Limited edition is the name of the game with today's selection.  The La Gloria Cubana Trunk Show series is limited to two cigars in one vitola each....only 500 boxes of each exist.  In most cigar offerings that would mean a killer price tag making the cigar unobtainable to most budgets.  Not the case here.  The real draw here is the unique smokeable band on each.  The LR-1 features a die-cut tobacco leaf band you can burn right through.  Its sister cigar, the YG-12, which is a massive cigar, sports a band printed with a vegetable gum dye....a paper band that you can plow through too.  After the Foundry cigar wrapper explosion debacle, I followed my original instinct and grabbed the LR-1.  Next trip to The Market, I will grab the YG and we'll try that one too.  The La Gloria folks claim the smokeable band is something new but I have seen it in The Face by Tatuaje....while that " band" is more of a blend into the wrapper.  So how does this LR-1 smoke?  Let's see....

Construction: The Trunk Show LR-1 is absolutely gorgeous.  The wrapper is supple and velvety in texture with some fairly prominent veins.  There is a nice heavy weight to the cigar as well...usually a good sign.

Pre-light Aroma and Draw: The LR-1 gives off a very fine aged tobacco aroma out of the cellophane.  Just thinking about what this cigar is makes the mouth water enough so finding that nice sweet aged smell makes it even better.  The draw is perfect.  Not too open.  Not too closed.   

Light and Burn: It took me four matches to fire this baby up - but it came to life quite easily.  I was just being extra careful not to scorch the wrapper.  The burn at the opening is spot-on perfect.  After a bit I developed a hot-spot that needed some spit applied to cool it off.  This tilted the burn a little but not anything worrisome.  As the cigar progressed my even burn OCD was tested with a slightly wonky burn until the final third when it finally evened back out.

Tasting: Starting up there is a nice leathery spice.  Very Don Pepin in character.  Into the first third I picked up leather, spice, earth, and a nice nutty wood.  The flavors really blend well and the effect of this proprietary blend of eight to ten year old tobaccos is incredible.  The LR-1 gives off a tremendous amount of sweet smelling smoke laced with a a strong cedar spice.  Truly remarkable.  Into the middle third and flavors of oak and leather prevail.  Flavors are heavy and smooth, coating the palette with a creamy tobacco with a very interesting floral undertone.  There is an amazing lemon zest note mixed with cocoa as well.  Complexity has never been the name of La Gloria's game so this cigar is quite a shock.  The final third leaves behind the lemon zest and replaces it with a nice woody cocoa and leather flavor.  Can't wait to get to the band.  The LR heats up towards the end.  As the band starts to become part of the smoke, I pick up a nice walnut and cocoa addition to the flavors.  Eventually the band pulled away from the wrapper but the flavors it imparted were excellent.

Value: For an extremely limited edition cigar the Trunk Show comes in at $10....and I call that an amazing value!

Final Thoughts: I have long been a fan of La Gloria Cubana.  Last Christmas, my Fianceé bought me a box of the Rabito de Cohnino.  For my 38th birthday, I got a box of Artesanos de Tabaqueros.  Were these Trunk Show LR-1 cigars more available, these would be on my list as well.  This is a fantastic cigar that I can honestly highly recommend.

Wrapper: Habano Connecticut Fino
Binder: Double Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium to Full

Size: 7 x 52

The LR-1 is a gorgeous cigar

The die-cut smokeable band

Here we go....

It really IS smokeable!

All that remains of the band after I put it out