Hypothetical: Rebuilding El Rey Del Mundo

[El Presidente]

Founded in 1848 by German entrepreneur Emilio Ohmstedt in Havana, El Rey del Mundo  “The King of the World”  is one of the oldest and once most prestigious marques in the Cuban cigar lexion.  The brand later passed into the hands of Antonio Allones in the late 19th century, who elevated its status and helped cement its international reputation at a time when Cuban cigars were dominating global markets. By the early 20th century, under the stewardship of Díaz Hermanos y Cía, El Rey del Mundo had become synonymous with refinement and luxury, often ranking among the most expensive cigars available and prized for its elegant, mild-to-medium character built on fine Vuelta Abajo tobaccos. Following the 1959 Cuban Revolution, the brand was nationalised and folded into state production, continuing under Habanos management but with a vastly streamlined portfolio. 

So good people, what do we have left today in regular production 

1. El Rey Del Mundo Choix Supreme 48 × 127 mm (5″) Hermoso No 4
2. El Rey Del Mundo Demi Tasse   30 × 100 mm (3⅞″) Small Panetela
3. Maybe we can sneak in the LCDH Royal Series 50 × 155mm (6⅛″) Robusto Extra 

Yes it is a marque that is regularly touched on by Regional Releases....but in terms of "regular production" that's it....sad days indeed 

 

So I am putting you in charge of Habanos Marketing 

Using Cuban Cigar Website as a Guide https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/el-rey-del-mundo 

And....keeping in mind that whatever you put forward needs to be a commercial success 

 

1. Put forward one cigar from it's discontinued regular production catalogue that you would re-introduce. 

2. Put forward one cigar from the Regional/LE catalogue that you would make regular production 

3. Propose a custom El Rey Del Mundo format you believe would "knock it out of the park"

[yuppie]

1) "Lunch Club" is just such a cool name, but some kind of Petit Corona would be a banger!
2) "La Reina" would go nuts. I'm not sure there are enough regular production lanceros out there and this one is legendary
3) Hoyo's Epicure No. 3 seems to be adored by many and ERdM had a "Petit Pyramid" regional that would probably be great.

[zacca]

1) Gran Coronas. This is easy - all of their discontinued stuff is in vitolas that have fallen out of favor, except for this one. Not saying I agree with it, but the market has spoken (for now). 

2) Another easy one - Vikingos. The name will sell itself and it won’t be a hard sell as it’s a Robusto Extra at 50 x 141 (edit:,this would be considered a “toro” by Cigar Insider, and hence a top seller 🤪)

3) Custom is where it gets tough. Lot of crowded categories out there so I’m going to stay away from petit coronas, robustos, petit robustos. So let’s give HUHC and Monte Media Corona some competition in the 44 x 90 size. 

[loose_axle]

Resurrect the Grandes de Espana that would keep the lancero/small ring gauge crowd happy. 

I'd make mainstream the 109 that's been the Los Andes regional release. 

Last I'd go with a 5 3/4 x 56 ring gauge Robusto Extra/Wide Churchill type cigar to appeal to the thick ring gauge crowd. 

And to celebrate the new cigars I'd do another run of Imperio Double Pyramids of 50 cabs and do it again every 5 years. 

[Montezüma]

I didn't realize they pulled many regular vitolas as late as the early 2010s. How is it that RyJ survived with such a large portfolio and ERDM didn't? Because I don't think its a price issue as the current line is fairly competitive. I would have thought that their medium and floral profile is positioned well and would work globally especially in the Summer, I imagine tropical environments especially their line really shines. Generally they are harder to come by compared to other marcas, at least for me who is in Asia.

1. I would love to see a Petit Corona back in the market. Easy to go in rotation. Lots of competition but given its profile, it should hold its own.

2. I don't think it should be La Reina because as much as we would enjoy them, I would hate to see boxes of half plugged Laguitos. So I prefer the Tainos, Churchill 109.

3. Custom is tough because their Hermosos No 4 really hits the spot for me, so any 44, 46 or even 50 would just be redundant. Maybe a Petit Cayos but uniquely in Tubos. 

[JohnS]

1. Put forward one cigar from it's discontinued regular production catalogue that you would re-introduce. 

Another vote for the El Rey del Mundo Grandes de Espana, a 38 × 192 mm (or 7½ inches) Delicados (basically a Laguito No.1 like the Trinidad Fundadores, but without a pig-tail).

