Hypothetical: Rebuilding Saint Luis Rey

[El Presidente]

 

 

 

Hypothetical: Rebuilding Saint Luis Rey

Saint Luis Rey hit the scene around 1940, created by Zamora y Guerra in Havana and aimed squarely at the British market at a time when London merchants were driving serious volume in Cuban cigars. The name is generally linked either to Thornton Wilder’s novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey or more likely to the tobacco town of San Luis in Vuelta Abajo. Take your pick, both work. Pre-Revolution it built a strong following as a richer, more muscular alternative to some of the softer Havana brands of the day. After 1959 it was nationalised along with everything else and continued under Habanos, traditionally rolled with Vuelta Abajo and Semi Vuelta tobaccos. For years it remained largely a UK-focused brand before getting broader global distribution in the 1990s. Profile wise, Saint Luis Rey has generally leaned medium to medium full bodied earth, spice, leather, honey.  

So good people, what do we really have left today in regular production? 

• Saint Luis Rey Regios 48 × 127 mm (5″) Hermoso No 4
   

That’s basically the core. A marque that once had depth now feels bloody thin. And yet the bones are good. Strong name. Strong profile. Loyal following.

So I’m putting you in charge of Habanos Marketing again.

Using Cuban Cigar Website as your guide.https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/saint-luis-rey
And keeping in mind that whatever you bring back has to sell, not just make the anoraks happy.

1. From discontinued regular production, which one do you reintroduce and why?

2. From the Regional or LE catalogue, which one graduates to regular production?

3. What custom Saint Luis Rey format would absolutely knock it out of the park commercially?

Think commercially smart. Think global palate. Think something that would actually move boxes.

 

[Li Bai]

1: I would revive the Serie A and the DC at least.

2: I'd graduate the Adamastor as regular production.

3: I'd love to see a SLR piramide or campana.

[JohnS]

44 minutes ago, Li Bai said:

1: I would revive the Serie A and the DC at least.

2: I'd graduate the Adamastor as regular production.

3: I'd love to see a SLR piramide or campana.

It's very difficult for me to go past this. Frankly, this nails it for me. I too want the Serie A and Double Corona back. The only concession I'd make is to tell someone in my Marketing Department that the Double Coronas can now be packaged in an ordinary dress box of 25.

The Portuguese Regional Edition Saint Luis Rey Adamastor would be a quality addition to the Saint Luis Rey marca. Would anyone here seriously say no to a Saint Luis Rey Laguito Especial being available in regular production? Maybe on price, yes, but not on blend...surely?

And for the final coup de grace, how about a Saint Luis Rey No.2? Yes, that would truly kill the current 'dead in the water' reputation of the marca and bring it back to life. Heck, it's been done with Quai d'Orsay, why not Saint Luis Rey?

[amberleaf]

I've always believed that every marca should have a regular production Mareva/Petit Corona. Bring that back first, then consider a Corona Gorda. 

[Habanoschris]

I'm also thinking add a petit corona...and then a pyramid and/or grand corona.

[westg]

Something to sink your teeth into, so to speak.

A double perfecto 180 x 57 with plenty of love to/ the wrapper shade. Then a little elegance to the flip side - a small panetela 29 x 135. 

[Fugu]

Honest answer? Meanwhile, I don’t care anymore, really. Personally, I still got enough of the old discontinueds in storage, plus some Regionals (including their Piramide and the Campana). Why should I want to pay double for a current rehash with Short Robustos and Robustos Extras? (…what else to expect, when thinking “commercially smart”?) Obviously nothing in it for me. While I may wish for personal fave formats, it won’t happen - look HdM, QdO, HU Magnum and Conny series etc. Or perhaps even pay triple to quadruple for - now declared - ‘specialties’, a la QdO Imperiales? Thanks, but no thanks!

“Global palate”? In fact, I’ve been a fan of the local/niche brands concept of old: Bringing limited runs of particular cigars to a particular audience under consideration of local cultural preferences. Don’t try to cater everything to everyone globally. All this market streamlining, while perhaps making the bookkeepers happy, is truly uninspired/uninspiring from the smoker’s point of view (at least afa I am concerned). 🙁

Sorry to be of no help, HSA. But didn’t come here to please the bookkeepers. 😅

[Ruggerpgh99]

I just wish the Regios was more available. Really wish I could find a box anywhere, ever. 

[Mike Mecklenburg]

1) Change the band back to the "Standard Band B". It has more detail, classy and embossing is better.

2) Offer all 3 sizes in "Top Flip Cardboard 5 pack" and Dress boxes of 25.

3) Bring back the Double Caronas and make a Half Carona. Keep the Regios.

