Tag Archives: La Gloria Cubana

by Craig Vanderslice | August 29, 2021 · 10:37 am

A Zeus Churchill Cigar and CigarCraig.com’s 12th Anniversary

It was on this day in 2009 that CigarCraig.com was born, a birthday present from my wife. As I’ve told the story before, I had no idea what I would do with the URL, really didn’t much know what a blog or blogger was, so I had to figure something out. I had spent time on USENET, and the thought of trying to build yet another informational site seemed daunting and redundant. So there was this blog thing. I never was much of a writer, so it started pretty abysmally, but I figured I’d just start writing about some cigars I smoked and places I went and stuff I did, just like I used to do on USENET. Eventually I got off of the free WordPress blog, figured out how to use the technology better and booked myself a trip to Cigar Safari. It seems like my travelogue from that trip legitimized my site and my numbers increased exponentially. I joined the IPCPR as a media member and started going to the trade shows. I’ve seen a lot of stuff over twelve years, some people don’t know, or maybe forget, some of the stuff I was involved in with the IPCPR early on for internet media, fighting for certain things whether we won or not. I like to think I am one of the few blog purist left, Casasfumando.com is another that comes to mind. We stick to our strengths. So to all those who’ve been around longer than I have, congrats and thanks for the inspiration, to those who’ve been around as long, or almost as long, thanks for the friendship and camaraderie, and to the newer generation who are killing it with different platforms, keep up the great work!

Last week I wrote about the great experience I had at the Humidour Cigar Shoppe in Cockeysville, MD. While there, I picked up one of their exclusive cigars, the Zeus in the Churchill size. After smoking it, I’m kicking myself for not getting more. More on that in a bit. When I saw the name of this cigar I was a little confused, you see, my friend Kosta, who owns SMōKE Manayunk in the Philadelphia area, has (or had, it’s been a bit) his own house brand called Zeus. I’ve included. picture of me smoking one several years ago in the store in front of a mural of Zeus, which has, sadly, been remodeled out of existence. I still have a Lancero in the humidor. It turns out that Chris Helmuth, one of the owners, is friends with Kosta, and the conspired to share the Zeus blend and name, which connected the dots. So the Zeus is a nice looking cigar with an Ecuador Habano Oscuro wrapper (I’m either making that up or I read that somewhere, but I just tried to fact check it and can’t find a reference, perhaps someone will correct me). The filler blend is four different Ligeros, so it’s a bit of a powerhouse. These are made by Rocky Patel, although I’m uncertain whether its made in Nicaragua or Honduras. Like I said, I should have bought a couple more, but I think Kosta might sell these at SMōKE so I might not have to drive an hour and a half after all, and I owe Kosta a visit. This isn’t the strongest cigar I’ve smoked, but it’s no slouch (Don’t sell yourself short, Judge, you’re a tremendous slouch!). It was a very much to my liking when it comes to strong cigars, espresso, rich tobacco, some spice, but not too much. It’s been too long since I smoked the lancero, and it would be silly to compare it to the aged lancero I have on hand, so I wasn’t going to try. If you find yourself at The Humidour (or SMōKE, I imagine), give these a try if you like a stronger smoke.

As I write this I’m smoking a La Gloria Cubana Retro Especiale Cubano, the 6½” x 58, which is 10 years old. This came from a box that came back with me from my visit to the factory in 2011. I selected it for the ring gauge, which is significant today. It’s aged remarkably well, it’s outstanding actually. I wish I had the foresight to save more than the two I had left in the humidor. It makes me think of one more thing before I wrap this up. Yesterday I posted a few news items, and I omitted one from General Cigar Co., I got sidetracked and didn’t get to it. It was about the new Partagas Cortado, I’m sure other outlets have posted about it, I encourage you to check it out elsewhere. The Partagas Cortado is a Connecticut shade wrapped Partagas, and I just have to wonder why we needed that? With the exception of the Black, which is Broadleaf, and awesome, Partagas has been Cameroon wrapped, and Cameroon is pretty hot right now. Why deviate from that? Why not let Macanudo be the flagship Connecticut? I just wonder why dilute the brand? Is a Connecticut CAO Flathead next? I realize there are Macanudos in all wrapper varieties, maybe that screws up my argument, what do I know? Anyway, that’s all for now, until the next time,

