A New $150 Montecristo Coming From Altadis U.S.A.
When Altadis U.S.A. released its Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Doble Diamante two years ago, it was the most expensive non-Cuban Montecristo to date, at $150 apiece. The pricey Toro scored 95 points in a Cigar Aficionado blind tasting. All of those have been sold, but next month, the new Doble Diamante Red will be heading to shops. Like the original, it retails for $150 each. What makes it so expensive? Altadis says the high price is driven by extra-aged tobaccos that also underwent longer fermentation times.
The name was inspired by the rarity and brilliance of a red diamond, and, just like the original, the all-Nicaraguan cigar is made in Nicaragua by A.J. Fernandez.
“The Doble Diamante Red represents our continued pursuit of perfection within the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary line,” says Rafael Nodal, vice president of product capability for Tabacalera USA, Altadis U.S.A.’s parent company. “By selecting exceptional tobaccos from A.J. Fernandez’s personal reserve, we were able to craft a blend that delivers remarkable depth, richness and balance while honoring the elegance and tradition that define Montecristo.”
According to Altadis, the Montecristo 1935 anniversary Edición Doble Diamante Red was blended to be medium-to-full in body, and comes in one size, a Toro measuring 6 1/2 inches by 54 ring gauge. It’s presented in a glossy, piano-finished 20-count humidor. Only 250 humidors are being released, for a total run of 5,000 cigars.
The tobaccos were grown on Fernandez’s Finca La Lilia and San Lotano farms in Estelí, and Nodal says that most of the leaf is from the farms’ first and second harvests. Although the size and pricing are the same as the first Doble Diamante, this blend is supposed to be stronger than the original.
The new cigars will be on display at the PCA trade show in New Orleans and will ship to retailers afterward, on April 17.
Read Next: Guy Fieri To Headline Big Smoke Las Vegas Seminars
