Cigar Weekly

jazznut · 07-30-2006, 04:24 PM

"Celestial Seasonings"

La Gloria Cubana Médaille d’Or No.2

Country of fabrication: Cuba
Dimensions: 6.75 inches by 43-ring gauge
Type of cigar: Dalias
Date issued: Unknown
Date smoked: Sunday July 30th, 2006

Setting: A sun-drenched afternoon on the back porch.
Accompanying drink: Orange pekoe tea with honey.

Appearance: The colour of the wrapper comprised deep cocoa bordering on Van Dyke brown, and was profusely embellished with burnt umber markings. A few raised veins coursed over the surface, while grannular tooth softened the sheen to semi-gloss. A perfectly executed triple-seam cap came crowned by a flattened head. The filler leaves, meanwhile, ranged from straw ochre through burnt sienna to dark cocoa brown.

Construction: Quality of fabrication was first-rate, with good compactness translating into a medium-firm finger feel.

Combustion: The hue of the solid ash varied from medium grey to charcoal, and the burn angle maintained an essentially straight edge. I experienced no problems whatsoever.

Total smoking time: Just over 1 hour.

Pre-light aroma: The fragrance of the unlit La Gloria Cubana exuded a predominant scent of caramel-infused earth with chocolate overtones.

Opening: The initial sensation was of an ethereal mildness, gentle notions of citrus, grass, chocolate mint and cardamon seeds dusted with sugar caressing the palate. Toasted tobacco lay hidden in the background.

Early stages: Subtle calcareous notes veered toward starchy root vegetation as a very discreet dose of bell pepper appeared.

Mid portion: A more pronounced interplay of citrus and herbaceous tones occurred, with light pepper alternately darting beneath and rising above the core of barely toasted tobacco. The elusive counterbalancing sweetness hinted at summer blossoms and honey.

Latter stages: Marginally fuller tobacco emerged alongside richer earthiness, now imbued with bittersweet chocolate and peppermint. The overall effect remained quite delicate in nature, however.

Summary: Relatively light? Yes. Subtle and complex? Certainly. Delectable? Undeniably!

07-30-2006, 04:24 PM	#1
jazznut Managing Editor Emeritus Herf God Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 26,082	La Gloria Cubana Médaille d'Or No.2 "Celestial Seasonings" La Gloria Cubana Médaille d’Or No.2 Country of fabrication: Cuba Dimensions: 6.75 inches by 43-ring gauge Type of cigar: Dalias Date issued: Unknown Date smoked: Sunday July 30th, 2006 Setting: A sun-drenched afternoon on the back porch. Accompanying drink: Orange pekoe tea with honey. Appearance: The colour of the wrapper comprised deep cocoa bordering on Van Dyke brown, and was profusely embellished with burnt umber markings. A few raised veins coursed over the surface, while grannular tooth softened the sheen to semi-gloss. A perfectly executed triple-seam cap came crowned by a flattened head. The filler leaves, meanwhile, ranged from straw ochre through burnt sienna to dark cocoa brown. Construction: Quality of fabrication was first-rate, with good compactness translating into a medium-firm finger feel. Combustion: The hue of the solid ash varied from medium grey to charcoal, and the burn angle maintained an essentially straight edge. I experienced no problems whatsoever. Total smoking time: Just over 1 hour. Pre-light aroma: The fragrance of the unlit La Gloria Cubana exuded a predominant scent of caramel-infused earth with chocolate overtones. Opening: The initial sensation was of an ethereal mildness, gentle notions of citrus, grass, chocolate mint and cardamon seeds dusted with sugar caressing the palate. Toasted tobacco lay hidden in the background. Early stages: Subtle calcareous notes veered toward starchy root vegetation as a very discreet dose of bell pepper appeared. Mid portion: A more pronounced interplay of citrus and herbaceous tones occurred, with light pepper alternately darting beneath and rising above the core of barely toasted tobacco. The elusive counterbalancing sweetness hinted at summer blossoms and honey. Latter stages: Marginally fuller tobacco emerged alongside richer earthiness, now imbued with bittersweet chocolate and peppermint. The overall effect remained quite delicate in nature, however. Summary: Relatively light? Yes. Subtle and complex? Certainly. Delectable? Undeniably! __________________ My whisky adventure began at the age of nine. Good things DO take time!