Sunday Cigar Recap – La Gloria, Emilio, Oja

Another week, another little cigar mash-up.  I’m trying to think of something else that would be interesting to write about, but time and inspiration elude me. I’ve been slowly lining up plans for my trip to Las Vegas and hope to bring you some interesting content from the IPCPR show.  In the mean time, don’t forget to enter the current contest to win a box of Oja cigars. I’m a little disappointed with the turn out.  Did I make it too difficult asking for something more than just a comment to enter?  Perhaps I need to open it up to any comment, and I’ll give 2 entries for a link to a patriotic picture (the couple people who have done that deserve a little extra chance for going to the trouble!).  What do you think?  The contest post is here, this is really a very nice box of cigars, made in a prominent Factory in Esteli.  There’s nothing in the rules that I can’t enter….I’d love to have this box in my humidor!

Enough begging for you to enter a contest to possibly win a free box of cigars, on to the quasi-reviews. Thursday I received another box from Gary Griffith containing two of the brand new Emilio AF2 Toros.  Having had a challenging day (heck, the whole week has been a challenge) at work I couldn’t wait to fire one up.  I usually like to give new arrivals some rest after their journeys, but I figured these only came from down the street in Delaware, and were nicely packaged with a water pillow, so what the heck. Interestingly, these cigars have Pennsylvania ligero.  I’ve only previously really heard about PA broadleaf wrapper being used, but I suppose if you can grow wrapper in PA, you can get ligero, it’s not like it comes from a different plant or anything!  Anyway, this is a nice smooth cigar, different than the AF1 which is more aggressive (but damned tasty!).  This cigar has a more golden wrapper than it’s predecessor, but the construction is top notch and the flavor, and I can’t think of a better way to put it, is more refined.  I’ve enjoyed everything Gary has sent me, and will pick some more of these up the next time I see them in a store.  I like the copper colored band on these too.

My Friday Take A Cigar For A Walk cigar was a La Gloria Cubana Serie N JSB, courtesy of General Cigar.  I’ve enjoyed the Serie Ns I’ve had, and this one was no different.  These are lush and flavorful.  I’ve recently heard these described as “German chocolate cake in a cigar format”, which isn’t far off.  I do wonder if these might not be better cold weather cigars, as this cigar didn’t really have the depth of flavors that I remember from ones I smoked earlier in the year. You may remember that I took part in Team La Gloria’s “Serie N Day” on a very cold evening in PA, and was reminded a couple times that it was in the 80s in Miami!

Saturday I lit up a Oja Mestizo Artefacto, a fat toro (6 x 60).  I have enjoyed the samples I received from Luis, the brand owner and creator of this line of cigars.  The Habano wrapper, while fragile, is very tasty.  I like the Connecticut and Oscuro, both for different reasons, but the Mestizo I think is my favorite because there is a sweetness and balance that I find appealing. I’m looking forward to speaking at length with Luis at the trade show and learning more about this brand.

It’s Independence Day tomorrow, as well as my wedding anniversary, so I always smoke some special cigars, we’ll see what cigars I choose and you’ll hear from me again mid week.  Until then, enter the darned contest, enjoy the 4th of July festivities safely, and smoke some good cigars!

Until the next time,

CigarCraig