What happens when you have access to incredible tobacco and don’t want to use it in event only cigars that really don’t sell? Well if you are Steve Saka from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust, you use it to extend an already successful product – like the Mi Querida Triqui Traca. Yep, that is what Steve did this year. The new fire cracker size, Mi Querida Triqui Traca No. 448, was introduced at the Premium Cigar Association Trade Show this year. It uses some amazing Connecticut Broadleaf tobacco that Steve had access to. These fire crackers started shipping late in 2021.
The name, like all in the line, defines the size of the vitola. In this case it is a (4 x 48). Short in stature but with the same blend as the originals which is described as:
- Wrapper – Connecticut Broadleaf
- Binder – Nicaraguan
- Filler – Nicaraguan
The new Mi Querida Triqui Traca No. 448 comes packaged in 20-coutn boxes and carries an MSRP of $8.95/cigar.
For this review, I sampled two of the little gems, which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Mi Querida Triqui Traca No. 448 is a short, densely packed cigar that sports a toothy and slightly veiny dark reddish brown wrapper. There is a light oily sheen to the wrapper. The cigar is solid to the touch and heavy in the had considering its size. A well applied pigtail cap finishes the presentation.
A single band adorns the cigar using the standard red and gold design you will find on all Mi Querida Triqui Traca cigars.
Running the barrel across the nose, I picked up a smokey, kind of peaty note, while the foot exuded mild cocoa notes.
I sliced the cap just under the pig tail to open up the cigar and proceeded to give it some cold draw puffs. Tasty notes grace the palate starting with a cocoa like sweetness and then some growing red pepper spice. The draw was a tad tighter than I would prefer but let’s see where this goes once ignited. I do like the early balance of notes even before I hit the foot with a flame.
I used my single lame torch to warm the foot to an even orange glow and drew in the first puffs of peppery notes, especially to the nose. Follow along as burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Peppery spice to start the journey especially on the first retro-hale
- Medium volume of Smoke
- Delicate natural sweetness evolves
- Cedar nuances join the mix
- Fruity floral aroma begins to fill the air around me
- Solid white ash forms on top of a thin char line
- Caramel notes fill in the background after an inch of burn
- Smoke volume opens up to full
- Ash fell in solid chunk revealing a flat but centered burn cone
- Slight off burn midway but does not require a touch up
- Earthy notes start to take control
- Sweet cedar still rests on the finish
- Dark chocolate nuances appear
- Cedar remains the core component down to the finish
- Burned smooth and cool to the nub
- Medium to full in strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 10 minutes to the nub
Final Analysis
The Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Mi Querida Triqui Traca No. 448 was certainly a welcome addition to the already successful line from Steve Saka. I am glad he chose to use this select broadleaf for this project. The flavor profile transitioned well and was balanced from foot to nub. I especially enjoyed the core of sweet cedar that stayed through the burn and the dark chocolate nuances deep in the journey. For a small cigar it burned well for the 1 hour and 10 minutes with just a slight wave and minor off burn. This is certainly a box worthy cigar. I rate this a solid 93.
Point Deductions: (-1) Flat Burn Cone; (-1) Slight off Burn; (-1) Mild wave in burn
Bonus Points: (+1) Box Worthy; (+1) Consistent across multiple Samples
