Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are primarily used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or in some cases giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the Mi Querida Triqui Traca 448. This is a cigar blend previously assessed back in May 2020 in the 552 (Robusto) size.

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Nicaragua American Cigars S.A. (NACSA)
448: 4 x 48

In 2020, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust would introduce a third regular production size to its Mi Querida Triqui Traca line in the form of a 4 x 48 parejo. Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust owner Steve Saka has been known throughout his career to create offshoot blends off his core lines. The genesis of the Mi Querida Triqui Traca goes back to the Mi Querida Firecracker project that Saka did for New Hampshire-based retailer Two Guys Smoke Shop in 2018. The Mi Querida Firecracker is a 3 1/2 x 50 size featuring a long fuse much like a Firecracker. For that project, Saka released the Mi Querida Firecracker using an alternative blend that was stronger than the original Firecracker. With Mi Querida Trique Traca (which is the name for a larger Nicaraguan firecracker), Saka worked with that alternate blend and tweaked it to be released nationally in two different sizes: No 552 (5 x 52) and No 648 (6 x 48). Now 448 joins these two sizes.

The Mi Querida Triqui Traca consists of a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and a combination of Nicaraguan fillers. There are two notable differences between the Triqui Traca and the original Mi Querida. The wrapper of Triqui Traca was switched from the traditional Connecticut Broadleaf Mediums to the rarer No. 1 Dark corona leaves. In addition, the filler incorporates what is described as a “high octane ligero” from the Dominican Republic. Like the original Mi Querida, production for the Triqui Traca comes from the NACSA factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

The Mi Querida Triqui Traca 488 kicked off with notes of mixed pepper, cocoa, blackberry, and earth. Early on the cocoa and earth notes went primary and the blackberry notes shortly joined them. While it was mixed pepper on the tongue, the retro-hale had more in the way of black pepper. The second third saw the cocoa notes diminish, then the blackberry notes diminish – leaving the earth in the forefront. At the same time, some cedar notes emerged. The final third of the Mi Querida Triqui Traca 488 saw an increase in both the pepper and cedar. The cigar would finish with a cool, firm nub.

The flavors delivered were medium to full-bodied, countered by medium to full strength. The body maintained a slight edge over the strength. The draw had a touch of resistance – which is something that I like. Several, frequent touch-ups were required to keep the burn path and burn line of this cigar straight.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

The 4 x 48 size just seems to be one where Steve Saka strikes gold. In 2017, the Mi Querida (Blue) Gordita was a 4 x 48 line extension that I found to be an excellent representation of that blend – and now the Mi Querida Triqui Traca 448 is following in its cousin’s footsteps. At the time the 448 was launched at the 2021 Trade Show, the more high profile Stillwell Star and Sin Compromiso Paladin de Saka cigars were also launched. In the end, it was the 448 release that might have been the star of Dunbarton’s 2021 class. Very simply, this small little size is loaded with flavor and it delivers the boldness you would expect from Triqui Traca. Given the boldness, this is a cigar I would steer toward a more experienced cigar enthusiast. As for myself it’s a cigar that I would not only smoke again, but one that garners box worthy consideration in my book. Coming in at 91 points, this exceeds the threshold for Cigar Coop Standard of Excellence.

Summary

Key Flavors: Earth, Cocoa, Blackberry, Cedar, Pepper
Burn: Very Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Medium to Full
Finish: Excellent