La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No. 1 2001 (SvHC)

[Philc2001]

I smoked this skinny last week and thought it would qualify for the competition. This is a classic skinny, with medium color, minor veins, and lightly applied cap. The cigar was mostly straight, just a couple of little wiggles through the length, but evidently well rolled with no soft or hard spots through the length.

As with most cigars this age there is not much pre-light flavor, but the draw is spot-on perfect, just a tiny bit of resistance. Upon lighting I was rewarded with ample smoke, and a nice light spicy flavor profile, with a tinge of sweetness. This is a sipping cigar, one you need not be rushed to smoke.

As I soaked my feet in the pool I watched the sunlight dance on the bottom while the light flickered like diamonds on the surface. It was hot, but too unbearable. I paced myself through the first quarter, enjoying the woodsy character with a cool bottle of Stella Artois. Subtle hints of cocoa and spices came and went in a nice artful blend of toasted tobacco. I took in the beautiful sunny splendor along with the sound of nature.

It still doesn't sync with my senses, but the lack of human activity and the sounds that normally accompany them really make the sounds of nature stand out. I can hear multiple birds chirping on all sides as though they are trying to outdo one another. I can hear the odd tap-tap-tap of a woodpecker chopping through the bark of a neighbor's tree, the pool fountain dribbling water into the pool, it is all so refreshing not to have the racket of open exhaust cars racing, or the rumble of jet airplanes overhead, or the whirring of the helicopters flying over to the nearby hospital about 2 miles away.  Although hot, I don't quite know whether it is the lack of smog in the air, or whether the short rainfall overnight cleared the air, but it seems so clear today, and the sun so bright, I just don't recall the atmosphere around here being so clean and clear.

About half way through I had to find some shade as I was starting to get cooked in the south Florida sun. So I went inside to get another beer, and while I was there I grabbed the machete from the garage,  I parked myself undercover of our patio and went to work cutting the coconut my wife harvested from the yard in the morning. The cigar snuffed out just past halfway, and I had relight it because I took too long while I was adjusting logistics, but that's no fault of the cigar. 

Towards the end of the second third and throughout the final third the body picked up gradually, and the profile changed slightly with a touch of earth and nuts. Cigar smoke stayed consistent, and the burn was flawless throughout. I had to continually remind myself not to pull hard or too often, the subtlety of the flavors are so delightful I think they would be overwhelmed if you suck on this vitola too aggressively. 

As I nubbed this lovely discontinued vitola I had hacked about 2/3 of the way through the husk of the coconut. My machete blade could use a sharpening.    

This was a beautiful sipping cigar you can really enjoy slowly, with classic cuban blending and finesse. I wish I could find more of these slender morsels, it is a wonderfully balanced treat. Despite 19 years of aging, the cigar still has a beautifully pleasing aroma and tasty toasted tobacco core with a terrific subtle complexity that just puts the fat canons to shame. This is a cigar from the glory days of Havana, a rich and expertly blended cigar like few others. What a shame Habanos couldn't see past their narrow minded pursuit of fads to spare this and so many of its slender brethren. RIP MdO No.1.