Heritage vs. Boutique Cigars: The Guy Behind Montecristo Weighs In

Boutique or heritage: which side are you on? It's one of the oldest arguments in the cigar world, so I sat down with Gabe Diaz to settle it. Gabe is the brand manager for Montecristo, H. Upmann, and Aging Room at Altadis U.S.A. Back when I got into cigars, everybody "knew" boutiques were better because they had the weird, short-run tobaccos. Gabe makes the case that the line has blurred. Heritage brands are now borrowing the boutique playbook with hand-selected leaf, extra fermentation, and packaging that isn't boring as hell. Boutiques still have a freedom the big guys can't touch, though. We get into all of it: why one of my collabs took three weeks to sample and another took two years, the 3-a.m.-Cuban-coffee story behind the H. Upmann Sunrise's orange box, and Gabe's one piece of advice for every boutique owner out there. Cigars we talk about: Montecristo Espada Conquistador, H. Upmann Nicaragua by AJ Fernandez Sunrise, Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante, Montecristo 90th Anniversary, and Trinidad x Tommy Bahama Island Collection. Drop a comment: heritage vs. boutique, is one actually better, or do you just have a favorite brand you'll defend to the grave?