La Gloria Cubana Orgullosos Exclusivo Suiza, MSU OCT 18 (R90)

[Guest Nekhyludov]

I'm taking the spirit of this review comp to mean "the last cigar that really blew your hair back" and not necessarily "the last cigar you scored 90 points exactly." That would be a pretty common, if still high, bar. Most anything worth taking up humidor space for is going to routinely hit 90. At least in my resource-constrained world.

I was recently able to pick up a second box of Orgullosos, so I feel a bit freer to dip into my first. And this review comp is an excellent excuse to re-visit a cigar that has impressed me enormously over the last year and a half. Although I'm certainly no connoisseur of the marca, the Orgullosos, the Glorias German Regional from 2016, and the Inmensos LCDH are - to my palate - the most accomplished expressions of the LGC DNA in the past 20 years. And they smoke very similarly. 

The Orgullosos starts with a wonderful cold aroma that's rich with sweet cedar. After a straight cut around the midpoint of the tapered head, it ignites easily and produces a perfectly firm Cuban draw with just the right resistance. 

1/3: One of the most impressive traits of the Orgullosos in my experience is that it manages the trick of smoking like a 10 to 12 year old cigar, basically from the day it leaves the rolling table. And that's on display from the first draw. The profile is elegant, balanced, and complex. There's the distinctive dry mineral note that calls to mind much more mature Habanos, a nice rounded cedar note, and a fruity/nectar sweetness.

2/3: The second third doesn't unveil any new flavors, but does display a nice bit of evolution in the existing profile. The mineral note sharpens and takes on a more straightforward sea salt character, while the cedar and nectar harmonize into a single, balanced topnote. The body has ticked up a bit, from mild to medium. Technical performance has been practically flawless.

3/3: Now the flavors themselves begin to shift. Some mild - but distinct - white pepper begins to hit the front of the palate and displace some of the woodiness. That leaves a profile that reads basically as salt and pepper, with some floral sweetness lilting around the edges. The retrohale retains some of the wood character, but it's heavier now. The body has increased again, now sitting at just above medium. 

Final Score: 95 This isn't a perfect cigar, but it's close enough to be in the conversation. I would rank the recent 109s (excluding the legendary Edmundo Dantes, of which I haven't had the pleasure): Eslavo > Orgulloso > Bushido > Kon Tiki. Come at me  ... Only kidding. Don't do that. 

[NSXCIGAR]

I missed out on these late last year. LCDH had a few boxes and one for retail at ~$30 each. Waited a week and missed them all. I had a feeling these were going to be scooped up fast...and they were.

[Habana Mike]

A great cigar!

Managed to pick up a few on release.

One came through with some shipping Issues.

Elephant stepped on it!

Luckily a friend offered to fix them.

[havanaclub]

It’s an outstanding cigar. I have only had one so far and it blew me away. Glad I have a box. Nice review!!


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[TheMonk]

A great cigar indeed, one of my favorite 109s to date - to me, much better than the Bushido!

[Puros Y Vino]

I smoked one a little over a week ago. Fantastic cigar!  For those of you that scored boxes: you've got a winner on your hands.

[Hoepssa]

 

what a winner!

smoking so well just after they are on stock.