Wrapper: Costa Rica
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Honduras, Peru, Nicaragua
Size: 6.125 x 52 Belicoso
Body: Full
Price: $5.00 by the box of 25
Written by Katmancross
Saint Luis Rey Reserva Especial Belicoso
When I get cigars delivered by truck, no..not the truckload, but by the mailman or UPS…I try a cigar right away. I want it to talk to me. And it does. It tells me its potential. And it tells me roughly how long I will let it rest before I get the full blossom of the cigar’s flavors.
I didn’t think much of this stick on receipt. It was less than blah.
I waited a couple weeks and nothing had changed.
I waited 6 weeks, and KAPOW!
Let us start from the beginning.
Construction is good. The stick is firm without soft spots. Seams are tight. But there are some pretty ugly veins that look like they came from the Frankenstein Monster running up the length of the cigar.
The color is gorgeous. A very light tan with a beautiful reddish hue. The red and gold band compliments the color of the cigar nicely.
This is a belicoso so the shape is very difficult to roll. A torpedo cap but the from that point downwards towards the foot, there is a gentle widening of the circumference of the cigar…very nice looking. No #4 torcedor did this.
I do the sniff-o-rama and I get a faint aroma of coca and apricot. At the foot, the tart/sweet apricot aroma is strong.
I clip the puppy with my Xikar. And ohh…the aroma of apricot, where I just cut the cap, is like opening a fresh jar of apricot jam.
I get a perfect draw. And smoke billows like a Pennsylvania coal chimney. The char line is looking pretty good.
And then the spice hits. Plus a sweet tobacco flavor. The sweetness coats my lips and makes them feel almost sticky.
There is also a cereal component. A rich bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon. The strength is just about medium.
This cigar is nothing like I thought it would be when I received it. I admit, I am a schmuck. The blend combos are simply bizarre. But it works.
Because this is an inexpensive cigar and because it is an old school cigar, it doesn’t get much respect on the internet. Not hip enough. But I am telling you that this cigar deserves your attention. The price is right and all you need to add is patience.
An inch in, I get a bit of citrusy…or more like orange zest. The spice continues to ramp up incrementally.
I know from the last cigar, that the first third is tasty, but unremarkable. It is not until the second half begins, that we see some action.
As I enter the second third, the body goes into overdrive. It is more than medium but less than full. The Netherworld.
I take a big swig of water and my palate becomes awash in sweet fruitiness. I was hoping the apricot aroma would translate to one of the flavors, but alas, it does not.
I recently did something that most cigar smokers already know, or do. I bought a pipe. Those little gizmo skewers that you stick through the nub of your cigar may work like a roach clip but it does not keep the cherry from burning your mouth. Stuffing the nub into the pipe allows me the opportunity to finish the cigar in a nice cool fashion milking the flavor to the very end.
At the second half, some creaminess shows up complimenting the other flavors nicely. And following that, I get some cocoa and coffee. Very typical of Nicaraguan leaves.
There is definitely a cappuccino taste going on.
The last third takes the cigar to full on full on full on….LOL. I am getting a nicotine buzz. Time to slow down a bit.
The creaminess brings the last third to its zenith. The spice of red pepper is strong and making my nose run. The sweetness component is hanging tough.
This is a very good cigar. And the price point makes it an extra treat.
