Today, we look at the Mi Querida Black Unicorn by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. In 2018, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust took on the challenge of using the best available raw materials (tobacco) and skilled labor to release as ultra-premium a cigar as possible. The Muestra de Saka Unicorn blend was the result. This cigar was released in a 6 1/4 x 60 Diadema. Because it used some very high-quality tobacco and only two rollers could produce this cigar, the Unicorn would carry a price tag of $100.00. It was initially a 1,000-cigar release, but it later became an ongoing release. Following the original release of the Muestra de Saka Unicorn, Saka began experimenting with some of his other blends to bring them into the ultra-premium line. Early in 2023, he announced the Sobremesa Brûlée Blue Unicorn and the Mi Querida Black Unicorn. Both were originally charity auction releases, but Saka decided to do a limited run. Our focus is on the Sobremesa Brûlée Blue Unicorn.
Mi Querida Black Unicorn by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust – Agile Cigar Review
SPECIFICATIONS
The Mi Querida Black blend traces back to a release called Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Limited Edition EM Maduro. Initially, Saka created the cigar to commemorate JR Cigar’s 50th anniversary. The blend moved into the Mi Querida line and became the Mi Querida Black the following year. 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. For the Unicorn, the best Connecticut Broadleaf No.1 Darks were selected and skillfully rolled into the Diadema Deluxe at the NACSA factory.
- 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)
- Diadema Deluxe: 6 1/4 x 60
Each Mi Querida Unicorn is packaged in an individual coffin. The coffins come in seven-count trays.
PERFORMANCE
The Mi Querida Black Unicorn started out with notes of mocha (a fusion of coffee and chocolate), red pepper, damp earth, and cedar. The mocha notes quickly morphed into a classic coffee note. The earth notes moved into the forefront, with the coffee, cedar, and pepper settling into the background. There was red pepper on the retro-hale. As the cigar moved through the first third and into the second third, the damp earth notes became dominant. As the Black Unicorn moved into the second half, the red pepper notes increased in intensity. The pepper notes closed in on the damp earth by the final third. There were still notes of cedar and coffee rounding things out.
The flavors of the Black Unicorn started out medium to full-bodied and were countered by medium strength. Both attributes steadily increased in intensity, and by the second half, the Mi Querida Black had medium to full strength and full-bodied flavors. The burn maintained a straight burn path and straight burn line, requiring minimal touch-ups. As for the draw, it had a touch of resistance, which is something that I like.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
Final Thoughts
There are three Mi Querida Black sizes and three different Unicorn blends. In my estimation, the Mi Querida Black Unicorn came in third out of three in each size. The 88-point score of the Black Unicorn was respectable, but it’s not as good as the other Mi Querida Black vitolas and the other Unicorns. I felt the Black Unicorn fell short in both flavor and complexity when stacked up against the other Mi Querida Blacks and the other Unicorns. While the $100.00 price point doesn’t factor into the 88-point score, it can’t be ignored regarding value. In this case, it is an enjoyable cigar, but a $100.00 for an 88-point score makes this a pass for me.
Summary
Key Flavors: Damp Earth, Coffee (some Mocha early), Cedar, Red Pepper
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium Minus
Strength: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (Second Half)
Body: Medium to Full (1st 2/3), Medium (Final Third)
Finish: Very Good
Rating
Value: Not Recommended
Score: 88
REFERENCES
Previous Assessment: Mi Querida Black SakaKhan by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust
News: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Adding Limited Edition Sobremesa Brûlée Blue and Mi Querida Black Unicorns at PCA 2023
Price: $100.00
Source: Purchased
Brand Reference: Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust
Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
Note: Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments using a lightweight, shorter format. They 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, or it might be a blend we are looking at in a different size.
