I am going to be upfront, I am a huge fan of everything from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. It’s hard not to have some bias in this review but I purposely chose a cigar from them that is not a part of my normal rotation. The Mi Querida was Steve Saka’s second release behind the Sobremesa. I thought this review was fitting as the Mi Querida was originally released in July 2016 and here we are in July 2024! Mi Querida literally translates as “my dearest”‘ which is a provocative term in Nicaragua that describes a secret mistress. As far as this cigar goes, it represents Steve Saka’s personal maduro desires.
OVERVIEW
VITOLA: Ancho Corto
SIZE: 5″ x 52
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
FACTORY: Nicaragua American Cigars S.A.
WRAPPER: Connecticut Broadleaf
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Nicaragua
STRENGTH: Mediaum-Full
SOURCE:
Manufacturer
ENVIRONMENT
WHERE:
Outside
WHEN:
July 10, 2024 @ 6 P.M.
DRINKS:
Water
WEATHER:
Sunny and clear
HOW MANY CIGARS SMOKED:
3
PRODUCTION
RELEASE TYPE Regular Production
ORIGINALLY RELEASE DATE July 2016
TOTAL PRODUCTION
Typical Box Size: Boxes of 20
Production Totals: UNK
VITOLA BREAKDOWN
o Ancho Corto (5″ x 52)
o Gran Bufalo (7″ x 64)
o Muy Gordo Grande (6″ x 56)
o Ancho Largo (6″ x 52)
o Fino Largo (6″ x 48)
o Gordita (4″ x 48)
BAND DESIGN
Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust takes a very minimal approach to band design. In a time when you see such intricate designs from other brands and their high-end offerings, it’s refreshing to see that there is more simplistic modern presentation that still feels upscale and classic. The deep blue meshes well with the gold foil and there is also some small muted embellishments in the blue.
PRE-LIGHT OBSERVATIONS
CONSTRUCTION
The cigar has a mottled wrapper shifting in between dark brown spots and lighter brown. Some of the spots look almost completely black. The cigar is oily and a bit toothy. The veins are minimal and the seams are tight. There is an ultra neat double cap with the top cap being darker than the one underneath it. There is a little bit of give to the cigar, but it is consistent throughout the entire body. The band really makes the dark Connecticut Broadleaf pop.
AROMA
The aroma is not an in your face funky barnyard that I expect from some Connecticut Broadleaf cigars. It is a little more subtle with notes of sour candy and leather coming out. On the foot, you definitely get a little more black pepper hitting the nostrils with just a touch of chocolate.
COLD DRAW
The cold draw feels a little restrictive and does not give off a lot of different flavors outside of sweet tobacco and some hints of raisin. This was not the case in all the samples as most of them usually had good airflow on the cold draw.
SMOKING EXPERIENCE
LIGHT & DRAW
Cut: Straight
Fire: Torch
There is a perfect draw right after light up, absolutely no issues or restriction experienced in the cold draw. The first notes that comes to mind is just a soft chocolate and oak. A slightly stingy pepper on the retro but it was quickly followed by more oak and cream. There was a slight chariness that cut into the creamy oak finish at first but that quickly disappeared. There is also some coffee thrown into the mix. This is an very easy going start to this cigar.
SMOKE
Excellent smoke output coming from this cigar which was my experience with all the samples. There isn’t a lot of smoke pouring off the foot and it dissipates fairly quickly. I really enjoy the mild room note with notes of chocolate and coffee lingering around. It reminded me of stepping into a well ventilated cigar lounge where the smell is both welcoming and comforting.
FIRST THIRD
>> chocolate, cedar, croissant
Smoke output is still stellar and the burn is fairly straight with a bright white ash that is dense with no flakes. I noticed that this cigar really strikes a good balance between some bold flavors and some nice softer subtle nuances. There is a chalky texture that I can’t ignore. Chocolate and cedar dominate the pallet. The retro is definitely kicked up a notch and more on the level of cayenne that really stings the nostrils, even a few seconds after the retro. On the finish, there is a lot of oak and buttery Croissant with just a few hints of milk chocolate. The smoke has a really nice thick texture with the finish last thing over 10 seconds. On the finish, you get a tiny bit of spice on the back of the throat but it is very faint and also includes a creamy coffee to balance out that spice.
SECOND THIRD
>> Hawaiian roll, cinnamon, leather
The second third really smooths out. There is very little harshness when smoking this cigar. Chocolate takes a back seat and cedar comes to the forefront. There is a sweetness that reminds me of a Hawaiian roll with a bit of buttercream. The retro takes on a woody stance with some cinnamon following closely behind. The finish gets a sharp spike of leather mixed with almond and these flavors ride out right up until the next draw. There is still a good base of dark roast coffee in the background.
FINAL THIRD
>> chocolate, dark roast coffee, cream
There is a bit of wave to the burn but no issues at all. The ash continues to hold on for over an inch and a half. The draw is still just as perfect as light up. The flavors really start to meld into each other in the last third. The smoothness increases and with that you get a lot more cream. The chocolate, dark roast coffee, and cedar are still present, but really take a backseat to that sweet creaminess that is dominating and smoothing over all the flavors of the last third. The retro is even smoother than before with more cream and woody notes. There’s a touch of raisin on the finish but only for a second. The finish is almost buttery, and there isn’t tons of wild flavors coming out, but it is luxurious. Huge plumes of smoke with a slick oily mouth feel, it truly is a great ending to a very sophisticated cigar.
There is a bit of wave to the burn but no issues at all. The ash continues to hold on for over an inch and a half. The draw is still just as perfect as light up. The flavors really start to meld into each other in the last third. The smoothness increases and with that you get a lot more cream. The chocolate, dark roast coffee, and cedar are still present, but really take a backseat to that sweet creaminess that is dominating and smoothing over all the flavors of the last third. The retro is even smoother than before with more cream and woody notes. There’s a touch of raisin on the finish but only for a second. The finish is almost buttery, and there isn’t tons of wild flavors coming out, but it is luxurious. Huge plumes of smoke with a slick oily mouth feel, it truly is a great ending to a very sophisticated cigar.
RATING & FINAL THOUGHTS
FLAVOR PROGRESSION
There were not huge shifts in flavor and if you’re looking for something that is really complex then you might want to pick something else up. Having said that, all of the flavors meshed well and morphed into a well-balanced and unobtrusive cigar. From the beginning, the chocolate really catches your attention and leads into a smooth creaminess with butter that is very pleasant. It isn’t the most complex cigar you’re going to smoke but it is a cigar that you will enjoy smoking time and time again.
BURN EXPERIENCE
I had absolutely no burn issues with any of the samples that I smoked, none that would warrant a touch up anyway. Despite some wavy burning, all of them performed flawlessly and were a real pleasure to smoke. From the thick high texture smoke to the dense white ash, there was never any doubt in my mind that I would have any issues. Unbelievably solid construction in all the samples.
RATING BREAKDOWN
0.80 / 0.80 … Craft & Aesthetic
0.46 / 0.50 … Pre-Light Characteristics
0.50 / 0.50 … Lighting Process
6.73 / 7.70 … Smoking Experience
0.48 / 0.50 … Personal Enjoyment
COMPLIMENTS & CRITIQUES
- Great flavors throughout the smoking experience
- Excellent construction in all samples
- Some may like more complexity
- Some waves in the burn
Reliable, consistent, and delicious .
Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust does a great job in its construction of every single cigar that they put out and I think that’s what a lot of people want. It’s a reliable and good tasting smoke that has a place in every collection. If I had to smoke only one cigar for the rest of this year, I would have no problem with it being this one.
