This renowned torpedo is an icon among Cuban cigars and remains one of the most popular smokes among aficionados around the world. At one time, production of the cigar was limited to the H. Upmann factory in Old Havana, but the cigar’s recent popularity has caused Habanos to expand its production to other key export factories in the city, and today about 3 million Montecristo No. 2s are made each year. The new H. Upmann factory in Nueva Vedado oversees the production of the cigar, and only top-ranked rollers on the island are allowed to make it. The Montecristo No. 2 has always been a favorite of the CIGAR AFICIONADO editors. It was one of the magazine’s star cigars in a 1992 article on the best cigars of Cuba, and it has ranked highly in just about every tasting for the magazine ever since. The 6 1/8-inch x 52-ring cigar is one of the most flavorful, best drawing smokes ever. It delivers loads of earthy and tobacco character with a full body and lots of spicy undertones. It’s great to smoke now, but will improve with age. We have had 50-year-old Monte No. 2s that were still rich, cedary and delicious to smoke.