In 1935, Alonso Menendez purchased the Particulares cigar factory with hopes of creating a new premium cigar brand. During this time, it was common among torcedores(cigar rollers) to have the famous Alexandre Dumas novel "The Count of Monte Cristo" read by a lector on the cigar rolling floor.Inspired by this tradition, Menendez gave life to one of the most well know cigar brands today - Montecristo.