2007 Saint Luis Rey Double Corona Forum Group Review

[BigSlick]

Have not read this thread to keep an open mind on my DC.

Sorry fellas, I'm a little late on this one. Will have my review in by this weekend. TD

[Ken Gargett]

what was the code for the cab for this part of the experiment?

[jdbrown]

Ken

I believe it was March AEP 07..I too have been somewhat shocked by the reviews. I had a few singles from the same boxcode last summer and have a full cab of March AEP but have not touched. Either these went for a nap or a less than stellar box. I will try one this weekend!

[greenpimp]

Wow. And that brutal honesty after 2.5 weeks without a cigar. Truly disappointing.

[Colt45]

I am going to try to remain focused on the evolution aspect of this exercise. It shall be interesting.

I've enjoyed the reviews so far (including yours KG, rum imbued and all).

Will it be the emperor's new clothes, or the comeback kid........

[Jimmy2]

Ken you must try Diplomatico Rum out of Venezuela its much better than Zacapa 23yr give it a try.

Not as sweet as RZ but very smooth and complex a great sipping rum.

RZ was my goto Rum as Zaya too but Dip is much much better.

[Ken Gargett]

» Ken you must try Diplomatico Rum out of Venezuela its much better than

» Zacapa 23yr give it a try.

»

» Not as sweet as RZ but very smooth and complex a great sipping rum.

»

» RZ was my goto Rum as Zaya too but Dip is much much better.

thanks jimmy. will keep an eye out. have not seen it here but we are starting to see quite a few new rums.

[El Presidente]

Very good review Ken.

I am more interested than ever see the development of this SLRDC. In many ways we as a group have certainly set a floor for the cigar to work with. In many ways if the cigar were spectacular then the task at hand would be more difficult.

[smokum]

Prez...curious as to why you chose this particular cigar for this experiment. I think you should use this team and expand the experiment to say....one cigar frome each vitola that is considered the finest of that size. :-D

[El Presidente]

» Prez...curious as to why you chose this particular cigar for this

» experiment. I think you should use this team and expand the experiment to

» say....one cigar frome each vitola that is considered the finest of that

» size. :-D

Nice try...no cigar

[Ken Gargett]

» Prez...curious as to why you chose this particular cigar for this

» experiment. I think you should use this team and expand the experiment to

» say....one cigar frome each vitola that is considered the finest of that

» size. :-D

great minds. did i not already suggest this? at least you got a response, even if the incorrect one.

it could be a landmark experiemnt over years that future generations would speak of in hushed tones, awe in their voices. it just needs a bigger picture person to give it the green light.

[smokum]

Dammit !!! OK so why did you chose this one anyway you tightwad

» Nice try...no cigar

[Ken Gargett]

great stuff though i'd love to see even a ballpark score.

but for smoks from the same cab, that is very different to mine. in fact, it looks much closer to what i am used to. has that rch brown and oily shen. mine had none of that.

what about others who've done the test? was yours like this one?

[tapewormboy]

Tom you need more beer in your glass buddy.

Great review! I'm very jealous of your 70 degree weather.

[smokum]

No to my eye...was rather dry.

[BigSlick]

» great stuff though i'd love to see even a ballpark score.

» but for smoks from the same cab, that is very different to mine. in fact,

» it looks much closer to what i am used to. has that rch brown and oily

» shen. mine had none of that.

» what about others who've done the test? was yours like this one?

86/100 last 1/3 was the take-away for most of the points.

Forgot to mention that after getting the jist that others had not enjoyed this cigar, I dry-boxed it for 24 hrs. TD

[BigSlick]

» Tom you need more beer in your glass buddy.

»

» Great review! I'm very jealous of your 70 degree weather.

I guess you noticed the incredible, multiplying beer bottles? :cool:

[nugget]

Introduction - Here goes...

Previous SLR DC Experience.

I’m sure I have one of these cigars around 2003 – 2004 but at that time had a very young palate and no were near the same appreciation so I will consider this my first.

Drink

The Dalmore Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky.

“The Black Isle” Aged 12 years.

Setting

Sitting outside by the pool in an area out of the wind, it’s the late afternoon and a typically beautiful sunny and warm time of the day.

Cigar

Visual

Very clean looking cigar, no major veins in leaves, straight and consistent.