 

[yuppie]

1) Serie A because there is not enough Corona Gorda in the portfolio

2) I love the Adamastor and there really aren't enough Lanceros, but the La Cuna is also an amazing smoke

3) Probably the Churchill or Double Corona, going toe-to-toe with RyJ and Hoyo respectively

Probably my #1 brand, I just love the RootBeer/Coca-Cola flavors and with some age they can calm down to cinnamon graham cracker marshmallow goodness. The following is loyal for a reason and I wish we could cut down some of the other brands exhausting list of vitolas to bring back a little more SLR. Diplo just got a new regular production Robusto, bringing their regular vitola offerings up from 1 to 2. So there is a glimmer of hope!

[joeypots]

Series A and The DC.

Throw a Lonsdale in with those two and I'll be happy.

The Coronas Inmensas at 48 × 167mm (6⅝″), discontinued in the 1970s, would be a beautiful cigar.

[BrightonCorgi]

1. Coronas Inmensas & Piramides No.1 - Both popular size cigars today

2. Marquéz or Pacificos - Popluar size cigars and were generally well received when they came out.

3.  See anwsers for 1 & 2.  

I would start from scratch on SLR. Never been a fan and very few devotees.

[El Presidente]

2 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

and very few devotees.

 

I will call BS on that one. It's hard to be a marque "devotee" when there is nothing to devote yourself to 

SLR would have more devotees than Cuaba, Sancho Panza, Vegas Robaina. 

[BrightonCorgi]

15 hours ago, El Presidente said:

It's hard to be a marque "devotee" when there is nothing to devote yourself to 

Exactly. Even when the DC's were available, they would languish. Nor were they anything to write home about.

This is why starting from scratch is the path forward if it's even worth the effort.

[Duxnutz]

Belicoso - the Regional SLR Belis were good. 
 

 

[Ford2112]

Petit Corona and a Churchill would be my personal choice, but a Corona extra would work. Maybe a piramide.

[El Presidente]

13 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

if it's even worth the effort.

Distributors think so given it's Regional popularity/performance, coming in at number 9 ahead of Quai d'Orsay. There is a pulse! 

Distributors have to put their money upfront and wear the risk. They normally don't take too many risks. 

I think there is plenty of life left in the  "old girl" Saint Luis Rey. 

 

[Tunkat92]

1) Hands down the Double Corona

2) Germany’s recent Belicoso, just was well balanced and enjoyable smoke. I have no clue why this wouldn’t be in Habanos regular production.

3) Personally I would love to see a Ninfa or MdO4 sized cigar, but I believe a Piramides in a SLB or 5x3 box of Tubos would be an excellent seller. 

[Lucas Buck]

1) DC no doubt. Smoked cabs of these. Absolute stunners. The best DC I’ve ever smoked. Had an ‘01 a while back and just broke my heart all over again. 
2) Adamastor for sure. 
3) I want an SLR Ninfas!!!

[griller]

9 hours ago, yuppie said:

1) Serie A because there is not enough Corona Gorda in the portfolio

2) I love the Adamastor and there really aren't enough Lanceros, but the La Cuna is also an amazing smoke

3) Probably the Churchill or Double Corona, going toe-to-toe with RyJ and Hoyo respectively

Probably my #1 brand, I just love the RootBeer/Coca-Cola flavors and with some age they can calm down to cinnamon graham cracker marshmallow goodness. The following is loyal for a reason and I wish we could cut down some of the other brands exhausting list of vitolas to bring back a little more SLR. Diplo just got a new regular production Robusto, bringing their regular vitola offerings up from 1 to 2. So there is a glimmer of hope!

This nails it for me, except I'd remove the DC & add the Lonsdale.

When I first got into Cubans in 1996, SLR was the 1st marque I sampled after my original dive into the standards like Montecristo, Partagas, and Punch. Sampling turned into low key obsession, especially with the Serie A, Lonsdale, and Churchill. Would love to see their return since I'm a Powerball Lottery win away from being able to afford them when they appear on BR. 

[BrightonCorgi]

13 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Distributors think so given it's Regional popularity/perfomance, coming in at number 9 ahead of Quai D'Orsay. There is a pulse! 

SLR should be ahead of QdO, IMO. More important marca to Habanos history.

 

[loose_axle]

I'm with @Li Bai and @JohnS and oh to smoke an SLR DC again! 

[BrightonCorgi]

13 hours ago, loose_axle said:

I'm with @Li Bai and @JohnS and oh to smoke an SLR DC again! 

They'd have to introduce 10 and 25 counts instead. 50 only presentation won't cut it at today's prices unless it's a limited release.

[Li Bai]

Speaking of the Devil...

[loose_axle]

9 hours ago, Li Bai said:

Speaking of the Devil...

Now that's just showing off! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!