La Gloria Cubana Cuban Cigars: The Tale of Two Cities

Tucked away in the giant shadows cast by such giants as Cuban Cohibas, Partagas and Montecristo cigars, are many smaller production brands that are every bit as satisfying. One of these magnificent brands, La Gloria Cubana, has become a favorite amongst cigar connoisseurs around the World and one of the most sought after for those looking to expand their tastes outside of the more famous lines.

La Gloria Cubana is indeed the “glory of Cuba” and a must for one and all.

The La Gloria Cubana brand began in 1885 and instantly developed a small, but loyal fan base. By 1905 the brand had been purchased by famous cigar mogul Jose Rocha, who developed the brand further and by the early 1950s, La Gloria Cubana was a highly regarded connoisseur’s choice.

It was at this point in time, the storied brand would take another turn. When Rocha died in 1954, the famed Cifuentes family acquired the rights to the La Gloria Cubana name, as well as another of Rocha’s esteemed brands, Bolivar. The Cifuentes family moved production to the Partagas factory in Havana where La Gloria Cubana cigars are still made to this day.

Although the quality of these smokes remained impeccable, the brand was put on hiatus after the rise of Fidel Castro and production was quietly put to an end with little fanfare or notice beyond the confines of the island. As abrupt as production ended it began once more in the mid-1960s and has been a regular cigar aficionado favorite ever since.

The superbly elegant La Gloria Cubana line offers cigars that easily rank as some of the best Cuban cigars available.

The 6 ¾” x 43 Medaille d’Oro No. 2 is a stunning superstar and the 7” x 47 La Gloria Cubano Tainos will prove a most wondrous after dinner smoke. 

The 1960s were a turbulent time for Cuba, so much so in fact that many cigar makers and their families fled Cuba rather than bow to the will of the Castro regime.

This exodus spawned a renaissance of cigar making that emerged out of Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic and most importantly to the La Gloria Cubana story, Miami, Florida. It was here that a new La Gloria Cubana was born.  

Nestled in the heart of Miami’s Little Havana, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo created a whole new La Gloria Cubana for the American market, one that was bolder than its Cuban counterpart, capturing a whole new dynamic that enticed a completely different breed of cigar enthusiast.

This rebooted La Gloria Cubana and the E.P. Carrillo’s El Credito Cigar Company became local legends that garnered a loyal following of rabid fans. Despite a few blend tweaks here and there, La Gloria Cubana maintained its somewhat quiet existence as a beautifully crafted boutique cigar that was a regional success story.

Then came the fateful year of 1992.

La Gloria Cubana had always been well-thought of, yet the advent of new publications dedicated to the cigar lifestyle and a new yearning for cigars outside the norm was about to propel the brand into the stratosphere of legendary cigars. A string of 90+ ratings along with exposure to a wider audience had placed La Gloria Cubana front and center on the World’s stage.

The cigar boom was underway and little regional brand La Gloria Cubana was leading the charge. La Gloria Cubana became one of the most sought after cigars of the 1990s, even eclipsing its older Cuban relative and the rest of the best Cuban cigars.

With all of this success E. P. Carrillo was able to collect a hefty sum for his El Credito Cigar Company and La Gloria Cubana brand by selling them to General Cigars, makers of the wildly popular Macanudo and the Dominican Partagas.

With many La Gloria Cubana cigars now made in the Dominican Republic and an immense line-up of various blends and cigar sizes, La Gloria Cubana has matured into an internationally recognized brand that, while not the mere boutique cigar it once was, has maintained its rich and hearty character that so enthralled cigar connoisseurs in its earliest days.

The current stable of smokes is better than ever ranging from the original La Gloria Cubana and the nostalgic Artesanos Retro Especiale to the rich, yet smooth Serie R, created in honor of La Gloria Cubana’s legions of followers.

The La Gloria Cubana Serie R No. 4 is a fan favorite that will delight as a pairing partner with your favorite Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

Most of these wonderful smokes can be found at your nearest cigar shop or nearest cigar bar, so when you search for “cigar store near me” and find a worthy tobacconist, be sure to ask about the La Gloria Cubana lines that are available.

From the elegant Cuban-made cigars to the bold smokes that evolved out of the heart of Miami, La Gloria Cubana is a name that continues to enchant cigar enthusiasts and seduce the taste-buds with a wide array of scintillating flavors.

Whether made in Cuba, Miami, the Dominican Republic or beyond, the La Gloria Cubana brand is an undeniable legend that has secured its place in the annals of the World’s greatest cigars.

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