St Francis Cigar Look & Feel
- Wrapper Hue: Hershey Bar
- Rolling Consistency: Even
- Spring: Slightly Hard
- Aromas: Leather, Coca, Espresso
The All Saints Saint Francis cigar is a visual delight, reminiscent of a fine chocolate bar with its box-pressed shape and luscious oscuro wrapper.
Its almost flawless appearance is noteworthy, characterized by a smooth, toothless texture and a lack of any overt oiliness on the surface, adding to its refined aesthetic.
All Saints Saint Francis Cigar Review
Pre-Lighting Experience
- Draw: Slightly Tight
- Aromas: Peanut Butter, Coffee Liqueur, Sea Salt
From the body and foot of the Saint Francis cigar, a rich tapestry of flavors emerges, with leather, cocoa, and espresso taking center stage.
After neatly clipping the cap with a Xicar guillotine cutter, the cold draw introduces a blend of peanut butter and coffee liqueur, complemented by a subtle hint of saltiness reminiscent of coarse sea salt.
While the draw is a bit tighter than my usual preference, it’s quite typical for a box-pressed stogie and doesn’t detract from the overall experience.
1st Third Smoking Experience
- Notes: Dark Chocolate, Leather, Salty Licorice
Upon lighting the Saint Francis, the experience is immediately impressive.
The familiar flavors from the pre-light draw, such as dark chocolate and leather, remain present. However, they’re now joined by a new, intriguing note of salted licorice.
While there’s a hint of black pepper on the retrohale, it’s subtler than what you might find in other Nicaraguan maduro cigars, lending a nuanced complexity to the profile.
2nd Third Smoking Experience
- Notes: Salted Peanut Butter, Cocoa Nibs, Root Beer
As the All Saints St Francis cigar progresses into its second third, a standout flavor emerges distinctively in the blend: salted peanut butter.
Throughout my sampling, this note consistently brought to mind the taste of dark chocolate Reese’s cups. Alongside this, a subtle root beer flavor adds depth to the palate.
Meanwhile, the retrohale takes on an herbaceous quality, reminiscent of tarragon, adding another layer of complexity to the smoking experience.
Final Third Smoking Experience
- Notes: Almond, Cocoa, Raisin
In the final third of this Saint Francis cigar, the profile evolves yet retains its core characteristics.
The nuttiness and chocolatey notes now morph into a blend reminiscent of almonds and cocoa powder, complemented by a pleasant undertone of raisin sweetness.
On the retrohale, there’s a shift towards a flavor that closely resembles macadamia nuts, rounding out the experience with a rich and nuanced finish.
Overall Burn
- Ash Backbone: Solid
- Burn Angle: Mostly Straight
- Temperature: Cool
- Draw: Slightly Tight
- Final Smoking Time: *0 Minutes
The Saint Francis, while not a roller coaster of shifting flavors, impresses with its remarkable consistency, delivering a steady stream of salty, chocolatey, and nutty notes. Quite honestly, I am zero percent mad about this.
In terms of construction, the Saint Francis’s box-pressed shape is visually striking, but it does come with some structural quirks. The draw tends to be a bit tighter than ideal, which, while manageable with a perfect draw tool, is still a factor to consider. In all the samples I reviewed, I noticed a slight waviness in the burn due to each corner drawing at a different rate. This does impact its scoring in the review, but it seems to be a part of the package with this construction. On the plus side, I never encountered any issues with the cigars plugging or needing a relight, which is a significant positive. Smokers should just be mindful of these characteristics.
Overall, the Saint Francis offers a somewhat coarse yet enjoyable mouthfeel. The flavor is robust and full-bodied, without being overpowering, making it an excellent choice for those curious about exploring the richer, darker qualities of maduro wrappers. It’s an ideal cigar to share with a friend venturing into this more intense flavor territory.
Overall Experience
The band of the Saint Francis is strikingly adorned with a color palette of black, red, and white, enhanced by exquisite gold detailing. Emblazoned around the primary band is the phrase “Pax Et Bonum,” a Latin expression meaning “peace and All Good.” This phrase serves as a traditional greeting among the Friars who followed Saint Francis of Assisi, adding a touch of historical reverence to the design.
As for packaging, the Saint Francis cigar is presented in a sleek black box of twenty, featuring similar gold details that echo the elegance of the cigar band.
While the box itself is simple and handsome in its design, I do feel it would benefit from incorporating some of the red and white detailing found on the cigar’s band.
Such accents would make it stand out more in a crowded humidor filled with similarly styled boxes. A notable advantage, however, is that the box ships with a Boveda pack, ensuring the cigars are ready to enjoy almost immediately, requiring just a day or so for temperature acclimation.
Pairing Recommendations With A Saint Francis Cigar
The sophisticated branding and the rich oscuro wrapper of the Saint Francis lend it an air of formality, making it an ideal choice for black-tie events. Its flavor profile, rich and indulgent, is particularly well-suited for rounding off a substantial meal.
While pairing a chocolatey cigar with dessert is common, the Saint Francis is versatile enough to complement more savory dishes. Its deep, rich flavors would beautifully enhance the spicy roux of a Cajun gumbo, a New Orleans classic. Pad Thai would also be an interesting pairing, where its nutty flavors harmonize with the cigar, and the dish’s funkiness from fish sauce adds an intriguing contrast.
Of course, pairing it with good vanilla ice cream transforms the cigar into a delectable garnish, almost dessert-like in itself.
I recently returned from my honeymoon in Tokyo and, while there, acquired a taste for Sake. Accordingly, I believe this Nigori Genshu Sake is an excellent pairing.
It tastes quite similar to a coconut milkshake, except with a 20% ABV. Additionally, a sweet bourbon would pair excellently and would make the Saint Francis into a dessert.
Closing Thoughts
Rocky Patel’s TAVICUSA (Tabacalera Villa Cuba S.A) has produced a blend in the Saint Francis cigar that, in my opinion, distinctly sets itself apart from The Decade and other Rocky blends.
Rocky Patel Decade Cigar
It seems to be in direct competition with offerings from Padrón, and more specifically, with the Davidoff Escurio, which also features an Ecuadorian wrapper.
Davidoff Escurio
Priced at around $11 per cigar, the All Saints Saint Francis offers higher value and a more refined presentation, even without the renowned brand name. On our value-for-money scale, I’d give it a solid B – it’s fair for the price and a cigar I’d happily return to. While the BP Robusto size was a great smoke, the Churchill, in my view, smokes slightly better and carries an added elegance.
Overall, I have a deep appreciation for All Saints’ cigars. Their unique personality and the rich flavors of their blends really resonate with me.
In my own humidor, I proudly keep a box of the Saint Francis with the Colorado wrapper. These, too, are exceptional and come with the added bonus of being available in a convenient 10-count box!
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