Cigar:            La Gloria Cubana Serie R #4

Size:             52 x 4.88"

Country:          DR

Wrapper:          ECSU, E

Binder:           DR

Filler:           DR/Nic

Flavor Strength:  Full

NicotineStength:  Medium

Date Received:    2005-08-09

Suspected Age:    NA

Vendor/Price:     BD gift from brother in law, $3.55 at JR's

Beverage(s):      Kenya AA Coffee, water

Smoke time:       1:30

Date:             2005-10-08

Posted to ASC:    2005-10-09

Overall score:    3.3/5.0

Overall:    Full flavor and medium to medium-full nicotine strength.  Starts with sweet leather and aromatic cedar with some pepper.  As the smoke progresses the sweetness fades, and the cedar increases.  Midway through a harsh edge built at the back of the throat.  Perhaps my expectations overwelmed reality.  It was a good stick, but not great.  I would NOT buy a box, but I'd buy a 5-pack to see what a few months aging will do.

Ambience:   Afternoon in the sunroom dealing with insurance and FEMA forms.  Old friend, JW, stopped by with a couple of beers.  Turns out he lives just around the corner.  As such the latter half of the smoke was somewhat distracted. 

Appearance: Stout little sucker.  Light brown mottled wrapper with a small vein or two.  Short uneven cap.  Very firm.

Cut & Prelight:   Sweet alfalfa/barnyard aroma.  Cut very well yielding an open draw and a flavor just like the aroma.  Pepper on lips and gums.

First third:      First couple of puffs, spicey, pepper, with a leather back.  Firm, slightly flakey, off white ash.  Good, even burn.  Okay, but not copious smoke volume.  Sweet leather and cedar, still some pepper.

Second third:     Sweetness has waned.  Leather and cedar in the foretaste, and slightly peppery cedar in the aftertaste.  Some aftertaste harshness at the back of the throat and palate built.  As cigar warmed wrapper split from the foot exposing the binder.  Cedar increased in the foretaste.  Set down in the ash tray, I turned my back and heard a crackling.  I turned around and watched as the wrapper split spirally another couple of inches until stopped by a vein.  Had to hold the wrapper together while smoking.

Third third:      Noticed a nicotine buzz.  Less leather, and more cedar.  Smoked to 3/4".