Saint Louis Rey Gen2 – Right-On

Saint Luis Rey is an old time brand that has been around for well over 50 years.  And, I have been smoking that for many years myself.  It was and still is a reliable reasonably priced stick.  Altadis, the brand owner, has been updating several of their traditional cigars with newer versions.  For this year, at the IPCPR show, they added the Saint Louis Rey Gen².  This cigar doesn’t replace the older line but rather is a new addition.  And, as you can see from my ratings, it is a very welcome addition indeed.

When you first look at this cigar you are impressed.  It looks substantial.  All three of the sizes are large and present well.  It also has a double band.  First, the SLR band, and then a special Gen² band.  I punched and lit the cigar without problems.

The construction of this cigar is great.  The draw was open and it burned evenly with a tight edge.  The ash, a nice medium grey, held for over 2 inches.  Despite being engaged in a nice discussion, I never had to relight the cigar.

Flavors are interesting.  While Altadis touts this as a fuller bodied cigar, I found it to be more mild than expected.  The first flavors were mild and floral in nature.  As it continued it was creamy, finally giving way to an earthy flavor.  Towards the end of the smoke I was getting some of the stronger flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg and spice.  But, I never felt that it reached strong.  Throughout it burned cool and had a light aftertaste.  I liked the flavors.

This cigar sells for $5.75 making it a very good value and it scores well on all counts.  If you are looking for something new to try without concern that you won’t like the new stick, this is a safe and delicious new choice.