Cigar History : El Rey del Mundo

Welcome to another addition to Cigar History! A series of blogs written by the unrivalled team of aficionados at Havana House. The purpose of this series is to help the wider world of cigar enthusiasts learn more about their favourite cigar brands.In the past we have looked at more notable Cuban brands such as Romeo y Julieta and Cohiba, but today we are taking a look into the fascinating past of El Rey del Mundo!

The History of El Rey del Mundo

Although not as famous as some of the other Cuban brands, El Rey del Mundo was once the most expensive and prestigious cigar brand in the world! The brand is believed to have been created by German businessman Emilio Ohmstedt in 1848. This was the same entrepreneur behind Sancho Panza cigars.

In Spanish, the national language of Cuba, El Rey del Mundo means ‘King of the World’. The brand’s logo reflects this with lots of imagery. A native Cuban man sits atop a wheeled golden throne. He is pulled along by the most noble and dependable of beasts, a horse, an elephant, camel, mule and a ram. As with H. Upmann, the logo is emblazoned with the gold medals won by the brand. Six to be precise.

According to the history books, a Spanish businessman by the name of Antonio Allones took over the brand sometime around 1882. On the other hand, some cigar experts suggest that the brand had become defunct after Ohmstedt’s death and Allones re-registered it. Highly respected cigar connoisseur Min Ron Nee maintains that the brand was passed to Allones from Ohmstedt, based on records stating that 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.

Years later in 1905, Allones’ company was bought by the Diaz Hermanos y Cia venture, owned by the man who was supposedly the namesake of Don Candido cigars. The company was soon renamed the Rey del Mundo cigar co. to reflect its most famous asset. The company are most famous for producing brands such as Rafael Gonzalez and Sancho Panza.

El Rey del Mundo – Post Revolution

As with most privately owned Cuban brands, the guerilla revolution hit the brand hard. The owning family of the original brand fled to the Honduras as their holdings were taken from them. Production continued under the leadership of the Cuban government.

The brand maintained its popularity through the 60s and 70s. But as the world taste started to run towards stronger cigars, the milder brand began to lose its status as a foremost brands of Cuban cigars. Despite a huge loss in popularity, the cigars are still prized and respected for their mild and complex flavours. The Choix Supreme is their most popular cigar, especially among connoisseurs. You take take a closer look at this cigar here!

Thanks for reading the latest edition of Cigar History. Did you learn anything new about the El Rey del Mundo brand? Be sure to bring it up when you’re next smoking this brand with your fellow aficionados. If you have any more trivia that you would like to add be sure to leave the information in the comments section below! If you would like to take a closer look at any of the brand’s cigars then click here!