CigarCraig

2 Comments

Filed under Editorial, Review

Tagged as cigar, cigars, La Gloria Cubana, retro especiale, Zeus

by Craig Vanderslice | June 13, 2021 · 10:03 am

A La Gloria Cubana Media Tiempo, a Karl Malone Cigar and a Diesel Crucible

Last Sunday we were dropping off our grandkids at their house, and stopped in to the nearby Wooden Indian Tobacco Shop for a quick little shopping trip. Up until very recently, the Wooden Indian was only doing curbside service, so it had been nearly eighteen months since I’d been in the store. Dan and Deanna were working the store, and left us to browse the large walk-in humidor. I managed to find a few cigars I hadn’t smoked yet and smoked a few of them this week. The first of which was the La Gloria Cubana Media Tiempo. I picked up the Toro, naturally, attractively priced in the neighborhood of $7.50 (in PA). This is an interesting blend in that it features the Connecticut Habano Media Tiempo, which are the leaves that sometimes sprout above the ligero, Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, Connecticut Broadleaf binder, and fillers from Honduras Nicaragua and the DR. You’d think the Media Tiempo would be stronger than Ligero, but the cigar is actually a medium bodied cigar, they’ve managed the proportions in such a way as to balance it very nicely. I really, really enjoyed this cigar, I think it’s one of the better La Gloria Cubana Cigars to come out in recent years. I really like the LGC Esteli too, but this one is quite good, harkening back to the LGCs of old. I’ll be adding more of these to my La Gloria humidor (and yes, I have one humidor that just contains La Glorias, and old Foundry cigars).

Last year when I went to the TPE show, Karl Malone was the keynote speaker at the opening meeting, and gave quite a good presentation. He stated right up front that we wasn’t there to talk about sports or basketball, he was there to talk about cigars and the cigar business. Obviously, his booth at the show was one of the busier boothes, and I didn’t get a chance to meet him or get a sample of the Barrel Aged by Karl Malone cigar, so when I saw them at WI, I grabbed a couple. This cigar is made at La Aurora, and has Ecuador wrapper and binder, and fillers from Peru, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. I have to say, the wrapper is mottled and not pretty on this cigar. I picked up the Belicoso, which is a 6 ¼” x 52 torpedo actually. Every time I smoke a cigar from La Aurora I mention, almost apologetically, that I’m hit or miss with them. I feel an obligation to like them, but often times I’m not a fan. This was a good cigar. I rather enjoyed it, ugly wrapper notwithstanding. The wrapper being attractive might have put me off if I hadn’t known something about the cigar , honestly, so it’s not unreasonable to think that appearance is important. Put a different band on this and put it in a bundle and it wouldn’t look out of place. in the parlance of today’s youth, “just sayin’ “. As we know, you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, beauty is only skin deep, and whatever other cheesy cliché you want to use, this was a tasty smoke. It has some sweetness and wood, possibly from the tobaccos’ six months aging in rum barrels, and some earthiness. It definitely had a La Aurora signature flavor that I recognized, and I enjoyed the cigar. Not being a basketball fan, and being generally cynical about “celebrity” cigars, I don’t know how this will do, but after hearing him speak, and knowing that he has a cigar shop and lounge in partnership with his daughter, I trust his commitment. At the least it’s not just some endorsed cigar, he put a lot of family thought and passion into the project.

Finally, as I was browsing around, Deanna was putting away some cigars and happend to ask if I had smoked the Diesel Crucible, which is a special edition, the third in the series which included the Hair of the Dog (which I liked), and the Delirium (which I really liked). I was happy that Deanna recommended this cigar for two reasons: first, I hadn’t smoked it and the idea of sampling it appealed to me (duh), and second, my wife had been searching the humidor for cigars with very specific criteria for her cigar band table projects, that being bands with the current year on it. The Crucible just so happens to have a foot band stating Limited Edition 2021. So this cigar ticked two boxes. This is a 6″ x 52 box pressed cigar, Ecuador Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers. The press info states that the cigar “takes a sophisticated approach to strength. There are so many intricacies with this blend, it’s like a new experience with every draw.” per Justin Andrews. I can’t agree, not that I have a sophisticated palate. The initial full frontal palate assault numbed my taste buds. This was extremely reminiscent of the Diesel Esteli Puro in strength. Full on Jalapeńo pepper for the first inch, then it either mellowed out of the palate just surrendered, not sure which. Now, I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the cigar, but I think it was just unnecessarily strong. I considered a second cigar as it was early yet, but then I thought “why bother”, not going to be able to taste anything, so I went and got a bowl of ice cream and called it a night. I didn’t not enjoy the cigar, once it calmed down I liked it, but I dared not pass smoked through my sinus cavity. Gotta stick with the Delirium as my favorite of the trilogy here, and probably the Sherry Cask as my favorite Diesel overall.

