La Gloria Cubana. For cigar lovers, the name says it all. Once the best kept secret in Miami, the rich, full-bodied cigars produced by cigar-master Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr. and his team are now some of the most sought-after in the world. But had it not been for a bad case of the jitters, modern smokers might never have known the joy of La Gloria Cubana. After immigrating to the United States from Cuba with his parents shortly after Castro came into power, young Ernesto dreamt of becoming a famous jazz drummer. In 1968, his father and namesake founded the El Credito Cigar Factory on the famed Calle Ocho in the heart of Little Havana. Rather than join the family business, Ernesto moved to New York City and started gig-ging at some of the city’s hottest jazz clubs. His moment of truth arrived when he was given an audition by legendary tenor saxophone player Stan Getz.
“I went to his house, and when it came time to play I was so nervous that I just froze up,” Ernesto told The Imbiber during a recent tour of the cigar factory. “(Getz) looked at me and said, ‘Maybe you need a little more practice.’” Practice doesn’t pay the rent, however, so Ernesto headed back home and, upon his father’s death in 1980, assumed control of El Credito. The early ’90s were very good for the cigar industry, particularly El Credito. In addition to several great reviews in Cigar Aficionado magazine, it also didn’t hurt to have the likes of Schwarzenegger and Stallone coming ‘round Little Havana buying up La Gloria Cubana smokes by the caseload. Of the stuff I sampled at El Credito, the Corona Gorda frontmark (that’s cigar-ease for size) was the favorite. The Corono Gorda ($4.40 each) goes quite nicely with a single-malt Scotch — say, an 18-year-old Highland Park — or some fine Irish Whiskey like Redbreast’s 12-year-old. If you’re smoking post-din-din, pair the Corono Gorda or a La Gloria Cubana Wavell frontmark ($3.90) with a port (try Dow’s Trademark Finest Reserve) and some chocolate. A little jazz music enhances the flavor, too … Ernesto recommends Stan Getz! (E-mail questions, comments or suggestions for the Imbiber to)
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 8, 2005. Read the original PDF.