My love affair with La Gloria Cubana started in the mid 90s. You could buy them right from the El Credito factory on Calle Ocho in Miami, and for $5 less you could get a bundle instead of a box. Then they opened the factory in the Dominican Repuplic and there were the people that preferred the Miami rolled cigars over the ones from the DR, even though they were using the exact same raw materials. I could never tell the difference, but that really doesn’t mean anything. Then the company changed hands, the Serie R came out, another excellent cigar, more transitions in management, and now, under General Cigar, the team is coming out with one hit after another, most recently with the Artesanos Retro Especiale. I received a couple of samples at the IPCPR show and Friday night was the night to fire one up. First, it’s a really nice looking cigar. The band is beautiful, keeping the general theme of the traditional La Gloria band, but giving it a more retro look to compliment the gorgeous packaging. The wrapper is Connecticut grown in Honduras and is golden brown. It burned perfectly from start to finish, and it was smooth and elegant in flavor and appearance. Like it’s siblings, the Artesanos De Miami, Artesanos De Tabaqueros and Artesanos De Obelisco, this is a unique and special cigar.
I know this video is a rerun, but it’s certainly relevant to this post as it features Yuri Guilllen, General Manager at El Credito, and one of the masterminds of La Gloria Cubana talking about the Serie N, the Artesanos De Obelisco and the Artesanos Retro Especiale.
Don’t forget to visit my sponsors, and get on over the IPCPR.org, or CigarRights.org (or use the link in my sidebar) and send letters to your elected officials regarding the FDA and Premium Cigars! If the FDA has their way, we’ll never again see wonderful works of art like the packaging for the Retro Especiale, not to mention having premium cigars to enjoy in the first place!
That’s it for now, until the next time,
CigarCraig
Man, that company is changing under the new management! Ernie would never have “sold a box,” as they’re trying to do with the Artesanos Retro Especiale. I mean, they are very attractive boxes, but hell…the guy said more about the boxes than about the smokes!
Well, the cigar is REALLY quite good. I might have to go smoke one now! I’ve had the good fortune of hanging out with the guys who make the cigars today and they are as passionate about the cigars as anything.