Everyone needs to go back to my last post and enter the contest (except those who already have). Lots of cool stuff there! That’s all for today!

Until the next time,

CigarCraig

Comments Off on A La Gloria Cubana Media Tiempo, a Karl Malone Cigar and a Diesel Crucible

Filed under Review

Tagged as cigar, cigars, Crucible, diesel, Karl Malone, La Aurora, La Gloria Cubana, Media Tiempo

by Craig Vanderslice | May 9, 2021 · 2:01 pm

La Gloria Cubana Colección Reserva Presidente Prime Living Ariticle

You’ll have to excuse me, my day started with a migraine, then I just finished typing my post up and then it vanished so I have to start over, so I’m a little irritated. So I’ll re-write that post later and post an article that was published in the Spring 2018 issue of Prime Living magazine. This near the end of my four year run as the cigar feature writer for that magazine. That was a fun gig, and I enjoyed having a cigar article published in a mainstream publication. Most of my articles are still on their site, Prime-living.com, but take some digging to find.

La Gloria Cubana Colección Reserva Presidente

by Craig Vanderslice

“Colleción Reserva speaks to the legacy of La Gloria Cubana and proves that while so much has happened with the brand, nothing has changed.” – Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr.

Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr., like many cigar makers, left Cuba early in life and came to America. He had dreams of being a jazz drummer, and after trying his hand in New York City, he moved back to Miami to work with his father at his El Credito factory in Little Havana. In the mid ’90s, his La Gloria Cubana cigars were highly rated by the new magazine, Cigar Aficionado, and the brand took off. Eventually Ernesto built a factory in the Dominican Republic to meet the demand.

In a few short years, La Gloria Cubana became one of the most popular brands in the United States, and in 1999 the company was purchased by the company which owns it now, General Cigar Company. Ernesto worked for General Cigar Company for several years before “retiring,” then eventually returning to the cigar industry with E.P. Carrillo Cigars.

Several months ago I had the pleasure of talking with Ernesto Carrillo at a local cigar shop, and one of the points he made was that there is a lot of cooperation in the cigar industry, from other cigar companies helping him source tobacco when he was just starting out to this latest collaboration with the company that he sold his highly successful brand to previously.

Last year, General Cigar Company collaborated with Ernesto Carrillo to produce the La Gloria Cubana Colección Reserva, manufactured at EPC’s Tabacalera La Alianza in Santiago, Dominican Republic, based on a blend Ernesto created in the ’80s, which was one of my favorite cigars, the El Rico Habano.

The Presidente is a large cigar, with tremendous balance and flavor—I’ve tasted cinnamon, sweet honey and earthy flavors. The cigar brings back memories of the El Rico Habano and La Gloria Cubana cigars of the cigar boom of the ’90s.

La Gloria Cubana Colección Reserva Presidente

Size: 7.5” x 54

Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

That’s all for today, until the next time,

CigarCraig

Comments Off on La Gloria Cubana Colección Reserva Presidente Prime Living Ariticle

Filed under Review

Tagged as cigar, cigars, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, La Gloria Cubana, Prime Living

by Craig Vanderslice | April 19, 2020 · 8:48 am

A Yargüera H. Upmann Toro and Some Other Cigars

I haven’t gotten to anything new in the second half of the week, I went with some standards. I smoked a Mi Querida Ancho Larga, and whenever I smoke one of these I can’t be happier. This cigar is just about as good as it gets. I have a Unicorn in my humidor that I’m kind of saving for when I finally land that next job, but when I smoke a Mi Querida it’s hard for me to imagine how the Unicorn could be that much better! It hits my palate just right. I had the Ancho Larga (might have been my last one), and an Umbagog in my hand and went for the Mi Querida, but the Umbagogs are awesome too. I also went with another favorite, the Don Juan Calavera, this time the Connecticut. This is among my favorite Connecticuts because it has a very rich flavor and doesn’t have any grassy flavors that one finds in some shade wrapped cigars. I had to deliver a new chick to my daughter for my grandaughters to raise (6 chickens isn’t enough, we decided to add a few more to the flock, and the girls needed something to do while they are home), so I took a La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli Maduro Sixty for the ride home. I really enjoy this cigar, and I enjoy the Nicaraguan wrapper version too, but I dig the Broadleaf. I prefer the Toro, but I had a handful of the gordos and it was the first one I grabbed out of the humidor. It was a great cigar. With everything going on in the world, having a couple cigars that were just absolute winners to my palate was quite therapeutic.