Wrapper

A light creamy brown wrapper with a very smooth feel and a somewhat mat appearance.

Construction

One of the better rolled cigars. I’m very impressed with the even weight and medium packing of the cigar throughout all the way from the cap too the foot. I could not fault the cigars construction.

Aroma at Cold

Has quite a dry tobacco smell together with hints of lightly roasted nuts.

Pre Light Draw

What I would call a medium draw, no clear resistance. More tobacco flavors are coming out but I would say sweeter as well as on the lips.

Taste

First Third

Combustion

Very good.

Aroma

A sweet light aroma in the air.

Burn

Great burn, very even and remained so after short rests.

Ash

A very light grey ash that held together well and experienced no flaking.

Complexity

Was lacking real body or complexity at this time although was very smooth.

Flavors

After the initial sweetness went I was getting a papery/chalky tobacco that came across a bit bland. The smoke volume was good and gave a slight creamy aftertaste.

Second Third

Combustion

Still very good and has remained consistent.

Aroma

Increasing in smoke, the aroma is giving an impression of more body than smoking the cigar.

Burn

Perfect, hasn’t changed or even looked liked doing the wrong thing.

Ash

The ash has remained the same, no flaking and solid in the ash tray.

Complexity

This third has increased in complexity yet still has not shown itself to be much more than a few mild flavors.

Flavors

Getting a more rich tobacco flavor, along with some light coffee, light pepper and cedar coming through. The body has increased along with the strength at this point.

Final Third

Combustion

More dense through this third but falling away near the end.

Aroma

Becoming a bit harsh and lacking the pleasant sweetness it began with

Burn

The burn has remained very good throughout the cigar, one of the more consistently burning cigars I have had for some time.

Ash

Still as mentioned above however starting to slit and flake near the end.

Complexity

During the second third complexity was building and was looking to continue but this was not the case. Just after the start of the final third all complexity was lost and didn’t return.

Flavors

As well as the complexity all the flavors now seemed to all get together in one making it impossible to define any individually. The cigar has become harsh and ashy in flavor that has past the point of real enjoyment.

Construction

Construction was as I said earlier and showed in the combustion, burn and ash. It was only the last 2 ¼ inches that everything fell apart, the wrapper split, the ash was flaky and the previously beautiful draw gone.

Comparisons

The start came across like a HDM DC of which I have had many. Middle way I would say it compared to a Cohiba Siglo IV or even III. I would not like to compare the end.

Conclusion

To me this was a good mild body and flavored cigar that was smoked too early. It showed signs during the centre indicating it could become something of beauty but was too young and uneven. I will give it a rating of 81/100 but am sure it will improve.

I am thankful to be part of this and looking forward to reading other thought now and for the years to come.

[Ginseng]

Wilkey's FOH SLR DC review, first of 5 in an ongoing series.

Cigar received: February 15, 2008

Cigar storage conditions: 67% RH, 61F

Cigar smoked: April 12, 2008

Smoking conditions: outdoors on my porch, 65F, partly sunny, light breeze

Accompaniment: water

Code: AEP MAR07

Previous experience with SLR DC: none that I can recall

Prelight Impressions

This cigar is well constructed with a nicely assembled cap and even application of the tawny wrapper. The wrapper looks healthily supple without the appearance of exceptional oiliness or dryness. It is not stretched or torn. The bunch appearance at the foot is reasonable and coupled with a nice, even springiness in the barrel suggests the draw will be acceptable. Cold aroma is leathery tobacco and initial draws prior to lighting reveal a pleasant, earthy, leathery character.

Initial Impressions

Lightup is uneventful and the foot ignites and burns evenly. The draw is easy-light medium and smoke volume is high. The drawn smoke is heavy on the palate, very dense and oily in texture. The diluted smoke expelled nasally is biting and sharp, quite at odds with overall sensation which is light-bodied, woody, with hints of generic sweetness. Drawing lightly reveals a light leather character with pleasant floral notes and even a touch of aromatic "perfuminess." The medium-gray ash is moderately stiff though it exhibited a fluffy appearance.

