Continuing with our Behind the Brand editorials, blog-post series where we explore the inspiring history behind some of the most premium Cuban Cigars Online brands, we are focusing on a brand that is very much adored by cigar connoisseurs all around the world. Despite retaining its production numbers relatively low, La Gloria Cubana Cigars are widely popular for their exquisite craftsmanship and distinctive aromatic profile. Without any further ado, in today’s article, we touch on the inspiring history behind the La Gloria Cubana brand, exploring all its different aspects and facades. Some of our recent posts from the series have covered:
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Quai d’Orsay Cigars
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S.T. Dupont Cigar Accessories
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Sancho Panza Cigars
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Ramon Allones Cigars
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Hoyo de Monterrey Cigars
CREATION – La Gloria Cubana was founded in 1885 by Sociedad Cabanas y Castro. Starting small, the brand is considered a little jewel amongst Cuban cigars brands to this day. The name La Gloria Cubana literally means the “Glory of Cuba”, a fitting name due to the brands legacy of creating some of the most glorious habanos. Overall, the brand came into the spotlight for manufacturing cigars of exquisite aromas, hand-rolled in formats that perfectly accented the brand’s flavoured profile, been available at very considerable prices – everything a cigar smoker could possibly ask for. Soon after its birth, La Gloria Cubana Cigars became instantly likeable amongst local cigar aficionados and artisan cigar smokers, presaging the worldwide success that the brand was about to experience.
Left: The front of the Partagas factory where La Gloria Cubana Cigars are being manufactured to this day, Right: Inside the Partagas factory where torcedores hand roll habanos, including La Gloria Cubana Cigars
“ROMEO Y JULIETA CIGARS HELPED THE BRAND GROW”
GROWTH – La Gloria Cubana did not raise as a premium cigars brand by itself. The brand grew rapidly due to been massively promoted from inside the cigars industry. To elaborate, Spanish business and former owner of the Romeo y Julieta Cigars brand, Pepin Fernandez, helped La Gloria Cubana evolve by introducing the brand overseas. Fernandez’s tireless promotion managed to make the brand popular all around the globe for its refined yet well-balanced medium flavoured profile, becoming a favourite amongst cigar connoisseurs and artisans world widely.
OWNERSHIPS AND EXTINCTION – Like many other cigar brands, La Gloria Cubana has been under the supervision of various cigar pioneers over the years. In 1905, only ten years after its creation, the brand was purchased by Jose F. Rocha, who manufactured the brand’s habanos in his factory at 364 Miguel Street in Havana, Cuba. After Rocha’s death in 1954, La Gloria Cubana along with Bolivar Cigars were bought by the Cifuentes family while both brands’ production was moved to the Partagas Cigars factory, where they are manufactured to this day. But here's where the brand's history gets complicated. After the Castro revolution, La Gloria Cubana stopped producing its very much sought habanos for unknown reasons. Many theories have been developed in an attempt to determine what truly led to the discontinuance of the brand, however, none of them was ever proved - leaving the La Gloria Cubana's cigar smoking fans wondering about the brand's sudden extinction.
“EMPHASIZING ON QUALITY RATHER THAN QUANTITY”
REEMERGENCE – Fortunately, La Gloria Cubana was brought back to life sometime in the 1960s. Since then, the brand has been rolling Cuban Cigars on a more limited basis, emphasizing on quality rather than quantity, producing truly artisanal habanos. During the 1990s, acclaimed blender Ernesto Perez Carillo revived the brand’s cigars collection, expanding the already loyal and devoted following of the brand even more. Well-known for their high quality average sized smokes, La Gloria Cubana cigars can undoubtedly satisfy the needs of every refined cigar smoker out there.
The brand still focuses on quality rather than quantity, and the La Gloria Cubana Invictos (Ex. Italia 2018) Cigar can certainly testify to that. Rolled in the very much adored Robustos vitola that measures at 124 mm in length by a ring gauge of 50, this Regional Editions habano is exclusively handmade for Italy and delivers a well-rounded yet medium in intensity smoke, typical of La Gloria Cubana Cigars. A more slim and elegant looking cigar, the La Gloria Cubana Medaille d’Or No. 4 Cigar is another great habano to come from the brand. Featuring a palmitas vitola, this cigar is capable of producing complex yet smooth aromas, an ideal smoke to puff throughout the day. Last yet equally impressive, the La Gloria Cubana Paraiso (Ex. Caribe 2014) Cigar speaks to cigar smokers who prefer milder aromas. Coming in 134 mm long by a 52 ring gauge, the paraiso cigar is relatively smooth in flavours yet provides a memorable smoking experience.
Left: La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No. 4 Cigar, Right: La Gloria Cubana Invictos (Ex. Italia 2018) Cigar
A brand that is underappreciated by many, looking at the history of La Gloria Cubana we came to realise the reasons behind the brand’s strong reputation of creating some of the most refined Cuban Cigars for Sale Online. Whether you are a cigar beginner or an avid cigar aficionado, La Gloria Cubana produces habanos of excellent quality, suitable for any type of cigar smoker out there. You can learn more about habanos from our daily updated Cuban Cigar Blog: