For more than two decades, Hunters & Frankau has set aside a small number of exceptional Havana cigars each year — boxes chosen for their remarkable quality, balance, and ageing potential. While some have since found their way into the market, others have remained carefully stored in our warehouse, ageing gracefully under perfect conditions of temperature and humidity. Together, they now form an extraordinary archive known as Hunters & Frankau’s House Reserve.
Since 2019, limited quantities from this collection have been released for sale in the UK. Each cigar shares the same provenance — made entirely by hand in Cuba under the authority of Habanos S.A. and aged within Hunters & Frankau’s care from the day it first arrived in Britain. These cigars are presented either in their original boxes under the Aged & Rare banner, or in specially commissioned humidors as part of the Series 1790 Collection.
The Aged & Rare collection consists of cigars that have matured for a minimum of ten years within our reserve. Every box is marked with a 10+, 15+ or 20+ symbol to indicate the number of years since it was rolled, boxed and dispatched from Cuba. Before any box leaves the House Reserve, every single cigar is carefully checked and approved. Once inspected, the boxes are stamped Revisado — meaning “checked” — and a signed Release Certificate is affixed to confirm the date of manufacture in Cuba, the date of release from the reserve, and the rarity classification of its contents.
Each box also carries an EMS stamp showing the year of release from the House Reserve. If a box was cleared from bond at an earlier date, that stamp remains alongside the newer one, preserving the full story of its journey. Finally, every cigar bears a distinctive foot band identifying it as part of Hunters & Frankau’s House Reserve Aged & Rare collection.
To mark the 90th Anniversary of Montecristo in 2025, Hunters & Frankau has curated a special Aged & Rare House Reserve release — a fitting tribute to the world’s most iconic cigar brand. This limited release comprises 135 numbered boxes of each size carefully aged for ten years, representing four of the five original vitolas that launched the brand in 1935: the Montecristo No.2, No.3, No.4 and No.5 (540 boxes in total).
In addition, 100 numbered boxes of the highly regarded 2012 Habanos Limited Edition Montecristo 520 have been released from the House Reserve to commemorate this milestone year. Each cigar carries the official Aged & Rare foot band, while the boxes are wrapped in a distinctive band created especially for the occasion.
As with all Hunters & Frankau House Reserve releases, availability is extremely limited. The Montecristo 90th Anniversary Aged & Rare Special Release stands as both a celebration of heritage and a testament to the patience, precision, and craftsmanship that define the very best of Havana cigars.
