Not every cigar needs to be a face-burner out of the gate. Personally, I tend to resist this part of society that wants everything faster. They want the flavors of a cigar to hit immediately. They want a top-of-the-line experience without exhibiting any patience. They want all the information from an article or video in the first ten seconds. I wish everybody would just slow the fuck down, and that’s pretty much the embodiment of this cigar. It’s a slow-burn, and it takes a little time to pay off, but oh boy, when it does, it’s excellent.
Let’s back up a little, we’re getting ahead of ourselves here.
Made of extra-aged tobaccos, the Ultramar is handmade in Honduras at the Flor de Copan factory. What sets the Ultramar apart from the rest of the Carenas line is that the wrapper and binder are both from Nicaragua. What we don’t seem to know — and I couldn’t find this information anywhere else — is how “extra-aged” the leaves truly are. Especially in comparison to the regular Carenas line. Altadis doesn’t say.
But, at first glance, you can see the wrapper is darker, oilier, and — in my opinion — much more interesting than what’s surrounding the standard Carenas. Although, the labels are pretty much the same, minus the Ultramar secondary band below the primary.
Side note: I’ve never been one to care too much about bands except for maybe when they really stand out and look awesome.
Storage and burn
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeSource: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
To be clear, I will only write a review after I have had several of a particular label. You can find the rest of the guidelines I aim to adhere to in my initial outline of The BS Lounge review formatting. In the case of the Ultramar, I’ve had a handful before the time of writing this.
In terms of overall burn and construction, they’re usually reliable. I did have some wonky burn issues with one, but it didn’t overshadow the experience. To me, that’s really all I care about. I’m not smoking to be presentable or to look suave. I usually smoke in the evening when I’m relaxing at home by myself. That should also provide some context for these reviews.
Both the regular Carenas line and the Carenas Ultramar don’t seem to be finicky cigars. I keep my humidor’s relative humidity (RH) between 64 and 67 and the temps in my house stay around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. That will give you some idea as to the conditions they’re stored in and hopefully, it will allow you to compare if and when you have your own experience.
They’re easy to cut, and I tried out several methods, including my favorite straight cut and a V cut. The cap doesn’t fall apart as long as they’re stored well. They also seem to light up easily enough, and aren’t prone to charring, which is always a positive.
Flavors and Experience
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Something that I noted, and this carried over across several of my review smokes, is that the Carenas Ultramar starts out extremely light. The smoke is there, but it just doesn’t seem to have much flavor from the getgo. Fortunately, that doesn’t persist, but if you were to light one of these up and put it out within the first few minutes, you might think they never pick up from there. That’s a shame, because when those complex flavors do kick in, wow.
A solid blend of vanilla, rich and creamy caramel, molasses, and lots of sweetness stick around throughout the entire cigar. In fact, I would compare it [experientially] to the Warped La Colmena, with the Colmena retaining notes of honey throughout versus the complex sweetness. They aren’t the same in flavor profile, though, so just keep that in mind. But, if you like this, you’ll definitely like the Colmena.
Those flavors do stick around and provide an undertone, but I also picked up notes of toasted wood and cedar, earth, coffee, nuttiness, baking spices, and a subtle amount of pepper — though that really kicks in midway through the second third. Plus, once those flavors do ramp up, it’s consistent, even down to a nub. I wouldn’t call it a strong finish, as it doesn’t change much, but it’s certainly enjoyable.
I do find myself reminiscing on the flavors and the experience, which, to me, speaks volumes. If I’m thinking about a cigar for a while, after I’ve had one, with so many other options on the market — that’s a sign. It does have a Cuban-esque profile, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Saint Luis Rey Carenas Ultramar review: Closing Statements
This one gets a recommend from me, but only for a niche or specific group of smokers. There isn’t much pepper, isn’t much kick, so if you love a strong cigar and aren’t willing to venture out, this one may not be for you. Don’t get me wrong, it is flavorful and complex, but the medium-body doesn’t evolve much. It’s Cuban-esque, mellowish, and relaxing. If you want to kick back and enjoy some sweet, natural tobacco flavors, the Carenas Ultramar is a good choice.
If you like this, you might also like: Arturo Fuente Curly Head, Warped La Colmena, the standard Saint Luis Rey Carenas, Saint Luis Rey Reserva Especial Series, H Upmann by AJ Fernandez, H Upmann Hispaniola, Ramon Allones.
You’ll notice that my format is meant to be short and sweet, like this Carenas Ultramar review, or the previous Aganorsa Rare Leaf Maduro review. I don’t intend to keep up with the big leagues, I’m one guy. There won’t be any scores. However, I do want these reviews to be a resource for those looking for similar smokes or experiences.
Briley has over 16 years in the publishing and content marketing business. He's been writing about cigars for nearly half that in various forms. What makes him a tour de force is he also smokes them.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
