Cigar Review: Saint Francis by All Saints

I love trying new things. To challenge myself and my palette, I decided to review this cigar blindly. That meant no videos or reading other reviews or even asking friends what their thoughts were. I wanted let my taste buds decide for themselves. I'm glad I did.

Here's my review of the Saint Francis cigar by All Saints.

Name: St. Francis

Manufacturer: All Saints

Length: 5.5"

Gauge: 50

Cap: Triple

Shape: Box pressed robusto

Wrapper: Ecuador (Oscuro)

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Price: $3.90/stick (Cigar Page 10-pk deal)

Seller: Cigar Page

Purchase Date: May 30, 2024

Smoke Date: 3 - August 30^th 2024, September 7^th 2024, September 15^th 2024

Location / Occasion: Review

Cut: 1x V-Cut, 2x Straight

Smoke Duration: 55 minutes – 1 hour 15 minutes

Flavor Body: Medium

Strength: Medium

Notes:

• Cigars were rested in a climate-controlled humidor at 70F/70% RHC

• Torch lighter was used for initial light-up and touch-ups on every cigar

• All 3 cigars were smoked in environments with no wind

I'd also like to personally thank my friend and president of The Smoke & Dram Society cigar club, Jamie Hall, for recommending this cigar.

REVIEW:

This review is a culmination of all three sticks. If there was any deviation or noticeable change in flavour or construction, it was noted and included in the review.

Appearance And Construction (14/15)

After removing the cigars from their cellophane wrappers, I inspected each one prior to reviewing. This included a visual inspection and touching the cigar, feeling for deformities that could lead to an inconsistent burn or flavours.

Error Free Construction (8/8)

I inspected the cigars prior to light-up; checking for any splits, tears, and physical damage. Even after cutting the cigar, I took a close look around the cap, ensuring there wasn't any splits or cracks that could cause the cigar to unravel during the duration of the review.

I gave the cigars a gentle squeeze, feeling for any soft or hard spots that would indicate inconsistent rolling. None of the three cigars had any issues.

The triple cap didn't unravel at all, even with I used my deep V cutter on one cigar.

Wrapper Leaf (4/5)

The wrapper leaf on every cigar was relatively consistent and uniform in colour. There weren't any blemishes or blotches that raised any concerns. I paid close attention to the edges of the wrapper leaf, ensuring there weren't any spots where it could raise up. I had a cigar between reviewing the 1^st and 2^nd All Saints where the wrapper began to unravel around the final third.

Band (2/2)

"Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition!" popped into my head when I saw the band. It has absolutely nothing to do with the cigar, but it's forever ingrained in my mind. I think I hear a horse in the distance… Or maybe it's the sound of two empty halves of coconut.

The Saint Francis features two bands: a main band with a gold cross inside a shield and a second band with the name of the brand. Both bands have a lovely black and red stripe that reminds me of the Feudal Age shield in Age of Empires 2, a game I spent way too much time playing as a young'un.

Flavour (22/25)

For each review I brought a pen and notepad out with me. Right from light-up I began documenting the flavours I was experiencing. I paid close attention to what I was tasting and waltzed my way through the flavour wheel, trying to get as descriptive as possible.

As soon as I finished a cigar, I put the notes away until I had all three sticks. Then I compared them and noted both the similarities and differences in this final review.

What I tasted may not be exactly what you taste, and this could be for a few different reasons including inconsistencies with the blend when it was rolled, how long the cigar was aged prior to smoking, and that everyone's palette is different. I am by no means a sommelier.

First Third (6/7)

This cigar was full of flavour right at light-up. Strong notes of salted caramel, mocha, almond and cedar were prevalent right away and lasted throughout the entire first third of the cigar. All the flavours melded and complimented each other really well.

There was a noticeable note of muted black pepper on the finish as well. It lingered for a little while but faded before the next puff.

As the cigar began to transition from the first third to the second, I noticed a hint of apricot in a couple of the sticks.

Second Third (7/7)

The second third of the cigar kept things going at full speed. Salted caramel, mocha, and almond were still the dominant notes but some new flavours appeared: leather and earth. This gave the cigar another layer of complexity, which is always welcomed.

There was also a good amount of baking spices that appeared around the half-way point, specifically cinnamon and nutmeg. These spices tasted slightly sweet, which was a nice contrast to the bolder notes I was getting up to this point.

If you've never smoked a cigar before you may be wondering what the heck earth tastes like. To me, earth is a mix of raw tobacco with a slight salt/mineral flavour and a tingling sensation on the tongue. Don't let the flavour fool you, doesn't taste like dirt or grass or licking a tree.

Final Third (5/7)

The final third saw almost every single dominant note up to this point take a massive step back. Leather remained and it was joined by dark cocoa nibs, black coffee, and black pepper.The black pepper was more noticeable now, unlike in the first third.