Middle Stage Impressions

I ashed and purged at the 1/3 mark. This reveals a toasty character along with the medium-bodied tobacco. The general impression is of a clean flavor that is simple and composed of only one predominant layer. In a word, this is an inoffensive and simple cigar that is not compelling in any aspect. The burn continues to be reasonably straight, requiring almost no touch-ups. The aftertaste is still essentially plain, fresh tobacco and duration on the palate is lingering but not particularly enthralling.

Past the half way mark, the cigar has still not changed or developed in any way that I can detect. At the onset of the final third, the cigar has started to develop a tarry scent from the trailing smoke at the foot. This is also starting to manifest in the drawn smoke. I start to have more difficulty keeping it burning straight or burning at all.

End Stage Impressions

I allow this cigar to go out shortly after entering the final third. The tarriness coupled with an unchanging, simple and rather dull character results in a cigar that is, in a word, boring.

Overall Judgment

At this point, this was a big, inoffensive but dull cigar. On the presumption that this cigar is expected to age and develop, I would say it has some potential. I base this on the extreme density and oiliness of the smoke. Further, although the overall impression was of a light body, the taste delivered scattered packets of flavor that I'd describe as "bound up" in the sense that undifferentiated flavors were exceptionally intense. I associate these "packets" with the future evolution of additional flavor and aroma notes. In other words, the seeds of complexity.

It is interesting to note that the SLR DC performed pretty much exactly as the SLR Churchills tubo that I reviewed here with the exception of these flavor packets.

I don't usually put a number on the cigars I smoke but if pressed, I'd say for present smoking, no more than 85 and perhaps as low as 80.

Wilkey

PS. I did some additional research by procuring cigars from another cab of AEP MAR07 and a cab from EST NOV07. The other AEP MAR07 cigars smoked substantially the same as this specimen. The EST NOV07, however, was considerably more muted, muddled, and "dumb." Cold aroma was indistinguishable, however, with no hints of ammonia from either set of alternate cigars. I have to wonder if the additional 8 months age had started to pull the AEP code out of the doldrums. If this is the case, then I think it bodes well for the continued development of the cigars under study in this series of reviews.

[El Presidente]

Thank You Wilkey! I don't appreciate you setting a new standard by using montage photography

I am looking forward to seeing these cigars in 12 months. ;-)

[Colt45]

Previous SLR DC Experience:

I've smoked (and still have) a number of '05 samples. To date, I've found them to be rather straightforward

and not very complex.

Drink:

No drink along with this cigar.

Setting:

Rather dull - a bright sunny day, low 40sF, winds receding from the gale force of the past few days

to a more manageable breeze. Just me, a folding chair, pen and paper in a sunny corner.

Construction:

Weight felt proper, foot showed a nice bunch, head under cap seemed a bit tightly rolled. There

was a slight but noticeable ribbon indentation in the barrel. Felt quite hard at the head.

Wrapper:

Light caramel in color, silky to the touch with a light sheen of oil.

Relatively vein free. Beautiful in appearance.

Aroma at Cold:

Slightly funky tobacco. Lightly perfumed.

Pre light Draw:

Slightly tight with a light taste of sweet tobacco.

Taste

First Third:

Smooth buttery mouth feel, a bit of white pepper. Straightforward tobacco with a very light fruitiness

on the front and mid palate - finish is rather bland / papery.

A good draw that is just on the tight side, with good smoke volume. A very good burn. Light gray ash

with medium striations which held well - very good combustion. At this point, medium in body,

very smooth with no hard edges.

Second Third:

More of the same. Finish picks up hints of anise on some draws, becoming slightly longer.

Fully medium / medium plus in body. Shows great depth, though lacking any real complexity.

Continues a straight burn, picking up a bit more fruit on the finish, which is also moving from

papery to a light cedar, though still rather arid.

Draw remains on the tight side of excellent while smoke volume remains acceptable.

Smooth and buttery remains the dominant feature. Past mid point of this third, finish becomes

smoother and fruitier - almost juicy.

A few nasal exhalations accentuate the fruit and shows a bit of almond. The aroma as

well shows some amaretto.

Final Third:

Draw opens slightly, with a bit more smoke volume. Cigar on the whole begins to show

a bit more anise, especially on the finish. Nasal exhalations continue to show fruit

the likes of a hard fruit candy. Showing some earthiness with a sense of mint on the front

of the palate and the tongue. Moving toward full bodied but remaining smooth and

not what I'd consider strong. Burn and ash remain true. Late in the game the finish offers

a heightened sharpness, but is not bitter or harsh. A one time hint of coconut macaroon.

