Saint Luis Rey Churchill

[Ken Gargett]

Box is BMOUSU.

For anyone who can’t get hold of the SLR Double Coronas, this is a fantastic alternative. Again, our glorious leader (Mel, thanks for the support and the much-considered suggestion of malicious slander but if you lived in Queensland, you’d have seen how he outed a couple of innocent mates in the state paper last week, re their Cuban antics, and we still don’t know why) assures me that the box reference means 1998. It really does show how a few years in the humidor can add an amazing dimension to a smoke. Old light brown, milk coffee appearance with a box press, there was an array of flavours - coffee and cream, honey, spice, nuts. Just terrific. Immaculate burn and the coolest draw I can remember. Flavour was consistent throughout. Keen to see what a young one is like but if one never smoked a worse cigar than this, you’d be very happy. Smoked this while watching those upstart thugs from St Kilda cop a hiding from the glorious Lions - that was almost as good as the smoke. 93.

[Curmudgeon]

» For anyone who can’t get hold of the SLR Double Coronas, this is a

» fantastic alternative.

I think they're pleasant cigars, but I don't think they're in any sense an alternative to the DCs. I think they're considerably milder and I don't think they have similar flavors.

[Ken Gargett]

i agree very much with the reference to these as milder cigars than the DC's but what i was getting at with the 'alternative' comment was not so much as similar flavours but as a quality statement for those who cannot get hold of the DC's. can only go on what i experienced and, perhaps age has played a major role (age on the cigar, not me), i found these terrific. i'll revisit them shortly.

[Ken Gargett]

tried another from the same box and it was far less impressive. had some mildly attractive flavours and a mild draw, reasonable burn but really had no highlights in flavour dept. similar to when a bottle of wine is ever so slightly corked and the fruit is flattened. will try again as curious to know if the first was just a standout that I jagged and that this is really the true standard or vice versa. hopefully it is vice versa. by coincidence, smoked this during another lions game (brisbane's aussie rules team) and this time they lost after the siren. i'm sure that this would have nothing to do with my thoughts, could it? 87.

[Ken Gargett]

Had another crack at these and back to the form of the earlier one. Lovely dark wrapper though obvious box press (same box as before). This started with strong earthy, dark choc and especially woody notes. Plenty of power. Not to the extent of the DC’s, but more than most would offer. After about one third, it had settled down well and much richer and more complex. Again the very consistent burn, a nice neat little cone which persisted through most of the cigar. Deep, thick smoke. After that first third, was very consistent for the rest of the stick. Like this a lot but that makes it 2-1. 91.

[Ken Gargett]

Sept 05. At Lisbon. Really have had mixed success with these. Have long accepted that they fall well short of the stunning DC’s but some terrific and others just seem tired and average and almost dull. All the ones I have tried (around half a dozen) have come from the same box - got it from Rob and it had around 7 years on it so they should be at peak. Very much box press appearance. Nothing wrong with construction or burn but, and you’ve guessed that this is one of the lesser efforts, simply that it did not shine. A little earthy. Possibly being excessively harsh on these as know how good they can be. Will persist as those that have stood up are more than worthwhile. Wouldn’t life be dull if everything was perfect! 87.

Sept 05. These are like a yo-yo. Tried a second on the trip just near the end and while perhaps not as good as some of the earlier ‘good’ ones, it was a mighty step up. No idea why these are so variable. Does have an earthy note but much more life and a richer flavour. Has good length of flavour, some spices, dark coffee bean notes. Slight raisin note. Much more subtle and mild than the DC but good flavour. Curiouser and curiouser. 90.

[Ken Gargett]

Have had a real mixed time with an aged box of these, some very good and others equally disappointing. The good ones have a lovely mildness (all relative and this is ‘mildness’ for SLR) and attractive complexity. The lesser ones seem quite dull. These was one of the better ones with that mildness and complexity and some woody and even a hint of citrus in the flavours. 89.