The History Behind the Lady
In 1972, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Sr. officially launched La Gloria Cubana in the United States and later established El Credito Cigar Factory in Miami’s Little Havana. Soon after, the La Gloria Cubana legacy was born. Carrillo began handcrafting La Gloria Cubana cigars that reflected the deep tobacco heritage of the Perez-Carrillo family and took the brand into the modern age, eventually transforming La Gloria Cubana into one of America’s most iconic cigar brands. For the next two decades, La Gloria Cubana was regarded as ‘Little Havana’s best-kept secret’, which built a small but loyal following over time.
In 1980, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Sr. passed away, leaving El Credito to Perez-Carrillo Jr. Utilizing vintage labels and old-world-style artwork for its packaging, Perez-Carrillo continued to follow in his father's footsteps and used milder blends. In 1990, Perez-Carrillo Jr. released a bold new recipe which featured an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan/Dominican fillers, which still exists today as the La Gloria Cubana Classic. This cigar not only pushed the envelope of what fans expected from La Gloria Cubana, but it also helped La Gloria Cubana become even more renowned.
In 1992, the La Gloria Cubana Wavell was featured in the first issue of Cigar Aficionado and scored a 90-point rating. Overnight, demand skyrocketed with around 26,000 cigar orders placed in one day due to the rating. This moment solidified La Gloria Cubana as the original boutique brand success story and has helped shape our future ever since. To keep up with the demand, Perez-Carrillo Jr. expanded production beyond Miami, opening a second El Credito factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic, in 1996.This allowed La Gloria Cubana to reach an annual production of over a million cigars by 1997.
As the original boutique cigar brand, we’ve always pushed boundaries for ourselves and the cigar industry as a whole. Some of La Gloria Cubana’s greatest innovations that put us on the map include our Serie R–the first time a major premium brand released a 6x60 as a regular production cigar. We also tapped into old-world crafts, using a Spanish Press technique that was unique to the market. In addition, we polled our Society Members to help create two different cigars, because the only thing we value as much as quality is our fans.
Today, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr. is still producing exquisite blends crafted at Casa Carrillo. Our most recent blend, Los Gloriosos, is not only crafted in collaboration with Perez-Carrillo, it also embodies the innovative spirit and dedication to heritage of La Gloria Cubana. If you’ve ever wanted to enjoy one of the original cigars from the early days of La Gloria Cubana, Los Gloriosos is the cigar to take you back. Now, you can take home a piece of La Gloria Cubana history with a humidor signed by the godfather of La Gloria Cubana, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr.
Click the link below to enter for your chance to win!
Member of the Month
Get to know Brent Elrod
Hear his stories, learn his favorite cigars, and why he loves The Lady!
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Favorite Cigar
The Spanish Press
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What's your favorite way to enjoy a cigar? Favorite drink pairing? Favorite playlist or music to listen to while smoking?
I host the Sticks-n-Stonez Cigar & Spirits show, so I try to be very relaxed and in tune when I pair my cigars and spirits pre-show. I want to soak in the flavors and aromas and make notes of what I experience. Usually, I have Vizio's naturescapes playing in the background, just soft, gentle music with no words and various outdoor videos playing. It helps calm the mind and focus.
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What's one of your favorite memories with La Gloria Cubana?
Pairing the Spanish Press with Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum and how well they paired. The dark, rich rum offers notes of toffee, brown sugar, orange peel, and vanilla that complement the sweet and spicy undertones of the Spanish Press.
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How would you describe La Gloria Cubana in one word?
Impeccable
For more information about Brent Elrod, check out our Instagram. If you want to be featured as our next member of the month, be sure to drop us a message on Instagram or Facebook!
You could win this Serie R Esteli Humidor!
Want to win a humidor perfect for on the go and all of your favorite La Gloria Cubana blends? All you have to do is click below and enter for your chance to win.
Final prize may differ slightly. Giveaway ends Tuesday, August 4th at 12PM ET.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. 50 US/DC (EXCLUDING MA, MI, and VA) smokers 21+ only. Subject to Sweepstakes Rules at bit.ly/ForgedSocialRules and terms of this post. Void where prohibited.