No real spice to speak of. Becoming slightly more earthy and leaving a youthful tingle

on the tip of the tongue. Very late becomes somewhat green and medicinally minty.

I set it down with just over an inch left.

Conclusion:

Overall, enjoyable enough, but still out of sorts and showing it's youth. Not very complex at this time. 86/100

I'm thankful for the opportunity, and look forward to reading the already posted and forthcoming reviews.

»

»

[El Presidente]

Saint Luis Rey Double Corona.

Friday afternoon and Smithy came to visit us ….just in time for the Friday afternoon BBQ. Smithy learned a hell of a lot while working here at Czar house.

I can tell you that cooking the team BBQ at Czar house is a nerve wracking experience. Lisa and Diana are Nazi’s on how they like their steak cooked. The sliced potatoes on the hot plate have to be done “just right” and this week they threw Halloumi cheese into the mix….”Rob…Chrispy on the outside….but not melted”

Post lunch I thought it a perfect opportunity for Smithy and I to do our SLR DC reviews. We partnered the SLR DC initially with some Melting Pot Shiraz and later Santiago Rum.

This cigar looks magnificent. Soft and silky wrapper. Aroma at cold is dark and rich. Construction feels a little hard. Weight in hand appears a little too heavy. Clipped the cap and the draw was firm but fine. Flavours on the palate from the pre light draw were a mix of tobacco and hay.

The SLR DC took easily to flame. Real softness to the smoke but also a little white pepper through the nose. Light/Medium bodied…stretching toward medium the longer the cigar progressed. I am initially let down by the lack of complexity to the smoke itself. There is a bready heart and a hint of sweetness but all in all the first third of the cigar is protecting her modesty. The SLR DC has no intention at this stage to walk away from our initial encounter with us saying any more than ‘She was a lovely girl”. Smithy and I discussed the fact that we could sense the real quality lying beneath but we just could not taste it at this stage. The burn was a little funky on my example. Aroma reminded me very much of a Sir Winston….baked shortbread and tobacco.

The second third introduced some nuances of vanilla, orange peel but only in “flashes”. The bready core remained intertwined with weak milk coffee. It has now reached a solid medium in body. Volume of smoke washing across the palate has increased and it has benefitted the cigar as a whole. More depth of flavour and yet the flavours are still quite underdeveloped.

The final third was set up for a crescendo where the fair maiden ran from the nunnery and became a high class show girl full of feathers and colour. Unfortunately not. The SLRDC managed to somehow go backwards as the youth of the cigar shone through with some ammonia notes which resonated as wet cut grass. This pretty much washed away the more subtle flavours which I had been enjoying to this point.

Overall a disappointing cigar. It has potential…the question is how much? This is what we will learn over the course of this experiment.

I have had plenty of 07 SLRDC from this code but none since mid November. They have definitely changed and are entering what appears to be a slumber. Lets hope that it awakes more as Audrey Hepburn than Queen Elizabeth.

86/100 3/6

[Colt45]

Great pics! It's good to see Smithy, and to see the whole Czar Crew together.

This one's a classic

»

[SmokinLightning]

SLR DC Review 2007

Day late, and most likely a dollar short but here we go....

I had been meaning to get to this review over the weekend, but instead spent most of my time working, fighting to meet some deadlines. I finally got a chance Monday night to sit back and relax for the couple hours it was going to take to smoke this monster. I don't normally go for the larger format cigars, although there are some I will make time for I have never tried this particular vitola. I settled down in my favorite spot with a tall rum and coke beside me and began my inspection.

Visually a good looking cigar, with a nice solid weight to it. The wrapper is a medium brown, no real evidence of oil but smooth to the touch with no green spots or excessive viening. Cigar feels well rolled, except for one noticeable soft spot about the size of a dime near the midway point. The cap is a little sloppy on one side, but I've seen worse. The foot is slightly oblong, and appears to be evenly bunched.

