La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli

Since the release of 2011'south La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale, Full general Cigar's La Gloria Cubana brand has been focused more on limited editions and regional exclusives.  In 2013, La Gloria Cubana went started to refocus dorsum on their core line.  This time they turned their attention to the Serie R line and announced ii new blends for that line.  The first was announced prior to the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show and it was chosen the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Black.  This would exist a cigar geared for exclusively for online / catalog-based retailers. At the 2013 IPCPR Merchandise Evidence, the brick and mortar counterpart, the Serie R Esteli was released.  Recently, I had an opportunity to smoke the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli.  I found this cigar an excellent cigar – and one that should satisfy many La Gloria Cubana fans.

For the past three years, La Gloria Cubana has done a lot of focus around creativity and cigar blends across its brand.  While the Serie R Esteli and Serie R Black are throwbacks to more of a classic mode cigar, in that location is i meaning change in direction with these cigars.  These mark the brands showtime Nicaraguan puros to exist a part of the La Gloria Cubana line.

In 2010, La Gloria Cubana launched a line known equally La Gloria Cubana Serie N. While Serie Northward featured Nicaraguan tobacco, information technology was non a Nicaraguan puro.  I did find it a niggling odd that the Nicaraguan puros were put in the Serie R line as opposed to the Serie N line.  However, the Serie R line is much better established, so I tin see some of the logic here.

Without farther ado, let's take a closer look at the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli and see what this cigar brings to the table.

Blend Profile

While General has said the cigar is a Nicaraguan puro, not much is known other than the fact the wrapper is a Jalapa Sol.

Wrapper: Jalapa Sol (Nicaragua)
Folder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan

Vitolas Available

The Serie R Esteli will be launched in 3 sizes – each packaged in an 18 count box. Like the original Serie R line, the Serie R Esteli is focused around larger band gauges.

No. 54: 6 x 54
No. 60: 6 x 60
No. 64: six one/four 10 64

Appearance

For this cigar feel, I smoked the toro-sized No. 54 or the Serie R Esteli line.  The cigar is highlighted by a very oily Jalapa Sol wrapper.  The wrapper itself is a coffee bean color with some darker marbling.  There are a few visible veins on the wrapper, but the wrapper itself is pretty much void of any visible wrapper seams.

There are two bands on the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli.  The first band features the La Gloria Cubana logo in silver, white and ruby on a black background with silvery trim.  Higher up the logo is the text "LA GLORIA CUBANA" in silver on a black background.  Below that logo is the text "Serie R" – likewise in silver font on a black background.  A thick silvery stripe exists on the lower role of the ring below the "Serie R" text.  On that stripe is the text "ESTELI" in blackness font.

There is also a footer ring that is silver in color with red and black trim.  The text "LA GLORIA CUBANA" in brilliant silver font is arranged in a wavy ticker-tape style on the silver background.

Preparation for the Cigar Experience

For my smoke of the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli No. 54, I went with my usual option of a straight cut.  One time the cap was removed, I proceeded with the pre-light describe stage.  The dry draw notes provided a mix of cocoa, a hint of natural tobacco, and a slight pepper spice.  Overall I considered the pre-light draw of the Serie R Esteli to exist positive.   At this betoken, I was ready to remove the footer band, calorie-free upwards the cigar and see what the overall cigar experience would deliver.

Flavor Profile

The Serie R Esteli started out with a mix of cocoa and natural tobacco with some ruby pepper close behind.  The natural tobacco and cerise pepper seemed to be very "Serie R" like while the cocoa gave the season a classic Nicaraguan flavour.   The cherry pepper was too prominent on the retro-unhurt. Equally the cigar settled downwards the pepper dialed back slightly on the tongue.

Past the midway point, the natural tobacco notes were at present the primary flavor and this was where the current sweetness flavors could be derived from.  The cocoa notes were at present a secondary annotation. Meanwhile the pepper notes were inching their way dorsum to the forefront again.

On the concluding third, the natural tobacco and pepper notes were up-front end.  The cocoa notes were replaced past more of a classic earthy profile – some other trademark Nicaraguan flavour. The earthy notes probably a close second backside the natural tobacco and pepper.  The Serie R Esteli was flavorful at the stop with no harshness.  The resulting nub was slight soft to the affect, but absurd in temperature.

Burn down and Draw

The burn down to the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli performed well.  While there was a slight jaggedness on the burn line along the way, the burn down never got off-rail or got significantly uneven. For the most part it needed a few touch-ups along the mode, merely not an unordinary corporeality of touch-ups.  The resulting ash was firm with some occasional light flaking – again nothing major. The ash seemed to vary between a white color and table salt and pepper color from smoke to fume. The fire rate and burn temperature were ideal.

Burn down of the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli

The draw had a bear upon of resistance to it – which is something I normally like.  Overall this made the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli an enjoyable fume to puff on from kickoff to cease.

Strength and Trunk

From a strength perspective, I did not find the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli to be a nicotine flop.  I assessed its strength to full into the medium range of the spectrum.  As for the flavors, I did discover they had some nice depth to them.  I assessed this cigar to fall into the medium to full-bodied range.  In terms of looking at strength versus body, I definitely felt the Serie R Esteli had an edge in terms of the trunk.

Terminal Thoughts

Back into 2010, Full general Cigar made a determination to make the La Gloria Cubana make more "boutique-similar" and incorporate various innovations (smokeable bands, segmented wrappers, unorthodox vitolas etc).  As mentioned the Serie R Esteli (and its internet / catalog analogue), the Serie R Black are a return to a more traditional style smoke.  Information technology seems the render to nuts has paid off with this cigar.  This is a cigar I can recommend to either a novice or experienced cigar enthusiast.  While it is not a nicotine or full-bodied bomb, in that location is still something very "La Gloria" nearly the flavors here that will keep a lot of cadre La Gloria Cubana fans happy.  As for myself, this is a solid cigar, and its expert enough to go on a v pack around in my humidor.

Summary

Fire: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complication: Medium
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium to Full
Terminate: Proficient
Cess: iii.0 – The Fiver
Score: 90

Source : The cigar for this assessment were provided by Full general Cigar.  The samples received were initiated past Full general Cigar in order to provide feedback.  Cigar Coop is beholden for the sample, only in no style does this influence this write-up.