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Saint Luis Rey
Saint Luis Rey is a Cuban cigar house founded in 1940, currently operating as one of the smaller marques within the Habanos S.A. portfolio. Historically known for a medium to full strength blend and a richer flavour profile, its regular-production line has been significantly reduced in recent years. Today, it remains a brand of interest for collectors seeking vintage boxes and specific regional editions.
Origins and Standing
Saint Luis Rey was established in Havana in 1940 by two British importers. Some sources suggest the name was inspired by Thornton Wilder's 1927 novel *The Bridge of San Luis Rey*, which was highly popular at the time. Others maintain it is a reference to the town of San Luis, situated in the heart of the Vuelta Abajo tobacco-growing region. Whatever the precise origin, the brand quickly established a strong reputation for robust, darker-wrapper cigars.
Operating outside the heavy marketing campaigns of the larger Habanos houses, Saint Luis Rey built a quiet, dedicated following among experienced smokers. Throughout the mid-to-late twentieth century, it was highly regarded in the United Kingdom market, often imported under strict quality control parameters. In the modern era, the brand is positioned as a niche offering. With a sharply reduced portfolio, it leans heavily on its history rather than new regular releases.
The Core Range and Vitolas
The Saint Luis Rey portfolio was once varied, encompassing several traditional vitolas that demonstrated the blender's skill in managing medium to full strength tobaccos. However, the contemporary Core Range is now minimal. This is the result of Habanos S.A. rationalising the catalogues of its smaller marques in the early 2000s. Today, the principal surviving regular-production cigar is the Regios.
The Regios is a corona extra, formally known by its vitola de galera as the Hermosos No.4. Measuring 127 mm (5.0 inches) in length with a 48 ring gauge, it is a format that allows the rich characteristics of the tobacco to develop steadily. The Regios has been active since prior to 1960 and is traditionally presented in a 25-count dress box.
Historically, the brand was well regarded for a broader spectrum of sizes. The Serie 'A', a corona gorda, was a staple for those who appreciated a thicker ring gauge and a long smoking time. The house also produced prominent Churchills and Petit Coronas. These discontinued formats are now found only in vintage collections, serving as an excellent record of the brand's blending style from the 1990s and earlier.
Regional and Limited Releases
Because the standard portfolio is so restricted, Saint Luis Rey is occasionally selected by distributors for Edición Regional releases. These special productions cater to local markets and allow the house’s distinct medium to full blend to be presented in vitolas not currently found in its regular catalogue. Such releases are typically produced in strictly limited, numbered boxes. They draw immediate interest from collectors who wish to experience the house's signature profile in modern formats.
Examples include the Marquez, an Edición Regional for Cuba released in 2016, and the Pura Vida, produced for Costa Rica in 2021. By confining new production largely to these regional editions, Habanos S.A. ensures that Saint Luis Rey maintains an aura of scarcity. These releases offer a rare opportunity to smoke fresh examples of a blend that is otherwise heavily focused on a single regular-production vitola.
Buying, Ageing and Authentication
When acquiring Saint Luis Rey, particularly vintage stock, condition and provenance are paramount. The richer profile of the tobacco means these cigars have substantial ageing potential. The tannins and oils present in the medium to full blend require time to integrate, and boxes from the late 1990s and early 2000s are highly regarded. To achieve this complexity, the cigars must have been kept under strict temperature and humidity control throughout their lifespan.
Collectors should always inspect the cigar box codes stamped on the base of the box to verify the factory and date of production. This is the only reliable method to establish the precise age of the cigars. For older stock sourced in the UK, verifying the presence of English Market Selection (EMS) stamps can indicate that the box passed through rigorous quality checks upon entering the country.
If you are sourcing vintage boxes on the secondary market, careful inspection is necessary. Review our guide on how to spot fake Cuban cigars to ensure the integrity of the tax seals and the correct application of the brand's lithography. Even for a smaller house like Saint Luis Rey, authentication remains a critical step for serious collectors.
Key Vitolas
Regios — Vitola de Galera: Hermosos No.4 — Length (mm): 127 — Ring Gauge: 48 — Status: Regular Production
Serie 'A' — Vitola de Galera: Coronas Gordas — Length (mm): 143 — Ring Gauge: 46 — Status: Discontinued
Churchill — Vitola de Galera: Julieta No.2 — Length (mm): 178 — Ring Gauge: 47 — Status: Discontinued
Petit Corona — Vitola de Galera: Marevas — Length (mm): 129 — Ring Gauge: 42 — Status: Discontinued
Marquez (RE Cuba 2016) — Vitola de Galera: Geniales — Length (mm): 150 — Ring Gauge: 54 — Status: Regional Edition
Pura Vida (RE Costa Rica 2021) — Vitola de Galera: Magnum 54 — Length (mm): 120 — Ring Gauge: 54 — Status: Regional Edition
At MokaCigar
Our humidors occasionally hold well-aged examples and regional editions from this historic house, carefully verified for authenticity and condition. Our current inventory includes vintage stock such as the Petit Corona 1995, Serie 'A' 1996, and Churchill from 2000 and 2001. We also source the classic Regios and modern regional releases like the Marquez Cuba 2016 and Pura Vida Costa Rica 2021. To view our verified, temperature-controlled stock, browse the Saint Luis Rey collection in our shop.
In our cellar
Sold-out archive (9 releases, enquiries welcome): Saint Luis Rey Churchill 2000, Saint Luis Rey Churchill 2001, Saint Luis Rey Marquez Cuba Regional Edition RE 2016, Saint Luis Rey Petit Corona 1995, Saint Luis Rey Petit Corona 1995, Saint Luis Rey Pura Vida Edition Regional Costa Rica 2021, Saint Luis Rey Regios, Saint Luis Rey Serie 'A' 1996, Saint Luis Rey Serie 'A' 1996.