Beer, Motorcycles and Cigars — Beer, Bikes and Butts

I put together a great pairing tonight, selecting a big Glorioso La Gloria Cubana Serie N and, to set off the bold cigar, a nice crisp pilsner beer.

La Gloria Cubana Serie N

A real beauty with a very dark, Oscuro wrapper. I thought I might have scratched it with a drawer in the humidor or something, because there was a light spot on the wrapper, but then I realized it’s an “N” imprinted on the wrapper. Nice touch.

Nice rich smell before the burn. Perfect construction with no soft spots, and the cut held up to my now all-time favorite cutter.

[We interrupt this review for a quick discussion of cutters. I have a punch on my keychain at all times. I always liked that it gives such a consistent cut because then when I discuss the draw of the cigar, I know that it is not a function of my cutting job with a guillotine cutter, which can smash the cigar or cut too deep, depending on my cutting skills. Recently, though, the fine people at Drew Estates gave me a hat and cutter, similar to those in the photo. The guillotine cutter has a face plate which only allows the cigar to be inserted only a tiny fraction of an inch. The resulting cut is wafer thin, and always exactly the same (although that does mean that mob guys could not use it to cut off fingers like you see in the movies). Add to that some super sharp cutting blades, and this is one fine cutter that never mashes the cigar or cuts too deeply. I’ve used every type of cutter over my 30 years of cigar smoking, and for me this style of cutter is the way to go. Now back to the review.]

The Serie N is part of the La Gloria Cubana line, and is made with the aforesaid pitch-black Oscuro wrapper leaf, and a proprietary Nicaraguan binder and filler blend. The burn was absolutely textbook, and released great billows of smoke. The taste was great with no bitterness, consisting primarily of coffee, spice and cocoa. Like a good cigar should be, the Serie N was great throughout the burn, while at the same time presenting different tastes. I give the Serie N a 94 on The Morris Scale.

I enjoyed the Serie N so much I scouted around for a five pack and found a deal going on at Famous Smoke Shop. The Glorioso size goes for about $7 a stick on most of the retail sites, but Famous is offering the “Maduro Wingman #5″ sampler for $36, which included five of the Serie N Gloriosos, and five Oliva Cain 660 Maduro (6 x 60). The Oliva Cain 660 is also a great stick, so you’re getting ten memorable smokes for $3.60 each. A screaming deal. The deal only goes until October 3, though, so I hope you saw this review in time. As always, not a sponsor and no kickbacks, just passing along a good deal.

Here’s how Famous Smoke Shop described the Serie N:

La Gloria Cubana Serie N is a sister brand to the critically-acclaimed La Gloria Cubana Serie R. Proprietary Nicaraguan tobaccos are married with La Gloria’s signature Ecuadorian Sumatra wrappers. Through artisanal blending and by employing specific frontmarks to maximize the unique flavor, this stimulating, full-bodied offering is punctuated by spicy notes and balanced to reveal a refined smoke. An extremely well-executed cigar, and a must-have for any well-stocked humidor.

For a more detailed review of the La Gloria Cubana Serie N, see this very good review on Cigar Coop.

Pilsner Urquell

I’m not ashamed to admit that I like a good pilsner. It’s understandable that some beer snobs like to cop an attitude about pilsners, given that there are so many terrible pilsners. But don’t be a hater. A good pilsner can refresh like no other.

The Urquell, made in Czechoslovakia, pours a gorgeous gold, with a nice smell of toasted bread. The taste of hops come through in this pilsner, with a very nice crispy, carbonated mouthfeel. The taste is citrus with a very pleasant bitter follow through. A very good imported pilsner, rating it a 92 on The Morris Scale.

Posted on October 2nd, 2012 by Aaron Morris
Filed under: Beer, Beer Facts, Cigars, Reviews