At the Total Product Expo (TPE) 2023, the long-awaited Muestra de Saka Krakatoa from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust was showcased. The company is taking pre-orders from retailers through March 24th and anticipates delivery in September 2023.

Muestra de Saka is a line of cigars that Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Founder and Master Ligador Steve Saka describes as a series of unique blends and vitolas made in extremely limited quantities that reflect his blending machinations.

“Muestra is the humble, common word for “sample” in Spanish, however it takes on much more important, sometimes reverential, meaning when used in a handmade cigar factory. A muestra is the vision of the ligador and torcedor realized, it is the promise of a new experience and possibly the key to financial success for the fabrica. Muestras are hoarded and coveted by not only their makers, but by the cigar smokers who seek to catch a glimpse into the cigarmaker’s soul within their smoke” commented Saka.

Word of Krakatoa first surfaced in 2021, but the project was put on hold to allow Dunbarton Saka more time to tweak the blend. Krakatoa is a volcano in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra in the Indonesian province of Lampung. The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa is one of the largest and deadliest volcanic events in modern history

“Krakatoa” is the seventh release in the series – a robust liga of select Nicaraguan Grown Broadleaf, Cuban Seed Criollo and a potent Corojo ligero tripa recipe bound with a Nicaraguan Sungrown capote and wrapped in al Choice Grade A1 Ecuador Habano Seed capa leaf. Presented in an expertly crafted 6.00 x 48 parejo with a unique “volcano” spiral colita, the Krakatoa is a very elegant vitola.

“I truly agonized over this puro’s liga and it took me well over three years to perfect. Delectably sweet and spicy on the palate, it is a refined, yet an explosion of flavor that is sure to satisfy the most experienced connoisseurs. It delivers sweet cedar, bright citrus, café, spice and earth to the palate while simultaneously being robust, yet also quite refined. I am honored to be able to share this unique blend with our loyal patrons,” stated Saka.

Saka added, “For those doubtful of its strength and namesake, I suggest they afford it a few retrohales along its smoking journey. It certainly delivers the ‘boom’ in the flavor department.”

The following are the seven nationally released Muestra de Saka cigars to date:

Like all Muestra de Saka ligas except the Unicorn the Krakatoas are packed in individual cedar coffins in a seven-ct box and pricing will be $145.25 per box. Production is handled at Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua, S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua. There will be approximately 3,000 boxes released on the initial drop.

At a glance, here is a look at the Muestra de Saka Krakatoa:

Blend and Origin

Wrapper: Grade A1 Ecuador Habano Seed
Binder: Nicaraguan Sungrown
Filler: Nicaraguan Broadleaf, Criollo, Corojo ligero
County of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua, S.A.

Vitolas Offered

Vitola: 6 x 48

Photo Credits: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust