Lane Limited La Gloria Cubana

I like this tobacco, it burns very well, has medium to low body. Medium acidity, low bitterness, and a little sweet and spice. The aftertaste is kind of rubber-like, however it is very enjoyable. Good for an everyday tobacco.

I’m surprised this has so few reviews. I picked this up a few years ago. Apparently, I also forgot to review it.

With all the English tobaccos on the market , This is a little different in presentation. There are some large thin “flower pedals” of tobacco mixed in which I don’t recall seeing before. I had to double check because I thought for sure it was cigar leaf, however according to the description that is not the case. I really like the tin art. One of my favorite English tins to admire. The smoke had a tendency to burn a little hot before it was set in a jar for a while to air and age. Fresh it was still good, had mild complexity and id say it’s a very Englishy English. But if you give it that time, It’s extra smooth and enjoyable, lights and packs easily and again it is pretty typical English blend. Large billows of creamy smoke. It’s quality English.

OK, raise your hand if you bought this one strictly for the cool tin art. For me it trumped being scared off by the idea of a "cigar style" tobacco. Thankfully, the product has (as other reviewers pointed out) really nothing to do with being cigar-like.

The tin opens up to a deep, savory, raisin/bloody beef smelling mixture that won't be ignored and causes saliva glands to dew up. The stuff certainly falls on the English side of the style wheel, though without as much Latakia charcoal or spicy Oriental I've seen in others.

Texture packs well and moisture levels are a go, so spark this rocket up! Great tasting, full flavor smoke with solid nicotine. It commands some respect, but not so far as to cause choking or the need for a leather tongue. Huffing quickly may bite a tad however. As a heavy tobacco, I wouldn't consider this an all day smoker, but would be a great companion with a snifter of (insert favorite brown liquor here).

For me it was a nice change of pace from the Latakia heavy English (say Dunhill's Nightcap), without any of the bitter taste I associate with a cigar.

I am finger happy to write a few lines on this blend because back when I lived in the US La Gloria Cubana was one of my regular cigars. Heck, the tin art is the same as the ring art of the above mentioned cigars, so as soon as it got back in stock at a local B&M I ordered a tin - building about 6 months of anticipation.

Right off the bat, the plastic round film covering the tobacco didn't sit right with me, I just have a prejudice against putting plastic and tobacco in the same sentence. Any road, the nose was something very familiar, somewhere in between old Romanian Cigarettes and those 1980s Camel Cigarettes that my father in law loved so much. Must be the oriental I said to myself ... and indeed it was, I will get back to that in a bit. The moisture level was dry by my standards (I for one like an above average moisture level in my english blends), not bone dry but just a little bit springy dry, with some unusable crumbs left at the bottom of the inner paper. I also blame the fast pace of the smoke on this dryness - it does tend to get a tad hot, but nothing one cannot handle. Spark, fire, puff puff ... disappointment, no cigar leaf, no Gloria Cubana of 10-15 years ago, but one heck of a spicy smoke. The oriental is quite forward, and the latakia a second violin. The perique is there with you all the way, as one can feel the peppery presence, but as far as my taste buds go I get little flavor from it. Virginia ... well some grassy sweetness seems to complement the latakia, so there is your virginia. I like this blend, mostly because it gives a degree of diversity to your otherwise rather flat english trend. The spiciness of the oriental assisted by all the other good stuff is interesting, but I am not sure at this point if I would have it as an all day smoke for that exact reason. The nicotine hit is above medium to my taste, so again a smoke to be enjoyed after a rich meal, or late in the evening with something strong. I would be comfortable to label this as a 3.5/4, but definitely not a full 4 star - it lacks a smoothness that I appreciate in these types of blends.

Review Edit: after smoking a full tin I am confident to say that this is definitely in the 3 star area, unlike my previous opinion. It's a uni level Balkan blend that leaves room for little evolution as aged in the jar six moths down the road, and in the bowl. It just gets boring after a while. A decent smoke that turned out to be nothing out of the ordinary.