I remember when I received this cigar it had a very pungent odor, even through the baggie and bubble-wrap it was sealed in. Some time sitting loose in the humidor seems to have reduced that. It still gives off a pleasant loamy earth smell. Clipping the cigar and giving it a test draw I just get clean tobbacco and sweet grass. Draw feels a little on the tight side.

I put the fire to it, and took a slow pull. Initially very sharp and bitter, almost acidic. I took my time with it and after the first inch the unpleasantness disappeared leaving a light floral and clean tobacco flavor. At this point the cigar definately feels light on the palate, not bad but definately lacking in body. The ash is gray and flaky, and easily holds on for a couple inches before finally dropping right in my lap. :-|

A few inches in, and it really begins to open up, sending plumes of thick white smoke towards the ceiling. A heavy clove-like spice appears, almost overpowering. By the halfway point, I'm wondering how I every considered this to be a lighter bodied cigar. I take a couple deep drinks of my beverage to stop my stomache from rolling like a drunken sailor.

At this point, I'm either getting used to it or the cigar has mellowed out some. I can detect a musty burnt wood flavor, like someone dumped water on a camp fire. Still a noticeable hot clove tingle in my mouth and nose, but not unpleasant. This is the part of the cigar I have enjoyed the most so far... by far the most forward with it's delivery, the wood and spice are evenly balanced with the floral tobacco flavors.

By the last few inches I am struggling with it. The cigar doesn't want to stay lit anymore and the frequent puffs required to keep it lit have resulted in a hot, bitter smoke. I finally let it die after our long and tumultuous journey together.

This cigar was a roller coaster, one minute mild and a little bland and the next minute making me glad I was already sitting down. Some core flavors I enjoyed but way too young to fully appreciate. I have no idea how this cigar will progress with age, and look forward to further installments of this experiment... I have no doubt it will improve.

If I had to give a rating right now, probably a 75, which puts it out of the "I would buy a box of these" range. The solid performance at the mid point saved it from scoring lower, I wish the whole cigar would have been that balanced.

Thanks for reading, and for including me in this!

[Trevor2118]

SLR DC Mar07 Review.

Cigar received 13.2.08 and stored in a temperature & humidity controlled environment, set to 16C – 61F & 65% RH.

Smoked in the pm of 1.4.08 on my rear deck. Weather fine 23C & 45%RH. I was not in overly good form, a bit off in the am.

Decided to try 3 different drinks for each 1/3….water, port, 15yo subtle mellow Dalwhinnie Single Malt.

First the disclaimer. I am not a regular smoker (weekly rather than daily….unless friends/ family drop in) and I do not have well developed taste buds. I enjoy a cigar as a time to sit, relax, and think (or not think). My preference is Cohiba & then Montecristo, and size preference “thinner & shorter” as a rule. I always smoke outdoors, usually on the rear patio (see photo). I must say that doing this review has forced me to think more about the cigars, and I have decided to keep informal records in the future. Specifically, I don’t recall smoking a SLR before.

Now the cigar. When first received I thought the cigar was a fine specimen. Construction appeared first class and the wrapper had a slightly silky touch. The cigar was firm with no apparent soft spots. Smell was barnyard but not the same intensity as a Cohiba.

After cutting the cap, the draw appeared a bit tight. Only flavour detected was tobacco, noticeable no pepper (one of the few flavours I can detect).

First Third. Initial draw was fine…no sign of pre-lit tightness. Plenty of smoke (which I like). No obvious flavours detected. Burn slightly uneven, but not a concern. Good ash retention.

Second Third. Similar to above, but strength of the cigar definitely showing through.

Last Third. Again similar to above, with the cigar wanting to go out towards the end.

Overall. Nothing special. Double Corona format too large for normal use (took over 1 ¼ hours to smoke). The port was a mistake. This, combined with being a bit off in the morning, left me feeling lightheaded and a “bit off”. A very strong cigar. Certainly did not feel like lighting up something else.

Rating. Despite my shortcoming, the cigar is probably a 3 out of 5. (I usually use a 1-5 rating as follows: 1-poor, 2-average, 3-good, 4-very good, 5-excellent). Certainly, at this stage, not a cigar that I would “go to”. It will be interesting to see how it (and I) develop over the years.

Finally. The best part of this experiment (many thanks Rob) is that it has encouraged me to focus on the cigars, while still enjoying the simple smoking pleasure of a good cigar