El Rey del Mundo - The King of the World

[JohnS]

I've been doing some research on the history of Havana Cigars recently. The reason for this is so I can gain a better understanding as to how and why there are 181 production cigars across 27 brands currently. Also, it helps to track trends and how cigars have changed because of these trends.

If I were to say to you, think of a brand that is prestigious, more expensive than the other Havana brands, and is grown with the very best tobacco you would instantly think of Cohiba, right? Did you know that El Rey del Mundo cigars were once the most prestigious and expensive cigars available to cigar enthusiasts?

Interestingly (and perhaps surprisingly), the wikipedia article on El Rey del Mundo cigars has a good summary on its history.

Believed to have been created, along with Sancho Panza, by German businessman Emilio Ohmstedt in 1848, El Rey del Mundo (King of the World in Spanish) was at one time the most expensive and prestigious cigar brand in the world.

Spanish businessman Antonio Allones took over the brand sometime around 1882 (a rival version of the brand's history claims the brand became defunct after Ohmstedt's death and Allones re-registered it, but cigar connoisseur Min Ron Nee maintains the brand was passed to Allones from Ohmstedt's company, based on records stating Allones as the owner of El Rey del Mundo from as early as 1873). Under Allones, the brand reached the height of its worldwide prestige. In 1905, Allones' company was bought by the Díaz Hermanos y Cía venture, owned by Cándido Vega Díaz (supposedly the namesake of Don Cándido cigars), which was later renamed the Rey del Mundo Cigar Co. to reflect its most famous asset. The company also produced such famous brands as Sancho Panza, Rafael González, and Don Cándido.

Production continued after the Revolution and the brand maintained its popularity through the 1960s and 1970s, but as the world taste started to run towards stronger cigars, the milder El Rey del Mundo brand began to lose its status as a foremost brand of Cuban cigars. Despite its loss of popularity, El Rey del Mundos cigars are still prized for their mild, complex flavors, with the Choix Supreme, Grandes de España, and Demi Tasse sizes being particularly popular among connoisseurs.

So what happened? How did El Rey del Mundo go from being among the best and biggest exports of Pre-Revolution brands to where it is today? In the 1940's and 1950's, El Rey del Mundo had gained a reputation for prestige, excellence and a higher price tag. After the Revolution, the brand was still considered 'high-end', even into the 1970's. In the 1980's and 1990's trends changed, favouring stronger cigars and sadly lowering the opinion of El Rey del Mundo cigars as being 'too mild', even (incorrectly, in my opinion) more suitable for beginners.

Currently, there are only two El Rey Del Mundo cigars in production, the Hermosos No.4 (48 x 127) Choix Supreme and the Small Panatela (30 x 100) Demi Tasse.

The wikipedia article above lists 5, whereas Habanos S.A's website lists 7 regular production cigars. I'm inclined to favour the Cuban Cigar Website catalogue, hence why I referenced it above first.

For those of you who have savoured El Rey del Mundo at its best, do you concur that a mild, sweet ERdM cigar with delicate flavours and some age on it (like 5 years) is something that an enthusiast of Habanos cigars should experience, in contrast to the modern trend of cigars that are rich and strong?

Here are some links on our forum to the Choix Supreme, Demi Tasse, and Regional Asia Pacifico 2012 Aniversario.

[Bartolomeo]

One of my fav brands w age on them

[TheGipper]

Good read and I agree with the conclusion.

IMO, this brand is one of the big losers under the discontinuations / blend homogenization trend. It used to have a very unique flavor profile. You had to have smoked an aged mid-1990s Tainos to really understand just how good a "mild" Habanos could be.

I feel like Fonseca is the only brand that still brings that mild but very flavorful taste profile today like it used to pre-2000. But to me, ERDM was the King of that category in the past.

[BonVivant]

the brand is discontinued, the same as HUSWs, nobody pays attention

[NSXCIGAR]

Min Ron Nee (MRN) goes out of his way to point out the "unique and unmistakable ERDM aroma" and stresses the fact that ERDM, at least prior to the 1990s, was a brand that really required serious aging (20-25 years) to fully appreciate.

MRN's theory for ERDM's decline states: "The delicate aged ERDM cigars require an educated palate and good smoking technique to appreciate. This perhaps explains why the brand slowly went out of vogue in the 1990s...The 1990s was a very bad decade for ERDM. There are too many newcomers, who all judge cigars by amount of richness rather than delicate flavors. The "cigar boom" also created a serious shortage of Havanas, and very few people can afford the luxury of aging their cigars for decades."

