Saint Luis Rey Lonsdale FOD JUL03

[Kingantz]

Nice review and pics! I picked up a fiver of these ('03), but haven't yet put fire to one. May have to do it soon. Thanks for the review!

[sandholm]

Thanks for the review, now I just have to get my hands on some of these...

cheers

[SmokinLightning]

Saint Luis Rey Lonsdale

FOD JUL03

Spending my Saturday in my home office working is only made bearable by being able to partake of some fine Habanos!

Late in the morning, and I choose this lonny to get my day going. Not the most attractive cigar in the world, a little lumpy and some small blemishes. Rigidly box pressed, almost square shape... a rather large soft spot near the foot. Wrapper color is an even tan, and the cigar gives off a pleasant odor of sweet timothy grass and cedar.

Clipped the cap and checked the draw... all is good! Prelight taste was pure clean hay.

Despite the distinct odors of sweet hay, the strongest taste impressions are all charred wood, with an accompanying layer that smacks of dry graham cracker without the sweetness... interesting and enjoyable. Cigar is producing billowing clouds of smoke with every smooth easy pull.

Entering the second third, and the sweet hay taste I've been anticipating appears, blending in with the charred wood. Flavors seem to lay on the tounge, leaving an pleasant aftertaste. I would catagorize the strength/body on the lighter side of medium. I wish every cigar produced smoke like this baby.

Into the final few inches, well over an hour into the cigar and it's still burning cool and straight. A small crack appears in the wrapper, but it burns right past it without any issue. Oddly enough, the cigar actually feels milder in strength now than it did at any other point... very refined. Delicate vegetal/floral and honey intertwines with the charred wood thats been the core of this cigar.

Tom (BigSlick) assures me I've smoked one of these before and hated it, and I've seen plenty of mixed reviews over this vitola... but I had a great experience with this particular example, I think she gave me her best effort, showing a lot of elegance. I'm tempted to fire up another after lunch.

I'm giving this one a 90, which is pretty damn high on the Keith-o-meter.

Thanks for reading!