The San Luis y Martinez may just be Camacho's best-kept secret. While the Triple Maduro, Corojo, and Liberty series boast many fans around the globe, this cigar could be considered their secret weapon. Little is actually known about the San Luis y Martinez, except that it has been blended to replicate the flavor of classic Cuban cigars of long ago. They come sealed in attractive glass tubes, available in only a few sizes, and are hard to find in retail shops.
While the usual format of a review is to describe the cigar and leave the final analysis for the end, it is really hard to start things off any other way than by saying it is good...really good. The experience begins with the glass tube which has a very attractive band on the outside, and surprisingly the cigar itself sports another band when removed from the tube. A quick look at the wrapper shows a decent amount of veins and a lot of toothiness. The foot has aromas of very hearty barnyard smells and the scent of classic maduro.
Upon lighting, the draw is a firm medium and provides huge clouds of smoke. The first flavors to appear are nice rich leather and earth. There is very little spice and a hint of tingling on the tongue. Some bitter hints of black coffee also appear and all of these flavors mingle together for the first inch. At this point it is easy to call this cigar medium-bodied but full-flavor.
Right after the first inch, a very pleasant sweet maduro flavor enters the scene, complimenting the black coffee and leather. The San Luis y Martinez settles into this profile for the remainder of the first-half, with the occasional taste of creamy coffee replacing the black coffee, but then transitioning back. This is a cigar that is easy to get lost in because the flavor is just that good.
As the second-half begins there are more flavors of creamy coffee that again give way to black coffee, big leather and earth. While the flavor is really full, the smoke remains incredible smooth and the body never increases beyond comfort. Near the end of the second-half, the body grows larger for the finish with a hint of licorice and hearty smoked meat. The entire smoking experience for this cigar is simply amazing.
It is surprising that the San Luis y Martinez is not more widely offered and readily available. Making comparisons is always dangerous territory, but this cigar is a great alternative to those not wanting to pay $15 for a Padron maduro. The exceptional flavor profile, build construction, and maintenance-free smoking experience easily make this the cigar of the week!
For other top-notch smokes check out the Cigar of the Week archives and be sure to visit a local retailer to see if the Camacho San Luis y Martinez is available.
To learn more about Camacho cigars in general, visit their website at www.camachocigars.com.
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