At the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show, General Cigar Co. expanded the La Gloria Cubana brand with the addition of the Serie R Esteli and Serie R Black. The former being exclusive to brick and mortars, while the latter can be found through major online retailers. Fast forwarding several years to the 2016 Trade Show, General Cigar added in a maduro version to both the Esteli and Black lines. The Esteli Maduro switched out the Nicaraguan Jalapa wrapper for a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro, which happens to be one of my favorite wrappers out there. Like the original Serie R Esteli, the Maduro version comes available in three vitolas:  No. 54 (6 by 54), No 60 (6 by 60), and No. 64 (6 ¼ by 64).

THE FACTS

Price: $6.99
Vitola: No. 54
Size: 6 by 54
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Serie R Esteli Maduro is dressed in a dark brown Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper that has its fair share character. There are several medium-sized veins that are raised off the leaf and a good amount of bumps. However, with the oils on the leaf, the wrapper feels much smoother than it appears.

A pungent aroma of vinegar and earth greet me as I bring the wrapper to my nose. On the foot, the aroma is somewhat rich with a combination of cedar and a natural tobacco sweetness. The double cap is not pretty with its crooked lines, but gets the job done like most caps do. Upon cutting, a cold draw reveals more of that rich cedar, cinnamon-like spice and sweeteness. There is a spice warmth in the mouth, but it is rather mild on the dry draw.

FIRST THIRD

The Serie R Esteli Maduro immediately pumps out medium to full flavors. For the most part, the profile is dark with black coffee and leather being center stage, followed by a yeast flavor and some sweetness. The bitter coffee has an edge on the sweetness. The spice, which began mild, has moved to medium. A white, layered ash is being formed as the cigar burns along with a minor wave.

MIDDLE THIRD

The yeast flavor has really gained ground, along with the sweetness as I make my way into the second third of the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli Maduro. Even so, the coffee and leather are holding strong. The smoke is heavy and chewy in the mouth as volumes of smoke pour out of the cigar. The coffee sits on the palate for quite sometime after the smoke is released from my mouth.

FINAL THIRD

The profile is rich with the sweetness now playing the most dominant role, not overshadowing, but rounding out the other flavors. The sweetness is tied to a dark fruit flavor now. The spice is very manageable as I pass the smoke through my sinuses.

WRAP-UP

It has been so long since I smoked the Serie R Esteli original that it is difficult to compare to the new Maduro. But looking back at my review, there were some similarities. The Serie R Esteli Maduro offered a deeper profile, but maintained much of the same richness and sweetness as its counterpart. The flavors hung in the medium/full realm throughout and the strength gradually increased, ending about medium. The cigar behaved well with excellent smoke production and pleasant-looking ash. For a cigar under $7.00, the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli Maduro is a solid cigar. I would recommend a five-pack of them.

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#10 – Joya De Nicaragua – Rosalones

I have smoked more Rosalones than any other cigar on this list, which is understandable since it has a price point just over $3 a stick making it is easy on the wallet. Tony raved about this stick upon his return from Drew Estate’s Cigar Safari back in April when he first sampled the cigar and I will continue rave about this cigar because, for the price, there is not much competition out there.

 Read the full review here.

#9 – La Gloria Cubana – Serie R Esteli

If you would have asked me at the start of 2013 if any of the manufacturing giants would have found a spot on my top 10 list I would have said “no” without question. But, as with many other things in my life, I was wrong. The Serie R Esteli by General Cigar Company is a complex cigar that performs exceptionally well. For almost two hours, the Esteli will bring you on a journey of flavors consisting of deep notes of cedar, earth, cocoa, and dark fruit. All for a price around $7.00.

Read the full review here. 

#8 – Leccia Tobacco – Black

After a two-year hiatus from the industry, Sam Leccia made quite the return in 2013 with his release of the Black and White. The Black features a unique “Dark Fire” tobacco alongside Nicaraguan, Brazilian, and Dominican fillers, a Nicaraguan binder, and a Habano wrapper. The Dark Fire tobacco brings out peaty and hickory notes that balance well with the other flavors in the cigars.The Black offers complexity, balance, and a whole lot of uniqueness for around $8.00.

 Read the full review here. 

