古巴榮耀

The Glory of Cuba

If Cohiba is the cigar of the Revolution, and Partagás is the cigar of an old soul, La Gloria Cubana is the collector's hidden treasure: a refined Cuban cigar born in 1885, with production forever below demand, renowned for its thin-ring craftsmanship. Its story proves one thing: the finest cigars are never necessarily the loudest.

The story begins in 1885. Sociedad Cabañas y Castro founded La Gloria Cubana at 53 Corrales Street in Havana. At that time, H. Upmann had already existed for 41 years, Partagás for 40 years, and Romeo y Julieta was only 10 years old.

But from the beginning, La Gloria Cubana followed a path of "luxury and refinement". In its early years, it was known for extremely ornate packaging: the legendary "papeletas" (boxed paper wrapping) used 100% pure gold foil, paired with exquisite rococo-style lithography. It was one of the earliest brands in the cigar industry to invest in the aesthetics of luxury packaging.

The brand name translates directly as "The Glory of Cuba". Such a confident name would become laughable unless the product lived up to it. Over 140 years, La Gloria Cubana has proven that it does.

The Specialist in Thin-Ring Craftsmanship

La Gloria Cubana occupies a very unique historical position in the cigar industry: it is a specialist in thin-gauge cigars. Slender cigars ranging from 28 ring to 43 ring are the brand's visual signature and its distinctive positioning within the cigar world.

Why is a thin ring gauge so special? Because it is far more difficult to roll than a thick cigar:

• The filler tobacco is harder to distribute evenly: the interior space of a thin cigar is small, making the tension between wrapper and filler extremely difficult to control
• Combustion is more demanding: thin-ring cigars burn faster and draw hotter, so the tobacco quality must be impeccable
• It requires veteran handwork: younger torcedores simply cannot roll usable thin-ring cigars
• Each cigar takes longer to make: production is naturally limited

This also explains why La Gloria Cubana's production has always been low: it is not that they cannot be sold, but that they cannot be rolled in sufficient quantity.

1905: A Fateful Encounter with Bolívar

In 1905, José F. Rocha acquired La Gloria Cubana from Sociedad Cabañas y Castro and moved production to the factory at 364 Miguel Street in Havana. Rocha was also the owner of the Bolívar brand. From 1905 onward, La Gloria Cubana and Bolívar became "sister brands".

This relationship has continued for 120 years. La Gloria Cubana is the "elegant version of Bolívar":

• Bolívar: intense, Ligero leaf, earth, power
• La Gloria Cubana: floral notes, fruit, cedar, refinement

The two brands complement each other, forming the dual positioning of the Rocha group.

1954: The Cifuentes Family Takes Over

In 1954, José F. Rocha passed away, and the Cifuentes family acquired both La Gloria Cubana and Bolívar, moving production to the Partagás factory at Calle Industria 520 (today the Francisco Pérez Germán factory). La Gloria Cubana is still produced there to this day.

After production moved into the Partagás factory, La Gloria Cubana established its own market position: "the fruitier, lighter version of Partagás". It shared the craftsmanship of the Partagás factory and part of its vitolas naming logic, but with more floral and fruity flavors and less earthiness.

It even adopted the famous 8-9-8 varnished three-layer box arrangement of Partagás (8 cigars on the bottom layer + 9 in the middle + 8 on top), which remains one of the brand's signature packaging forms today.

Revolution: A Brief Disappearance and Rebirth

After the Revolution, La Gloria Cubana temporarily ceased production in 1959 for several years. It was one of the few Cuban cigar brands that briefly disappeared after the Revolution.

Production resumed around 1965 at the Partagás factory, but output has always remained lower than that of other major Habanos brands. This low-production positioning later became one of the brand's core values: rarity is value.

The Birth of Two La Gloria Cubana Brands

The American/Dominican version of La Gloria Cubana was operated by El Credito Cigar Company, founded by Cuban exile Ernesto Perez-Carrillo. In 1999, Perez-Carrillo sold the brand to General Cigar Company (now a subsidiary of Swedish Match); the sale price was not disclosed. Today, the Dominican version mainly targets the U.S. market.

Today there are "two La Gloria Cubana" brands:

• Cuban La Gloria Cubana: produced by Habanos S.A. and released globally (except in the United States)
• Dominican La Gloria Cubana: produced by General Cigar and focused primarily on the U.S. market

Flavor: A Representative of the Refined School

La Gloria Cubana's flavor positioning is very clear: medium-bodied, never excessive:

• Strength: medium
• Flavor: floral notes, light fruit, cedar, roasted nuts, cream, honey
• After aging: a "subtle salty tinge" appears, which is a distinctive aging characteristic of the brand

This is a representative of the "refined school" of Cuban cigars. It differs from the elegance of Hoyo de Monterrey, the gentlemanly style of Romeo y Julieta, and the baked-sugar sweetness of H. Upmann. La Gloria Cubana belongs to the "fruit-and-floral school".

