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 only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or 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 Black SakaKhan by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. This is a cigar blend previously assessed back in May 2022 when it was released as the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust EM Maduro.

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf No.1 Dark
Binder: San Andres Negro
Filler: Nicaraguan, Honduran, Dominican
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Nicaraguan American Cigars S.A. (NACSA)
SakaKhan: 7 1/4 x 54

At the 2022 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust would introduce its third line under its Mi Querida line, the Mi Querida Black. The cigar was initially released in one size called SakaKhan, which was a nickname given to Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust founder Steve Saka during his days in the Navy. The cigar wasn’t exactly a new cigar. It had been released at the end of 2021 as a part of JR Cigar’s 50th-anniversary series when it was simply called the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Limited Edition EM Maduro. Today we take a look at the national release of the blend that is now called the Mi Querida Black SakaKhan.

When Saka created the blend for JR Cigars, he wanted a cigar that would fit the type of cigars that Ed McVey, a longtime buyer for JR Cigars, would smoke. The blend features a Connecticut Broadleaf No. 1 Dark wrapper, a San Andres binder, and a combination of Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican fillers. SakaKhan is a massive 7 1 /4 x 54. Both the blend and size of the Mi Querida Black Saka Khan is the same as the JR Cigar release. Incidentally, the name SakaKhan had been used before on the Mi Querida Blue as a catalog exclusive.

The Mi Querida Black SakaKhan started out with notes of mocha (a fusion of chocolate and coffee), red pepper, and damp earth note. The mocha and damp earth notes moved to the forefront early on and the pepper settled in the background. The mocha notes had an underlying creaminess. Meanwhile, there was an additional layer of red pepper on the retro-hale. During the second third, the mocha fusion broke up with the chocolate notes diminishing while the coffee and damp earth notes remained primary. While the chocolate receded into the background, there were times during the second third it popped up in the forefront. The red pepper notes increased slightly but remained in the background. The creaminess that was present early on dissipated. Just past the midway point, some cedar notes developed. The last third saw the earth notes remain primary. There was a slight increase in the cedar and pepper notes in the background. There were still touches of coffee and the chocolate notes dissipated. This is the way the Mi Querida Black SakaKhan came to a close. The resulting nub was soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Overall the Mi Querida Black SakaKhan delivered a medium to full cigar experience for strength and body. The draw was excellent offering a touch of resistance that I enjoy. As for the burn, it did require frequent touch-ups, but the touch-ups helped keep the burn on a straight path.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of parallels between the flavor profile of the Mi Querida Black SakaKhan and the JR 50th release. The difference is the SakaKhan release was much better. On the SakaKhan the flavors were richer. The better part is the sourness and muddling of the flavors were not a problem with the SakaKhan. This elevated the experience of the SakaKhan and made this a much more enjoyable cigar. It’s a cigar I’d probably recommend to a more seasoned cigar enthusiast, but I wouldn’t discourage a novice from trying. As for myself, it’s a cigar I would buy and smoke again. Coming in at 90 points, the Mi Querida Black SakaKhan earns a Cigar Coop Standard of Excellence designation.

Summary

Key Flavors: Mocha (Coffee, Chocolate), Damp Earth, Cedar, Pepper
Burn: Very Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Medium to Full
Finish: Very Good