Cigar Preview: La Gloria Cubana Trunk Show 2013 Series

The La Gloria Cubana Trunk Show series is returning for a second consecutive year. It was at the 2012 IPCPR Trade Show where La Gloria Cubana introduced the La Gloria Cubana Trunk Show Twenty Twelve series. This consisted of two limited edition cigars (the Liga LR-1 and the Liga YG-23). True to the tradition of innovation within the La Gloria Cubana brand, these cigars introduced unique smokeable cigar bands. For the Trunk Show 2013 Series, there are three new blends that are introduced – each once again with smokeable bands.

For the three blends, two offerings (Liga YG-23 and Liga MG-08) will be positioned for brick and mortar retailers. A third blend (JD-05) will be positioned for internet and catalog retailers. The cigars will be packaged in 26 count “trunk style” boxes. A limited production run of only 500 boxes per blend will be issued.

In a press release issued by General Cigar, Michael Giannini, General Cigar’s creative director, and the man behind the Trunk Show concept said, “Jhonys Diaz, Yuri Guillen and I are constantly experimenting with blends, most often working with tobacco from General Cigar’s extensive library. Many of these tobaccos are extremely rare and limited in quantity, which prohibits us from developing new collections with them. Instead, we are making these special blends available in small batches, to share with true cigar connoisseurs.”

For the Trunk Show Twenty Twelve, two styles of bands were introduced. The Trunk Show Twenty Twelve Liga YG-23 used a homogenized tobacco leaf to resemble an actual cigar band. Meanwhile the Trunk Show Twenty Twelve LR-01 used an an intricate die-cut band made from tobacco leaves in the shape of the La Gloria Cubana logo. Similar styles are also used for Trunk Show 2013.

Trunk Show 2012 YG-23 –
Appearance of an actual paper band

Trunk Show 2012 LR-01 –
Intricate die-cut La Gloria Cubana logo

As has been a trend with many of the La Gloria Cubana limited releases over the past year, larger ring gauges will be the focus.

Liga YG-23

While there was a Liga YG-23 in the Trunk Show Twenty Twelve series, the blend for the Trunk Show 2013 Liga YG-23 is different. The name comes from its Master Blender Yuri Guillen. For this blend, Guillen worked exclusively with tobaccos from 2005-2008, focusing on hearty, high priming leaves to deliver a powerful smoke.

For the Trunk Show 2013 Liga YG-23, this will use the die-cut design instead of the homogenized tobacco leaf band that was used on the Trunk Show Twenty Twelve blend.

The Trunk Show 2013 Liga YG-23 will be a brick and mortar exclusive.

Liga YG-23

Packaging for Liga YG-23

Blend Profile

Wrapper: Havano Connecticut
Binder: Not disclosed
Filler: Not disclosed

Vitolas Available

The Trunk Show 2013 Liga YG-23 will be issued in one size – a 6 7/8 x 58 vitola. This cigar will have an SRP of $8.95.

Liga MG-08

The Liga MG-08 gets its name from General Cigar’s Creative Director, Michael Giannini. Giannini has a long history with La Gloria Cubana since it came to General Cigar and has garnered a reputation as a “mad scientist” in terms of blending and packaging.

For the Trunk Show Liga MG-08, Giannini worked with proprietary tobacco to build the blend. The only information we know is that he used “a Havano Ecuadoran Ligero and opted for leaves with a high content of natural oils, to deepen the intensity of flavor in his eponymous release.”

For the Trunk Show 2013 Liga MG-08, this will use the homogenized tobacco leaf band.

The Trunk Show 2013 Liga MG-08 will be a brick and mortar exclusive.

Liga MG-08

Packaging for Liga MG-08

Blend Profile

As mentioned proprietary tobaccos went into this blend, but we do know Ecuadorian ligero was incorporated.
Wrapper: Proprietary
Binder: Proprietary
Filler: Proprietary

Vitolas Available

The Trunk Show 2013 Liga MG-08 will be issued in one size – a 7 x 60 vitola. This cigar will have an SRP of $9.25

Liga JD-05

The Liga JD-05 is named for Master Blender Jhonys Diaz. For this blend, in order to achieve deep flavor and complexity, the leaves of the blend were allowed to linger in tercios and bales.

The Liga JD-05 will be packaged with both the homogenized tobacco leaf and the die-cut tobacco leaf band styles. The blend will be common to both band styles.

The Liga JD-05 will be offered to internet and catalog retailers only.