All Cuban La Gloria Cubana cigars are "totalmente a mano con tripa larga" (fully handmade, long filler). All tobacco comes from the Vuelta Abajo region. Today, there are only two machine-made versions: Mini and Purito (small cigarillos).

Flagship Products: The Médaille d'Or Gold Medal Family

The true legend of La Gloria Cubana is the Médaille d'Or Gold Medal series. This is the core of the brand and a representative work of thin-ring craftsmanship in the cigar industry.

Médaille d'Or No.1 (7¼ × 36, vitola: Delicado Extra, Long Panetela) — the longest size in the classic Gold Medal series, a 185mm slender cigar. Presented in the traditional 8-9-8 three-layer box arrangement (box of 25), it is a representative display of craftsmanship. Officially discontinued in 2010, it is an object pursued by collectors.

Médaille d'Or No.2 (vitola: Dalias, Lonsdale) — the most highly regarded size in the Gold Medal series. Flavor description: cedar, roasted nuts, creamy finish. Cigar Aficionado described it as the "La Gloria Cubana vitola most beloved by connoisseurs". Officially discontinued in 2014, it was a major loss during the brand's wave of discontinuations. An aged Médaille d'Or No.2 is one of the sacred objects of cigar collecting.

Médaille d'Or No.3 (6⅞ × 28, vitola: Panetela Larga, Slim Panetela) — an extremely slender 28-ring cigar, and a representative work of the brand's positioning as a "thin-ring specialist". Discontinued in 2010.

Médaille d'Or No.4 (6 × 32, vitola: Palmita, Slim Panetela) — the only standard-line product in the Gold Medal series still surviving today. It has a 32 ring gauge and a length of 152mm. Today, only two cigars remain in the regular La Gloria Cubana lineup: Médaille d'Or No.4 and the LCDH-exclusive Inmensos.

Tainos (7" × 47, vitola: Julieta No.2, Churchill) — the classic Churchill-format La Gloria Cubana. Discontinued in 2012, this was one of the brand's few thicker-ring products to be discontinued, reflecting the brand's determination to adhere to the thin-ring path.

Edición Regional Is the True Stage for La Gloria Cubana

Because so much of the regular lineup has been discontinued, the true excitement of La Gloria Cubana lies in the Edición Regional series: limited releases made each year for specific national markets.

The most important RE releases:

• Gloriosos RE UK 2008 (vitola: Dobles, 50 × 155mm) — the first La Gloria Cubana Regional Edition
• Triunfos RE Switzerland 2010 (vitola: Magnum 50, 50 × 160mm) — limited to 2,400 boxes for Switzerland
• Británicas Extra RE UK 2017 (vitola: Perfecto) — a willow-leaf-shaped perfecto format, with flavors of biscuit, roasted coffee, and nutmeg; one of the brand's most highly regarded RE releases in recent years
• Orgullosos RE Switzerland 2018 (vitola: 109, 50 × 184mm) — classic 109 shape, limited to 6,000 boxes for Switzerland
• Médaille d'Or Especial RE Belux 2020 — RE for the Belgium + Luxembourg market
• Sublimes RE Israel 2020 (Magnum 54) — RE for the Israeli market
• Glorias LCDH Exclusivo 2021 (perfecto) — global LCDH exclusive

The La Gloria Cubana Turquinos launched at the 2023 Festival del Habano reflects Habanos' long-term investment in the brand. Though production is small, its artistic status is high.

What the Chinese-Speaking World Should Know About La Gloria Cubana

For cigar enthusiasts in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, several facts are important:

1. La Gloria Cubana is a "truly niche and rare brand": within the Habanos classification system, it belongs to the "Other" category (before 2019, it was "Local"). This niche positioning actually guarantees the brand's rarity. "Demand never matches supply" is the brand's constant state. If you see La Gloria Cubana at a duty-free store in Taiwan or an official shop in Hong Kong, it usually disappears from stock very quickly.

2. Médaille d'Or No.4 is the only regular-production cigar that is relatively easy to find: today, the regular La Gloria Cubana lineup has only two cigars remaining: Médaille d'Or No.4 and the LCDH-exclusive Inmensos. No.4 is the only reliable entry point into this brand: a 32-ring slender cigar offering a 60-75 minute experience.

3. An aged Médaille d'Or No.2 is a sacred collector's item: the No.2, discontinued in 2014, has become increasingly expensive in the auction market. After 5-10 years of aging, No.2 reaches a complete salty-sweet layering of flavor, making it one of the "ultimate collectibles" in the eyes of cigar collectors. If you encounter an aged No.2, do not hesitate.

