Saint Luis Rey: Regios

The next cigar I am going to try as part of my cigar challenge is from the Saint Luis Rey cigar brand. I will be smoking the Saint Luis Rey Regios.

The stats:

Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 48
Strength: Full
Country of origin: Cuban
Cost: £18.99 @ CGars

Background:

The Saint Luis Rey cigar brand was founded in the 1940’s in Havana, Cuba.

The name is believed to be inspired by a popular 1920’s novel ‘The Bridge of San Luis Rey’ by American author Thornton Wilder. However it is more likely that the name stems from the town of San Luis, Cuba, in the heart of the Vuelta Abajo tobacco zone, particularly famous for the superb wrapper leaves produced there.

In terms of timelines, the Saint Luis Rey factory and its assets were nationalised by the Cuban government in the 1960’s. The brand was marketed exclusively to the UK market from the 1960’s to the 1990’s. After that Habanos S.A. began exporting this brand worldwide.

Today the brand is produced at the Briones Montoto factory in Havana, Cuba where Romeo y Julieta cigars are produced.

In terms of the Saint Luis Rey Regios cigar, this was a discontinued cigar that was re-released in 2018. This version sees a slight increase in length, from 47/8″ to the new 5″ vitola.

My experience:

This is a lovely looking cigar, totally reminds me of a Romeo y Julieta.

Upon cutting the cap and lighting this cigar I do struggle to identify any specific flavour notes to it. I’m not sure why. This feels more like a mild to medium cigar.

I get an even burn throughout, a lovely build up of ash and lots of thick and creamy smoke from it. This suggests to me that this cigar has a great construction, which I have grown to expect from a Cuban cigar.

I don’t get anything substantial coming from it, is that because I’ve acquired a taste for more full bodied cigars like the Partagas Serie E No 2, the Davidoff Winston Churchill Late Hour or the Drew Estate Liga Privada No.9, and everything else seems like it doesn’t match that high bar I have set. Maybe?!

I then put down the cigar and stop smoking it midway though 🤯. I think I just got bored of it somehow.

My rating: 7 out of 10. It wasn’t unpleasant and it’s good value for money, but I feel more than ever like I know what I want and what I don’t want with a cigar.

Next up… a Sancho Panza cigar!