In its heyday, La Gloria Cubana was at the front of the full-bodied
assault on cigar smokers. Now it seems that LGC has occupied a niche in
the medium-strength crowd after being usurped by the true
full-strength cigars. I honestly dont see how cigars can get much
fuller/stronger.
Anyway, I digress. The man behind the LGC blends was Ernesto Perez
Carrillo who founded the El Credito Cigar Company in Miami. I say was,
because hes gone his own way after selling the business to Swedish
Match. Now he, his daughter, and his son are producing cigars under the
EPC brand.
Last years EPC Short run was pretty good, however were going to
burn the 2011 version today. But just how short is a short run? Just
1500 boxes of each size was produced, so yea, I'd say that's a short
run.
Todays smoke is a 4.8 x 50 Robusto that is stuffed full of
Nicaraguan and Dominican tobacco wrapped up in a caramel colored
Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper. The wrapper is almost seamless and is
virtually vein-free.
The pre-light sniff is leathery and spicy. After firing it up, the
initial flavors are straight from Nicaragua. Leathery and earthy with
lots of pepper, especially through the nose.
About a third of the way in and the cigar seems to settle down with
creamy coffee and dry-roasted peanuts adding their influence. At this
point the cigar doesnt get much stronger than medium.
The burn is straight and the draw is lush with each puff producing a huge volume of smoke.
Halfway through and the cigars flavors seem to explode (sort of like
when you dont stir Kraft macaroni and Cheese well enough and you have
those flavor bursts of cheese), intensifying in both flavors and
strength. Every puff is an adventure. I can feel the strength behind my
eyeballs and in my gut.
Towards the band, the smoke settles down again completing an eventful, flavorful cigar experience.
Available for around $5 a stick. Yea, I'd buy more.