2. Put forward one cigar from the Regional/LE catalogue that you would make regular production 

This is easy. The 2018 Pacific Cigar Company Formosa Edition Tainos. What a cigar that was!

3. Propose a custom El Rey Del Mundo format you believe would "knock it out of the park"

I could play this safe and suggest a Petit Robusto or Montesco (i.e. Wide Churchill) format, but I would think something like a 50 ring gauge x 120 mm (or 4¾ inches) Punch Short de Punch or a 52 ring gauge x 120 mm (or 4¾ inches) Por Larranaga Galanes in a 10-count offering would absolutely "knock it out of the park".

[El Presidente]

12 hours ago, JohnS said:

El Rey del Mundo Grandes de Espana, a 38 × 192 mm (or 7½ inches) Delicados (basically a Laguito No.1 like the Trinidad Fundadores, but without a pig-tail).

I think the Grandes de Espana would be a winner particularly if it came in 30% less expensive than the Trini Fundadores. 

[Tom Novorol]

I would be launching a line that imitates the Cohiba Maduro line sizes but not in maduro leaf : 

• Relaunch the Royal series No.3 as the Secretos at 40 rg x 110 mm
• Launch the RE NL No.1 Paises Bajos 2011 as the Magicos 52 rg x 115 mm
• And then a Genios size (52 rg x 140 mm) although this was the same size as RE Grand Marshall (can’t help lots of the good sizes have been used by the REs).

 

[BrightonCorgi]

Campanas, Piramides, Dobles, and Pacos would make ERDM a winner.  

I would shy away from recreating previous vitolas like Grandes if they cannot 100% replicate the tobacco blends used at the time. Consumers like the heavy ring gauge cigars, so give them what they want!

[Tunkat92]

1) Tainos, great size, early 2000’s example were just excellent. Who doesn’t love a Churchill?

2) La Reina, my 1 choice would have been Grandes de España but the La Reina is the superior Lancero. 

3) A Campanas would be a great addition to the ERDM portfolio, would love to see Habanos add some more into their portfolio.

[Duder]

1) Panetelas Largas - this one is tough as I love so many cut ERDM. The marca was in my top three before the decimation of the brand. The GdE, Tainos, PC & Lunch Club were also favorites. 

2) La Reina for sure. One of my favorite sizes and a banger cigar. 

3) An ERDM Salomones would be epic! 

[Puros Y Vino]

I'm an ERDM fan. I got into this hobby early enough to snag a box of Tainos. I would love to see those come back. I'm currently smoking through a box of ERDM Lonsdales from 1997 and would love more of those.

For my resurrected stick. I'll go with the Tainos.

From the RE lineup, I'll for the the La Reina. I've smoked an enjoyed many Infantes (Cuba RE 2013) but I'd rather have another Lancero in the lineup. And, maybe, maybe, it not being a UK Regional going forward might keep the price down. But who are we kidding?

As for something new, I've love to see a Perfecto in the lineup. I really wish Habanos would kill/reduce the Cuaba line and add some Perfectos to marcas missing one. Cohiba should have one. ERDM would be a good candidate for one. Something along the line of the Cuaba Exclusivos in terms of size.  

[Havanaaddict]

1. Put forward one cigar from it's discontinued regular production catalogue that you would re-introduce. 

El Rey del Mundo Grandes de Espana, a 38 × 192 mm (or 7½ inches) 

2. Put forward one cigar from the Regional/LE catalogue that you would make regular production 

El Rey del Mundo La Reina Edicion Regional Gran Bretana

3. Propose a custom El Rey Del Mundo format you believe would "knock it out of the park"

Belicosos.

[ElLoboLoco]

I would be just happy if what’s left was accessible and readily available in the USA. Unfortunately it will take a collapse to happen.

[Tunkat92]

9 hours ago, Havanaaddict said:

1. Put forward one cigar from it's discontinued regular production catalogue that you would re-introduce. 

El Rey del Mundo Grandes de Espana, a 38 × 192 mm (or 7½ inches) 

2. Put forward one cigar from the Regional/LE catalogue that you would make regular production 

El Rey del Mundo La Reina Edicion Regional Gran Bretana

3. Propose a custom El Rey Del Mundo format you believe would "knock it out of the park"

Belicosos

2 Lanceros, bold move Cotton! Mine is almost identical besides the fact that I swapped the Espanas for Tainos. I would love to see them back but the La Reinas are superior and I didn’t want 2 Lanceros.