Originally Posted by
Katmancross
The La Gloria Cubana Artesanos cigars pay tribute to the city of Miami where Ernesto Perez Carrillo opened his famous El Credito tabacalera in the 1960's. Crafted by Ernesto's best 10 Cuban expatriate rollers, Artesanos use Nicaraguan-Dominican fillers, Ecuadorian Sumatra binders, and Nicaraguan Havana wrappers.
Their PR machine says it promises to be the strongest, most flavorful La Gloria to date.
It's a great looking cigar with a rouge blush on the wrapper. The band adds a classy, conservative touch. The construction is excellent with a very firm feel and some serious veins running up and down the stick.
The pre light aroma sends out an earthy aroma touched by a sweetness that hints of caramel and dried fruit.
Upon lighting the cigar, a peasant blast of spice begins the journey riding on an earthy, woodsy flavor.
Great billows of smoke like milk filled breasts fill the air space around my head. The draw is perfect. The firmness was perfect. But the ash is almost black. Immediately, the strength is medium. So I strap on my horse feeder for when I get the spins at the end of the cigar.
I plan to use the 2 minute rule here. Puff every 2 minutes. That usually relinquishes the problem of puking in my dog's dish.
Got a great story to tell that happend long ago and far away. It occurs in 1981. I had just been dumped by my girl friend of 7 years just after I paid for her nose job. She cheated on me with a guy from her work.
Off came the 'fro and in came the New Wave short and smart haircut. I came into some money from my grandfather's estate so I quit my job and bought a house and set up shop to play music all the time.
About an inch in the spice has been tamped down and some creaminess shows its head along with the earthy flavor.
I joined an existing band needing a bassist. Unfortunately, I can't say the name of the band because this story could hurt the individuals in it....they still work for a living.
It was a 4 piece band and we had a minor radio hit on our hands. We practiced at the drummer's garage that was set up for rehearsing with sound proofing....although, apparently not enough as we shall see.
Some of us worked and others did not so we practiced during the day.
On a sunny, beautiful California afternoon, we escaped the rehearsal room for a break and the guitarist brought out the most beautiful ounce of marijuana I had ever seen. It was a giant bud...like the kind you would see as the center fold of High Times Magazine. The guitarist passed the baggie around so we could all take a whiff and admire this nature's thing of magnificence. He had already taken a pinch to roll a joint.
A few moments later and the joint was being passed around.
The stick, which is about 2 months old in my humidor is mellowing out a bit. The medium strength is backing away and becoming milder. The creaminess and earthiness is still there.
The garage was parked at the end of a very long driveway. We were at least 60'-0 from the street.
We were smoking the joint, laughing, drinking beers or sodas and just enjoying the hell out of the moment when I turned my head left and at the bottom of the driveway was a uniformed policeman walking our way. He was just seconds away. I lowered my head and started whispering very loudly, "Here comes the MAN!!...Here comes the MAN!"..and nobody paid attention.
The ash continues to be goth black. This is actually a first for me. No sign of the color lightening up. But the flavor profile continues as before.
The four of us stood there not realizing (except me) that we had a 5th Beatle. The cop never said a word. Then with a jerk the guitarist saw him and threw the baggie about 8'-0 away from himself.
The cop said, "Go get it. NOW,"
The guitarist said, "Get what?"
I shook my head and thought that that night would be my first in jail getting passed around the Aryan Brotherhood as a cum sponge.
"Go get it!!
"Get what?"
I told the cop that I'd go get it. He told me no. He wanted the guitarist to do it. And he did, finally.
1-1'2" in and the ash falls off and the cigar almost goes out. But a few hard puffs and it comes back to life. So far the flavor profile is a one trick pony. I'm starting to have my doubts about all the hoopla for this cigar.
The cop empties the beautiful multi colored bud on to the driveway and with a jack booted foot, crushes it to dust. One long moan came from us in harmony.
"I just don't want you accusing me of stealing your illegal marijuana."
I started doing ass puckering exercises right then and there. I would continue to do them through the arraignment...if there was to be one. I wanted to be able to keep my asshole closed no matter what was introduced that coming evening.
Now I'm begginning to really get disappointed half way through this highly touted cigar. I'm beginning to realize that it might have been too soon to smoke.
The cop tells us he was called to this location about a noise complaint. He added that if he got another call and had to come back, he would impound all of our expensive equipment. Gulp!
And with that, he turned on his shiny heels, and walked back down the driveway towards his prowler.
We all let out a harmonius sigh of relief. The guitarist was on his hands and knees trying to find someway of retrieving the smallest of of leaves. But to no avail. It was dust. Like from an urn.
Back then, pot wasn't too expensive but the guitarist was known for having the best and most expensive. $400 for an ounce 30 years ago.
Now the cigar, at just past the halfway point, is getting blah. OMG!!
These are not cheap sticks. What did I do?
In summary, I believe the wrapper let me down. The innards are probably just fine but the promise of a medium/full body smoke never came to fruition. A few more months in the humidor will probably bring out the promised flavors. I will provide an addendum to this review at that time.
La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami Elegante (Churchill)
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