The Story Of La Gloria Cubana

September 24, 2015

When you smoke the famed La Gloria Cubana, you truly are enjoying the “Glory of Cuba”. Among the big Cuban cigar brands, La Gloria should be seen as more of a boutique brand. It is rolled on a limited basis and does not share the enormous popularity and market share of brands such as Partagas or Montecristo. Yet, if given the chance to smoke one of these refined beauties, it is an opportunity you should not pass up. While modern day aficionados are surely fans of the popular Dominican version of this cigar, it actually has rather humble beginnings during the latter half of the 19th century.

La Gloria Cubana began as a small Cuban brand in 1885. It was created by the Sociedad Cabañas y Castro and found initial success among local artisan smokers. It had a great flavor and price, and was rolled in sizes that accented its profile perfectly. The brand was purchased in 1905 by José Rocha and then again in 1954 when the Cifuentes family purchased the line along with Rocha’s popular Bolivar brand. It is still produced today in the Partagas factory in Havana.

Following the revolution, production on the Cuban La Gloria ceased for unknown reasons. The brand reemerged in the mid 1960s where it was rolled on a more limited basis. The modern day Cuban La Gloria is a true artisanal cigar, emphasizing small batches and quality above all else. Its been praised for its perfectly balanced profile and its array of more mid sized cigars.

As with his other brands, Cifuentes sold the name rights of La Gloria Cubana. to Ernesto Carrillo who would begin to produce the brand in the Dominican Republic. It quickly became one of the best selling premium cigars in the United States. While the original Dominican lines are still successful to this day, it was the creation of the La Gloria Cubana R series that really made the brand a staple. The R series, offered in both natural and maduro, is a regular choice for fans of bigger stronger Dominican smokes. Carillo eventually sold both the La Gloria Cubana line and his El Rico Habano line to General Cigar, who continues production of this fine Dominican brand to this day.

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