Cigars.ie

Christmas Corona Gordas, Day 6: Saint Luis Rey Serie A

It’s day six of this series of reviews and I am hoping that today’s cigar will keep the momentum of the great smokes I have had in the last couple of days. Today I am smoking one of the less popular corona gordas in the market today, the Saint Luis Rey Serie A. The SLR Serie A is one of the three remaining cigars in the brand and is one of the longest produced vitolas in the portfolio of the marca. Up until this year they are available in dress boxes of 25 and cabinets of 50, the connoisseur’s choice. Unfortunately, the cabinets are due to be discontinued in 2012, leaving us only with one packaging option. I am unsure about the age of this Serie A, but judging from its appearance, I would assume it is about three to four years old.

The wrapper on the Serie A is light brown, with plenty of veins and a grainy, toothy feel. Although it is well rolled, its wrinkly appearance makes it less attractive than the rest of the corona gordas. On close inspection I can see a couple of cracks on the wrapper, which hopefully won’t give in. The bunch is normal but inconsistent, tighter around the head and looser in the middle and the cap is round and well applied. The cold draw is good, with flavours of wood and rich aromas of coffee emerging from the foot.

The Serie A kicks off with mild, soft and sweet flavours of vanilla and coffee. While smoking in the first third, the cigar is sweet and medium bodied, with a silky smooth feel on the palate. Honey, vanilla, dried apricots and figs, in good balance.  The ash is firm, light grey in colour and holds well on the foot of the cigar. The combustion however, seems to be a little slow, without causing any problems. Not the most complex or rich cigar, but very enjoyable so far.

In the second third the Serie A keeps the sweet profile, but is now a little more interesting. Some wood and coffee flavours are now added to the mix, without disturbing the fruity flavours. The finish is long, with flavours of espresso. The body is still medium and the draw is good. The burn is a little uneven with the cigar going off a few times and requiring some attention in order to get going again.

The last third is a continuous battle between the cigar and the lighter. The burn problems become more stubborn, but I don’t want to give up on it. The result? The -already damaged- wrapper cracks and the opens up like a flower… Oh well, who needs a wrapper anyway when the binder is still in place? The flavours remain more or less the same, a little more bitter now as expected. The body is a little fuller now, just about medium to full and while the cigar smokes, it produces plenty of smoke. Towards the end the Serie A gets very hot and I have to put it down, but considering the struggle of the last third, I am happy I made it this far!

Although I tried my best to enjoy it, this Serie A was not cooperative. The start was very promising; not too strong or complex, but with pleasant sweet flavours, I was hoping it was going to evolve to something good. But it didn’t. I tried to give it every chance I could, but the tight bunch close to the head refused to burn properly and eventually the wrapper gave up. I have had a lot better Serie A’s and I know that these cigars age very well, but this one unfortunately was not good enough. 3 stars for the Saint Luis Rey Serie A, but I will give it another chance for consolation in the future.

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