Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Selección Is Being Dropped: What It Means for Your Humidor

A Short Run for a Famous Name

General Cigar Co. has dropped the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Selección from its updated wholesale price list. The company is part of Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG), and the line will no longer be ordered by shops. For smokers who liked it, the cigars left on store shelves are now the last of the line.

What makes this one stand out is how young it was. The Epicure Selección came out in 2020. That gave it about six years in a brand whose roots go back well over a century. It is a clear sign of how fast the premium cigar market moves today.

Not the Cuban Epicure

This is the most important point to get right. There are two Hoyo de Monterrey brands. One is the Cuban brand, which includes the well-known Epicure No. 2. The other is the non-Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey made by General Cigar for the U.S. market. The Epicure Selección belongs to the second group. Nothing in this news touches Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure cigars.

The name was clearly a nod to that Cuban classic, which is part of why it caught attention in 2020. But the tobacco, the factory and the blend are its own. It was made in Honduras, where General Cigar has rolled Hoyo de Monterrey cigars for decades.

Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Selección

Part of a Bigger Clean-Up

This was not a single decision made in isolation. The updated price list removes 11 cigar products in total. Other cuts touch El Titan de Bronze Nicaragua, Don Tomás, Excalibur, Hoyo de Monterrey Maduro and Mehari's. When a company trims that many items at once, it is usually a portfolio review, not a verdict on one cigar.

STG has not said why the Epicure Selección was cut. We will not guess. It would be easy to say sales were weak, but there is no public evidence of that, and a cigar can leave a catalog for many reasons. Shelf space, factory capacity, tobacco supply and plans for new lines all play a part.

Removed From the List Is Not Gone From the Shelf

There is a key difference here. Leaving the wholesale price list means shops cannot reorder the cigar from General. It does not mean every box vanishes overnight. Many stores will still have some in their humidors, and those cigars can be sold as usual until they run out.

If you enjoy the Epicure Selección, it makes sense to ask your local shop what they still have. There is no reason to panic, though. A discontinued cigar does not automatically become rare or valuable. Most simply sell through at their normal price.

What It Means for Shops and Smokers

For a retailer, a discontinuation changes the plan. A shop has to decide whether to sell through what it has, how to tell regular customers, and what to stock in that spot next. The best shops use moments like this to point smokers toward a similar blend, so a favorite cigar does not leave a gap in their routine.

For smokers, it is a reminder to try new things. If you liked a medium-bodied Honduran cigar, there are other strong choices. Browse our Honduran cigars, or explore the Macanudo collection from the same company that made this line.

From General Cigar and Honduras

MacanudoMacanudo Inspirado Red GiganteViewMacanudoMacanudo Emissary L.E France ChurchillViewEP CarrilloE.P. Carrillo Honduras GordoView

How Big Companies Balance a Portfolio

Large makers like STG manage hundreds of cigars. Every year they add new blends, and every so often they have to make room. That means some lines go, even under famous names like Hoyo de Monterrey. A new blend today has less time than ever to find its fans, because the shelves are full and smokers have more choice than at any time before.

That pressure is not a bad thing for smokers. It keeps makers working on new ideas and pushes every blend to earn its place. The cost is that a cigar you like can disappear with little warning, which is why it pays to know where your favorites come from.

At Mardo Cigars, we judge a cigar by its blend, its build and how it smokes, not only by the name on the band. We do not just sell cigars. We help smokers understand the industry and choose what belongs in their humidor.

Every Cigar Has a Story

Some blends stand the test of time, and others quietly fade away. What matters most is the experience they deliver. The end of the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Selección reminds us that this industry keeps changing, and our job stays the same: to keep you informed and connected to the cigars you love.

Now we want to hear from you. Did you ever smoke the Epicure Selección, and which size was your pick? Tell us in the comments.

Mardo Cigars sells premium tobacco products intended for adults 21 and older. Please enjoy responsibly.