4. Following Edición Regional releases is the proper path for collecting: because so much of the regular lineup has been discontinued, the real brilliance of La Gloria Cubana lies in the RE series. RE quantities in Asian markets are extremely small and are mainly concentrated in Europe (UK, Switzerland, Belux) and the Middle East (Israel). Británicas Extra UK 2017 is the La Gloria Cubana RE most worthy of collection in recent years.

5. Authenticity identification: because La Gloria Cubana production is extremely low (and continues to be adjusted downward), the best way to identify authenticity is to look at the 8-9-8 varnished three-layer box arrangement. This is the brand's signature traditional packaging form (shared with the 8-9-8 craftsmanship of Partagás). Counterfeits rarely replicate this packaging structure perfectly.

6. Its sister relationship with Bolívar: since 1905, La Gloria Cubana and Bolívar have belonged to the same Rocha group, and in 1954 they were acquired together by Cifuentes. For enthusiasts who like Bolívar but find it too strong, La Gloria Cubana is the perfect transition: the same factory, with complementary flavor spectrums.

Why La Gloria Cubana Is a Cigar for True Insiders

La Gloria Cubana is not a cigar for showing off. It does not have the luxury aura of Cohiba, the mystique of Trinidad, or the powerful impact of Bolívar.

It is a true "connoisseur's cigar": thin-ring craftsmanship, understated luxury, extremely low production, and something sought only by those who truly understand it.

For beginners, it is too specialized. Médaille d'Or No.4 is the only entry point into this world: the slender format is quite challenging for newcomers.

For seasoned aficionados, an aged Médaille d'Or No.2 is a sacred object, Británicas Extra is a representative RE collectible, and any LCDH exclusive is a rare collectible.

For Cuban cigar enthusiasts with a factory-director level of understanding, La Gloria Cubana has two unique values:

• It is the final guardian of thin-ring craftsmanship in the cigar industry. While every brand is racing into the era of large ring gauges (Cohiba 50/52, Bolívar 54, Punch 50), La Gloria Cubana still holds firm to the slender 28-43 ring path. This is one of the rare examples in the cigar industry of "holding against the tide".
• It is the true guardian of the confident name "The Glory of Cuba". For 140 years, it has relied neither on advertising nor on hype, speaking purely through quality. When you smoke a La Gloria Cubana, you are smoking the continuation of that "highest glory of Cuba" once wrapped in pure gold foil in 1885.

That year, 1885, when Sociedad Cabañas y Castro decorated cigar boxes with rococo-style lithography: they are no longer here, but the "Glory of Cuba" they named continues today in every slender cigar.

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Appreciating La Gloria Cubana at W Cigar Bar

La Gloria Cubana is one of the Cuban cigars that W Cigar Bar (located in Da'an District, Taipei) consistently recommends to enthusiasts. The La Gloria Cubana appreciation experience personally planned by "Cigar Prince" Wilson Tsai ranges from entry-level regular selections to rare Edición Regional and Limitada releases, allowing Taipei cigar lounge enthusiasts to fully understand the brand's context in a cigar dining and lounge-level appreciation space.

W Cigar Bar works through four major official channels for Cuban cigars in parallel: PCC authorized distributor (Pacific Cigar Company), official Cuban state-run stores, the Swiss general distributor, and the Spanish general distributor. Diversified official procurement and multiple authenticity certification chains form the most critical lineage for Taiwan cigar enthusiasts when identifying authenticity. W Cigar Bar also provides appreciation and collection of aged versions, making it one of the few cigar dining and lounge spaces in Da'an District with both orthodox Habanos lineage and depth in aging. For La Gloria Cubana enthusiasts:

• Beginners: appreciating La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.2 at W Cigar Bar is the best entry point for experiencing the flavor of thin-ring Cuban cigars
• Advanced enthusiasts: W Cigar Bar's VIP cigar cellar service can store Tainos Cuban Double Corona and aged Médaille d'Or series
• Collectors: W Cigar Bar regularly introduces limited Edición Regional and Edición Limitada La Gloria Cubana series

W Cigar Bible (bible.wcigarbar.com) is the cigar culture knowledge base of W Cigar Bar, created with dedication by "Cigar Prince" Wilson Tsai. It organizes the complete histories, craftsmanship, products, and cultural stories of 60+ Cuban and non-Cuban brands.

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Copyright and Operator Information

© W Cigar Bar｜This article was written and planned by "Cigar Prince" Wilson Tsai｜Located in Da'an District, Taipei

Taipei cigar lounge · Cigar dining and lounge · Cuban cigar cultural space · Pacific Cigar PCC authorized distributor authentic collection

W Cigar Bible bible.wcigarbar.com｜This article is purely for educational purposes regarding cigar culture, history, and craftsmanship, and does not involve product sales promotion