Maybe it's just my imagination but I swear I was getting a hint of dark fruits, similar to what you'd find in a full-bodied red wine. It wasn't a very noticeable flavour, but just enough that it made me go "hmm… What is that?" a few times.

Like most cigars, the strength ramps up in the final third. This cigar was no different. The heavy notes became more prominent and spicier. By the end, the black pepper was the most dominant note. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as most cigars tend to get spicier near the end.

Note: One of the sticks I had for this review had an interesting cereal/grain note that wasn't present in the other two. It almost tasted like instant oats. The same cigar lost almost all its flavour during the last third.

Flavour Harmony (3/4)

The flavours I tasted each Saint Francis cigar was well blended. Rarely did any of the flavours overpower each other or become unbearably strong. The transitions between each third were smooth and I was able to pick out new notes relatively easily.

The mix of dark, bitter notes like coffee, cocoa, earth, and leather created a consistent base for the other notes like almond, cedar, and spices to sit on. The salted caramel was almost sweet and savoury, giving the cigar an almost gourmand characteristic.

The prominent cereal/grain note I experienced in one cigar was enough for me to knock off a point. Typically, cigars ramp up in flavour and intensity near the end, but that particular one did the complete opposite and nose-dived to almost nothing.

Smoking Characteristics (22/25)

During the review I paid close attention to a few factors regarding the construction of the cigars, including the draw, how evenly the cigar burned, the number of touch-ups it required, and the amount of smoke output.

Draw (6/7)

All three cigars had almost near perfect draws. Right in the sweet spot of not being too loose or too tight. I've had cigars in the past where the draw has been so tight, I've given myself headaches and so loose that a gust of wind would cause the cigar to burn fast.

Filler Burn (7/7)

I have to give whoever rolled these cigars praise. They know how to roll a cigar. All three cigars held really long ashes (one was almost half the stick). When I did ash the cigars (once in my lap after trying to push the long ash a bit too far), I had a small cone almost every time. This, to me, is a clear indication that the filler is burning evenly.

Note: If the filler is burning too slow, the ash would come to a sharp point, referred to as "coning". If it was burning too fast, you'd have an inverse cone inside the cigar.

Wrapper Burn (6/7)

All three cigars burned relatively evenly and without any major touch ups. There were a few times when the burn would start to get uneven, but it usually fixed itself. One stick required a small touch-up in the final third but that was it. There was only about an inch left so instead of risking it, I just applied a torch for a couple of seconds.

I've noticed that box pressed cigars can be notorious for uneven burns, especially along the corners. To my surprise, these cigars never had that problem.

Smoke Output (3/4)

Thick, wispy, white smoke was prevalent right at light-up and stayed that way until the very end. I find it entertaining watching the smoke dance in the air, rolling and stretching as the wind takes it. Is this the adult version of watching bubbles?

Overall Experience (31/35) 

These Saint Francis cigars were a blind buy. I didn't want to have any expectations by watching or reading any reviews prior to reviewing them myself. All Jamie told me was "if you like darker flavours, these will be right up your alley." And he was right.

Enjoyment (22/24)

The Saint Francis by All Saints is a cigar that kept my interest right from light-up until the very last draw. I was getting constant, consistent flavours that blended very well together. I never had to worry about uneven burns (except for one touch-up) or the ash falling on my lap (more than once).

Desire To Smoke Again (4/4)

All Saints is likely not a top shelf cigar brand for most people (to be honest, I didn't even know about them until I opened my cigar order), but this stick delivers full bodied flavours, great construction, and all for a low low price. I'll always have some of these in my humidor.

In my 4-5 years of enjoying cigars, these are in my top 10 favourite sticks.

Value (4/4)

I'm not sure how Cigar Page can work their special voodoo magic for these low prices, but at just $3.90 a stick, you'd be crazy not to pick them up. Even at $8-$10 they're still a great price for what you get.

Uniqueness (2/3)

I'd say about 80% of the flavours in the Saint Francis are typical in darker cigars, however the blend was complex and always had my attention. I really like cigars that have notes of chocolate, mocha, and spices. This cigar checked those boxes off and added another checked box for those red wine-like dark fruits.

Final Score: 89/100

Overall Thoughts:

The Saint Francis by All Saints is a must-try if you love the taste of chocolate, coffee, spices, and gourmand flavours in your cigars. It may sound odd, but I found myself salivating at times and my tongue tingling from the flavours I was getting with this cigar.

If you are looking for a cigar to pair with wine, look no further. The Saint Francis would pair really well with a semi-sweet red wine like a Grenache or Amarone (or a Ripasso, if Amarone is outside your budget).

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