#7 – Espinosa Cigars – Espinosa Habano

While this is a 2012 release, I did not have opportunity to smoke the Habano by Espinosa Cigars until March of this year. So, while I may be breaking all of the rules, I believe this stick is worthy of a spot on my top 10 list. The Habano shows off a crazy creamy, spicy profile with a welcoming sweet cedar flavor that I absolutely love. For a price around $6-$7, this is a cigar I am always on the look out.

Read the full review here. 

#6 – Cuenca Cigars – Cuenca 5 Anniversary

There are not many cigars produced by A.J. Fernandez that I do not enjoy and the Cuenca 5 Anniversary is no exception. The Cuenca 5 is a full flavored, full strength cigar made exclusively for Cuenca Cigars in Hollywood, Florida. The box pressed format and tapered head, makes this 7 by 54 behemoth of a cigar easy to manage in both the hand and mouth and the bold, complex flavors make it even easier to enjoy.

 Read the full review here. 

#5 – Leccia Tobacco – White

Leccia Tobacco is the only company to find two slots in my top ten list and that is probably a bigger surprise to me than to anyone else. Back in August, Skip Martin’s tweet summed it up best when he said

Leccia Black Robusto is going to bring them to the brand, but White is going to keep them.

While this is a more traditional cigar than the Black, the White delivers in all aspects and does not disappoint.

Read the full review here. 

#4 – Ortega Cigar Company – Cubao

With Ortega Cigar Company’s release of the Ortega Wild Bunch this year, several other offerings from the company have gone overlooked and the Cubao is one of those. The Cubao has been on the market since 2008 under EO Brands but it was relaunched under Ortega Cigar Company earlier this year. The Cubao sports an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper overs its Nicaraguan filler and binder and delivers flavors of peppery spice, rich cedar, orange peel, and some sweetness.  On top up the profile that just suits my palate, the Cubao always seems to perform beyond expectation, even in the Lancero format, which is my favorite.

Read the full review here. 

#3 – Moya Ruiz Cigars – La Jugada Prieto

The La Jugada Prieto is the freshman release from Moya Ruiz Cigars produced at Erik Espinosa’s La Zona factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Back in June, when Tony Casas and I were guests on episode 55 of Stogie 411, I mentioned that the La Jugada Prieto was one cigar that stood out to me this year and, at the close of 2013, that has not changed. The Prieto showcased the San Andres Maduro wrapper better than any other cigar I have smoked this year.

Read the full review here. 

#2 – Ezra Zion Cigar Company – Tantrum Eicion Limitada

You may think it crazy to spend $9.50 on a 4.4 by 44 Petit Corona but that is probably because you have not smoked the Tantrum by Ezra Zion Cigar Company. This little sticks packs a punch and is fitting of its slogan – “a little baby powerhouse”. But beyond its punch, the Tantrum delivers full, spicy flavors with complex subtleties. While my experience with other offerings from Ezra Zion is limited, I would not hesitate to recommend the Tantrum even with its higher price. I look forward to getting to know the other lines from the company in 2014.

 Read the full review here.

#1 – Crowned Heads – J.D. Howard Reserve

Last year, Crowned Heads found the #9 spot on Tony’s top 10 list with their Headley Grange. This year, Crowned Heads found the #4 spot on Tony’s list and the #1 spot on my first top 10 list with their J.D. Howard Reserve. As I mentioned in the full review, I have a lot of respect for how Jon Huber and Mike Conder run the company but even more respect for the excellent product they have put on the market. From the presentation to the flavors, the J.D. Howard is one heck of a smoke making it worthy of the #1 spot for 2013.

Read the full review here. 

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The La Gloria Cubana website has this to say about the Serie R Esteli:

Serie R has always stood for rich, bold taste. But the spirit of discovery is laced throughout Team La Gloria Cubana and it compels us to journey beyond our past successes and into untapped fields and obscure aging barns where great new flavors await. And on a mountainside high above the Jalapa Valley floor, that’s where our journey for a new Serie R began when we found rare Jalapa leaf that practically begged us to create great things.

Yet the creation of great things often unfolds differently than planned. And that’s exactly what happened when not one, but two great blends bested the rest in the race to become the next Serie R.

