Once upon a time in Chicago in 1896, a Ukrainian immigrant called “Mr. Sam” Paley opened a cigar factory. He made cigars under the brand name “La Palina,” and used a picture of his wife in a Spanish costume as the box art. “La Palina” was a way of saying “the female Paley,” and so, in essence, the brand is named after his missus.
Her name was Goldie.
Eventually, the brand was revived by Mr. Sam’s grandson Bill Paley, and he produced Goldie cigars in honor of his grandmother. Goldie, of course, was a somewhat expensive stick, as the name might indicate. The La Palina Illumination cigar is the company’s attempt to make things a little more affordable without losing the core character of the blend.
This version trades the medio tiempo leaf of the Goldie for ligero to offer a better value with a similar flavor profile. It’s rolled at the El Titan de Bronze factory in Miami, so it’s an American smoke (kind of). It uses a variety of tobaccos including an Ecuador Habano wrapper and binder, as well as a Dominican and Nicaraguan filler blend. The flavors are quite nice, actually: honey, vanilla, and a dash of ground white pepper. With a 91 rating, it’s clearly one of those rare smokes that manages to deliver high quality and value at the same time.
What a bright idea!
Please browse our selection of La Palina Illumination cigars at your leisure.
