable expression. Smoother and lighter than the numbered classics, it offers a clean, easy-drinking take on the Montecristo profile — cedar and a gentle creaminess, with the fuller coffee and cocoa notes dialled back. At a compact size it smokes in around forty minutes, making it an excellent daytime cigar and a sensible bridge for anyone stepping up from milder smokes. If you are at the very start of your journey, you may also find our broader guide to the best cigars for beginners useful before you commit. The Open Junior is forgiving, friendly and very fairly priced.

In brief: mild–medium · Cuba · short, slim vitola · around 40 minutes. Shop the Montecristo Open Junior →

10. Montecristo Joyitas

The Joyitas is the most modest cigar in our selection, and that is precisely its appeal. A slim, short smoke of around twenty minutes, it gives you the Montecristo name and a taste of the house style at the gentlest possible price. The flavour is light and clean — soft cedar, a whisper of coffee — and the slender ring gauge keeps it brisk and undemanding. This is the cigar for a quick break, a first cigar to share with a curious friend, or simply an inexpensive everyday smoke that still carries the marque's pedigree. It will not deliver the depth of the No. 2, but it was never meant to. As an introduction or a casual companion, it does its job admirably.

In brief: mild–medium · Cuba · slim, short vitola · around 20 minutes. Shop the Montecristo Joyitas →

For the collector

11. Montecristo Linea 1935 Leyenda

Launched to mark the marque's heritage, the Linea 1935 represents Montecristo at its most ambitious. The Leyenda is the line's flagship: a full-bodied cigar built from carefully selected, aged tobaccos and finished to an exceptionally high standard. Where the classic numbered cigars are about elegance and balance, the Leyenda is about richness and power — deep espresso, dark chocolate, leather and a long, resonant finish that unfolds over a generous hour or more. This is not a beginner's cigar; it asks for a developed palate and an unhurried evening. For the experienced smoker who already knows and loves the marque, it is a fitting showpiece, and it sits comfortably among the best full-bodied cigars we stock.

In brief: full · Cuba · 1935 Leyenda (large, thick) · an hour or more. Shop the Montecristo Linea 1935 Leyenda →

12. Montecristo A

The Montecristo A is the grand gesture of the range — a gran corona of imposing length that is as much an occasion as a cigar. At over nine inches it offers two hours or more of slow, evolving smoke, beginning gently before building into a rich, medium-to-full crescendo of cedar, coffee, leather and earth. A cigar of this scale demands the right setting: a long evening, good company and nothing else on the agenda. It is not an everyday smoke, nor should it be, but for a milestone celebration or a defining moment it is genuinely memorable. Light one when you truly have the time to give it the attention it deserves, and few cigars will reward you more completely.

In brief: medium–full · Cuba · Gran Corona (very long) · two hours or more. Shop the Montecristo A →

Frequently asked questions

Which Montecristo is best for a beginner?

The Montecristo No. 4 is the natural starting point: it delivers the classic house profile in a manageable three-quarter-hour format at a sensible price. If you prefer something gentler still, the Petit Tubos or Open Junior are softer and very forgiving. As you grow more confident, work your way up toward the No. 2 torpedo.

What is the difference between the Montecristo No. 2 and No. 4?

The No. 2 is a larger, medium-to-full torpedo (piramide) with a tapered head and around an hour of complex, evolving smoke — it is the marque's flagship. The No. 4 is a smaller, medium-bodied petit corona of about three-quarters of an hour. The No. 4 is the easier everyday cigar; the No. 2 is the more serious, special-occasion smoke.

How should I store my Montecristo cigars?

Keep them in a humidor at around 70 per cent relative humidity and a steady 16–18°C. Tubed cigars such as the Petit Tubos hold their condition well for a time, but for anything you intend to keep, a proper humidor is best. Our guide on how to store cigars covers the essentials.

Are Montecristo cigars Cuban?

The Montecristo cigars in this guide are all Cuban, made by Habanos SA in Havana — this is the original marque founded in 1935. There is also a separate, unrelated Montecristo brand produced in the Dominican Republic for certain markets. Everything we stock and recommend here is the genuine Cuban Habano. You can browse the full range in our Montecristo collection.