By design, both were super flavorful Nicaraguan puros blended from a host of Nicaraguan tobaccos from farms throughout the northwest, including those from the Jalapa Valley and in particular that from the Jalapa mountainside. And while their quality separated them from other blends, it was their distinctiveness from one another that made the decision difficult.

And ultimately drove us to launch both.

Team La Gloria Cubana is proud to introduce La Gloria Cubana Serie R Black and La Gloria Cubana Serie R Estelí.

Unlike the original Serie R that is produced at the El Credito Cigar Factory in the Dominican Republic, the Serie R Esteli is produced in……wait for it….. Esteli, Nicaragua. The Esteli is available in three sizes:  No. Fifty-Four (6 by 54), No. Sixty (6 by 60), and No. Sixty-Four (6 ¼ by 64). The Serie R Black is exclusive to select internet and catalog retailers, while the Serie  R Esteli is exclusive to brick & mortars. I have to admit I was and still am more than a little confused on the differences between the Black and Esteli, other than the medium in which they are sold.

The Facts

Samples Provided by General Cigar Company
MSRP: $6.99
Size: 6 by 60
Wrapper: Nicaraguan – Jalapa Sol
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Drink: Water
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 40 Minutes

Pre-light

The medium brown Jalapa wrapper is coated in oils and has a slight orange tint. Not only can you see the light reflect off the oils, it can be felt on my fingertips as I do my pre-light inspection. An equal amount of veins are founds on the rugged leaf, with color imperfections and bumps across the stick. I do not locate any soft spots on the Serie R Esteli. The wrapper aroma is surprisingly faint with barnyard and chocolate.

The foot gives off chocolaty goodness and I am beginning to feel a sneeze coming on. I think this stick may have some spice to it. A shallow cut through the double cap opens up a great draw and the flavors on the cold draw match up to the aroma off the foot of the cigar. Tons of chocolate, graham cracker, and rich tobacco are present. My expectation for the Serie R Esteli has significantly raised from the awesome cold draw.

First Third

The Serie R Esteli is off to the races with a bang. With the 60 ring gauge cigar lit, a satisfying amount of smoke is filling my mouth. The smoke seems just as oily as the wrapper. The flavors are full with notes of rich cedar, deep earth, pepper, and a very mild cocoa. The spice, while present, is not nearly at the level I was anticipating. However,  a slight tingle can be felt at the back my throat. The spice is not shy on the retrohale as sharp pepper notes are at the forefront. A sweetness is hitting the tip of my tongue but is quickly overwhelmed by the other flavors. The edgy burn-line is leaving behind a layered ash that is holding close to an inch.

Middle Third

The pepper has settled as I burn down the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli. The mild cocoa seems to be shifting to a sweet chocolate and there is dark fruit notes that are now accompanying the cedar and earth. The pepper remains sharp on the retrohale. Outside of the chocolate, there is an additional sugar-cane sweetness that is really picking up. The cedar is jumping back and forth from a dry, pencil shaving flavor to a rich cedar. The burn is still edgy and the ash has become a bit flaky but still dropping in one inch chunks.

Final Third

The large band comes unglued with ease and I am into the final third of this 6 by 60 Nicaraguan puro. Bread-like and toasted notes have entered the mix, and with the combination of sugarcane sweetness, I am tasting something similar to roasted marshmallows. The cedar, earth, and fruit remain in the flavor profile. I am just beginning to feel a little nicotine kick, with my final analysis of the strength being at the high-end of medium. No changes in the ash or burn to report on.

Wrap-up

The Serie R Esteli had some big shoes to fill  and without a doubt this cigar was able to fill those shoes. The great draw, sufficient amount of smoke, firm ash, and, a little edgy, but decent burn made the Esteli a relaxing, effortless smoke.  I even forgot that I was smoking a 60 ring gauge cigar.  The strength never made it over the full hill to me, but I would definitely say the cigar is full flavored. The flavor change-ups held my interest for the entire hour and forty minutes. And if I wasn’t so lazy, I could have squeezed another twenty minutes out of the cigar. When taking into consideration the price on this bad boy of $6.99, the Serie R Esteli is a must try cigar. I know I will be hunting more of them down.

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