Gilbert de Montsalvat cigars

How is a cigar brand born? Sometimes in the most unexpected ways, as the emergence of the Gilbert brand shows. The story “The Pope of Geneva” by Thomas Brunnschweiler provides the template for the Gilbert de Montsalvat brand. Raymondo Bernasconi read the story on a cloudy Sunday and was initially deeply saddened. The hero of the story could neither smell nor taste anything. But maybe that was exactly the message: Trust your own judgement, don't listen to the cigar popes! Inspired by the story, Mr. Bernansconi decided to name his brand after the hero.