Similarly, according to MRN, Por Larranaga was, "by the end of the 19th century, a well-known premium brand, a favorite among rich people and celebrities." Por Larranaga's decline began in the 1980s for unknown reasons. In the 1990s production and popularity was further reduced after litigation over the trademark limited its export to only a few countries.

Most of the modern brand history available is sourced from MRN's Illustrated Encyclopaedia. I've had my copy for over 10 years and I'm glad I do. I reference it several times a week still.

[JohnS]

the brand is discontinued, the same as HUSWs, nobody pays attention

Well, I haven't seen H.Upmann Sir Winston's around for quite some time, and ERdM comes up every now and then.

[LGC]

The brand is only alive for those that chase double bands.

[ralphie48]

Erdm choix supreme is a favorite of mine, they are not that aged, only 2 years but they are great, I've also had them fresh after dry boxing a week and they were enjoyable as well. I have another box in my queue now and will probably take more as they come around , kind of hard getting tired of these

[oliverdst]

Great post, John!

[TheMonk]

Very interesting read!

[stogieluver]

Thanks for posting. This type of education is one of the main reasons I love this forum.

[Smallclub]

The Panatela Largas/Elegantes and Grandes de España from the late 90's were the most refined cigars I've ever smoked. An unique blend.

[NSXCIGAR]

I last smoked a ERDM Choix Supreme in 2013 (out of a 2012 or 2011 box) and it was great. Very much as I remembered them in the 1990s. The flavors were there but one needs to concentrate to find them. Very floral, sweet with a slight tanginess and great aroma--very aromatic as advertised. Excellent if you like light-to-medium body and subtle flavors.

I myself prefer fuller-bodied, strong, rich and prominent flavors so unfortunately I am not a personal fan of ERDM but no doubt it is great for what it is. Certainly fills a niche. I think there's certainly a market for larger RG vitolas in the ERDM lineup if they were to ever to offer any, considering the North American preference for large RG, milder cigars.

[treberty]

Very good read John.

Thanks.

[deejank]

from a marketing standpoint it seems that the company didn't adhere and maybe at least admit the market changes and trends. possibly as simple as being too stuck to the old traditions created an air of stubbornness against the changing tastes of their consumers in the 80's and 90's.

[SCgarman]

The one and only box of Choix Supreme I have is the biggest disappointment of a Cuban cigar I have ever had. The box is from 2010 and they are still flavorless and I may never finish that box in my lifetime! Never again.

[seanbeer]

EdRM CS

One of my favourite I like power smoke but this is a must in my rotation, it's so floral if u hit that good one.

It's top stuff

[Vortigan]

The CS,in my humble opinion,is one of those cigars that one should never buy blind! If you get a box with pallid and anaemic wrappers with a yellow jaundiced hue then you're doomed to failure with them (doesn't sound like a wrapper you'd want on anything,of course)

I've got a year old box that I'm smoking through quite quickly just now.Colorado wrappers and great construction.On the low end of end of medium,fruitiness with a just a touch of tang and a lovely,nutty finish.Nothing that's going to have you writing rave reviews,perhaps.But a very nice way to chill out in the mid-morning of a day off work.

[finecigar]

The Panatela Largas/Elegantes and Grandes de España from the late 90's were the most refined cigars I've ever smoked. An unique blend.

x2.. The Grandes de España were my favorite. Too bad a box costs an arm now ;(

[khomeinist]

GdE.

Insert F HSA rant here.

[archosaur]

Nice post JohnS, I enjoyed the history!

[ATGroom]

the brand is discontinued, the same as HUSWs, nobody pays attention

What's your source for this? Happy to update CCW if it's a fairly official, but HSA is always pretty opaque (case in point: their website still lists it as active with 7 cigars).

[NweakO]

What's your source for this? Happy to update CCW if it's a fairly official, but HSA is always pretty opaque (case in point: their website still lists it as active with 7 cigars).

I think he means the current SWs taste nothing like they used to. Hence why one would consider them discontinued.

[joeypots]

The old PCs from the late 90s to the time they were discontinued were fantastic. One could buy them in cabs of 50 with some age with out difficulty. That is if one knew where to look. So many good cigars gone only to be replaced with giant fat monstrosities.

[Duxnutz]

Kudos for bringing a somewhat forgotten brand back to the limelight. Years ago I was lucky enough to acquire some late 90s Tainos, Lonsdales and a box and a half of PCs. Very delightful, the mild Habanos can be.

Along the same lines. Aged QDO and champagne is truly an afternoon well spent.