In April 1968, the El Credito Cigar Factory opened in Little Havana and for decades, they turned out handmade, Cuban-style smokes for the locals. All that changed 25 years ago when high ratings transformed the factory’s La Gloria Cubana line into one of the most-wanted cigar brands available in the U.S.

Known as “the original boutique brand,” La Gloria Cubana returns to its roots with “Colección Reserva,” a special new line developed collaboratively with former brand owner and master blender Ernesto Perez-Carrillo. Colección Reserva celebrates the last 25 years of the brand’s unwavering success.

Ernesto Perez-Carrillo said, “La Gloria Cubana Colección Reserva is based on a blend I created in the 1980s, after I took over our Little Havana factory from my father. I am very proud of this cigar because it complements the other blends in the line and has a taste profile that will appeal to people who have smoked La Gloria since the brand first hit it big in the 90s. To me, Colleción Reserva speaks to the legacy of La Gloria Cubana and proves that while so much has happened with the brand, nothing has changed.”

Jhonys Diaz, who oversees General Cigar’s cigar making operations worldwide noted, “My team and I have always admired Ernesto for his unique approach to cigar blending, and have remained friends since he left the company to establish EPC Carrillo in 2009. We were thrilled at the opportunity to work with Ernesto again, and are very proud of Colleción Reserva.”

A full-time addition to the La Gloria Cubana portfolio, La Gloria Cubana Colección Reserva reflects Ernesto’s blending expertise and features the world’s best proprietary tobaccos. The blend begins in Ecuador, under intense cloud cover and in the shadow of the Andes. There, in the Los Rios province of the Quevedo region, bracketed by two volcanoes, the alluvial soils and microclimate yield a Sumatra wrapper with abundant natural oils and exceptional flavors of earth and spice.

Beneath the wrapper lies a blend of Nicaraguan seco and ligero leaves selected by Ernesto and cultivated just once a year. Colleción Reserva is bound by a Nicaraguan viso leaf and delivers a rich and refined flavor, with notes of leather, cedar and spice.

The three-cigar collection is handcrafted at Tabacalera La Alianza in Santiago, DR and will debut in July across all retail channels. La Colección Reserva will be marketed and sold through General Cigar Company.

Presented in a box inspired by Ernesto’s personal humidor, the collection will launch with the following vitolas, each packaged in boxes containing 20 cigars:

Robusto (5.5”x 54); SRP per cigar is $7.59

Torpedo (6”x 54); SRP per cigar is $8.29

Presidente (7.5”x 54); SRP per cigar is $8.99

In support of La Colección Reserva, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo will make special appearances at fine cigar shops across the U.S. to share the history of La Gloria Cubana.