Yesterday I decided to take a shot and try a cigar for the third time that I didn’t really care for the first two times I smoked it. It’s been a few years, so I figured it was time to give my last Yargüera H. Upmann a try. To be honest, Altadis may not even make this anymore, although the yarguera.com website does have a 2020 copyright date. This toro has probably been in the humidor for close to four years, and I haven’t really been to keen to smoke it since I cared for it so little initially. I have to say, this one wasn’t bad. It performed well, and had a pleasant flavor. I’m not going to bother running out to someplace that’s doing curbside pickup and getting more, because the leathery flavor with very little sweetness or spice isn’t my preferred flavor profile, but it wasn’t bad and I was satisfied with the cigar. I guess it a few years of age helped. I can remember smoking H. Upmanns when I first got started 25 years ago, I think they had Cameroon wrappers, but except for the newer AJ Fernandez Upmann I haven’t been too much of a fan. I do like some of the Cuban H. Upmanns though.

That’s all for today, until the next time,

CigarCraig

3 Comments

Filed under Review

Tagged as Altadis USA, cigar, cigars, DOn Juan Calavera, La Gloria Cubana, Mi Querida, Yargüera H. Upmann

by Craig Vanderslice | September 8, 2019 · 8:06 am

New La Gloria Cubana Hoyo and Partagas Cigars

Before i get started, don’t forget to go back to Wednesday’s post and enter the contest! It occurred to me (after I got a phone call from Danny Ditkowitch of La Sirena Cigars), that I should smoke a La Sirena Anniversario Especial cigar to celebrate, so I smoked another one of those this week and they are fantastic cigars! Check out my post from June here for the specifics about this outstanding cigar celebrating their tenth anniversary! La Sirena has been one of CigarCraig.com’s longest supporters and I’ve been a fan for even longer.

I received some new samples from General Cigar Co. a few weeks ago, among them was the La Gloria Cubana Spanish Press. I was excited, as I always am, about a new La Gloria Cubana cigar, it’s a brand I have long been a fan of. Sure, there are some cigars in the line I can take or leave, but the majority of the line are cigars I like a lot. The Spanish press has a Nicaraguan Jalapa wrapper, a Mexican San Andrés binder and Brazilian Mata Fina, Dominican Olor , and Nicaraguan Jalapa. The vitola I smoked was the 5½” x 50 robusto. I’ll have to smoke more of these, as the initial cigar didn’t hit my palate with flavors I found particularly in line with my preferences. I’m not sure what it was, but there was a sourness that didn’t hit me right. I’m not one to give up, especially on a favorite brand, so I’ll give it another shot.

Another old favorite brand is the Hoyo de Monterrey, and they came out with a new cigar this year in the Hoyo La Amistad Dark Sumatra. There has been a Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra made in Honduras around for some time, but this new one is made in Nicaragua by A.J. Fernandez, using the same blend as the original. It has an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and Honduran, Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. This sample was the Noche size, measuring 6″ x 52, my favorite size. This cigar started out with a powerful punch! Strong pepper from the get-go, I almost thought it was too strong but I like nice strong cigar followed along on the ride. It mellowed out a little in the middle, continuing to have good, strong flavors of rich, dark, earthy flavors. Near the end the pepper returned and it got stronger again and finished off with as much oomph as it started with. Like the other three cigars in the La Amistad line, I really liked this Dark Sumatra.

Finally, last night I lit up a Partagas Decadas Limited Reserve 2019. I used to love these when they had the green band. This version is still in the 5 ½” x 49 size, which is a very nice size, and are packaged in a glass tube (my samples were cellophaned). The new band is white, and has a “10” on in, which seemed appropriate to celebrate the site’s 10th anniversary. The ten represents the age of the Cameroon wrapper leaf on this cigar, Partagas is well known for using Cameroon wrappers. For the binder they use the Honduran San Augustine tobacco that General has been using in a great many cigars recently. The filler is Piloto Cubano fro the DR and Ometepe from Nicaragua. Like I said, I always enjoyed smoking the Limited Reserves, and this cigar was no different. It was a smooth smoke, with the subtle nutty flavor from the aged Cameroon wrapper. I have a pretty good assortment of LE Partagas cigars in the humidor, many are good but not remarkable. These join the Limited Reserves in the remarkable category for me, I like them.