Review of La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli Maduro Cigars

Review of La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli Maduro Cigar

In July 2016, General Cigar introduced two new LGC cigars, the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli Maduro and the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Black Maduro. The LGC Serie R Esteli Maduro is made with the same Nicaraguan blend as the original LGC Serie R Esteli that debuted back in September 2013, but this new Maduro version is wrapped in Connecticut Broadleaf instead of a Jalapa Sol wrapper. As with the original Nicaraguan blend, the new Maduro version is available only at brick and mortar cigar stores. The other new LGC Serie R Black Maduro is available through internet and catalog cigar retailers, and is reviewed here.

The La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli Maduro cigar sampled for this review was the No. 54, which measures 6 x 54 and has a price of $6.99 per single stick. To find out more details about the cigar and the sizes available, please see the press release. For comparison to the original, I have also included a short review of the LGC Serie R Esteli that I wrote for another website back in 2013, which you can read below.

The La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli Maduro No. 54 cigar began with a sweet and full earthy flavor. There was no blast of pepper as with the original version from 2013. The sweetness gradually began to moderate during the course of the smoke, but did not disappear completely. As the cigar continued to be smoked, the earthy flavor became smoother and more leathery, with just a hint of spice. Although not recommended for beginners, the cigar delivered full flavor without being overpowering, and was very well balanced. Although not overly complex, I found the taste of the Maduro version to be more enjoyable than the original.

During the first 35 minutes of the smoke, the cigar held a long ash, had an even burn and had a great draw. The cigar did require one relight at this point, and then a minor touch-up light 15 minutes later. These were not major concerns for a cigar that smoked well and tasted very good for 90 minutes, down to two inches remaining. I rate the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli Maduro cigar with a very solid 4 points on a 5-point scale. At a price of $6.99 per stick, they are a great value for both experienced and mainstream smokers who enjoy a full, earthy and naturally sweet cigar that is balanced and not overpowering.

2013 Review of Original Cigar

La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli cigars are Nicaraguan puros made exclusively for brick and mortar cigar shops. These cigars debuted in September 2013, and are available in three sizes: Serie R Esteli No. 54 (6" x 54) is $6.49 per cigar or $116.82 per box, Serie R Esteli No. 60 (6" x 60) is $6.99 per cigar or $125.82 per box, and Serie R Esteli No. 64 (6.25" x 64) is $7.49 per cigar or $134.82 per box. Each box contains 18 cigars. The size sampled for this review was the No. 54, which is the smallest of the bunch, but still a relatively large cigar in its own right.

The cigar began with a rich and full tobacco flavor with a blast of pepper. After about 10 minutes, the pepper became less intense, but was still noticeable for another half-hour or so, when the cigar became smoother and more leathery. The cigar had a decent draw and held a relatively long ash, but needed a touch-up light about every 15 minutes to keep the burn even. No relights were needed, but the cigar did go out by itself after an hour of smoke time, with about three inches remaining.

La Gloria Serie R Esteli is a big and bold cigar for experienced cigar smokers, but not recommended for beginners. At the prices listed above, they are a good value for those who enjoy a full flavor smoke. I rate them 3½ stars, but the taste did drop to 3 stars near the end.

LGC Serie R Esteli Maduro Cigar

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