Sin Compromiso Selección No 4

Today we review the Sin Compromiso Selección No 4 by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust (DTT). Sin Compromiso is DTT’s fourth regular production line. It was introduced in 2018 and became the company’s first regular production line. One size that had not been introduced into the Sin Compromiso line is a Robusto offering. This was primarily because Master Ligador Steve Saka was never satisfied with the blend in a Robusto format. That would all change in 2024 when DTT introduced Selección No 4, a 5 x 54 prensado Robusto offering, into the Sin Compromiso line.

SPECIFICATIONS

Sin Compromiso is highlighted by its Mexican San Andres wrapper (it was the first regular production line by DTT to use this wrapper). The remainder of the blend features a Hybrid Ecuadorian Habano binder dubbed “thin ligero.” As for the fillers, they are independent plantation-grown Nicaraguan tobacco. Production for the Sin Compromiso line comes from the Joya de Nicaragua factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

Wrapper: San Andrés Negro “Cultivo Tonto”
Binder: Hybridized Ecuador Habano “Thin Ligero”
Filler: Independent Plantation Grown Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua, S.A.
Selección No 4: 5 x 54 (Prensado)

PERFORMANCE

The Selección No 4 opened up with notes of natural tobacco, cocoa, citrus, and earth. The cocoa notes became primary early on. There was a layer of citrus and cedar on the retro-hale. Later in the first third, some black pepper emerged on both the retro-hale and a secondary note on the tongue. The second third saw the natural tobacco and citrus displace the cocoa notes. The citrus had a slight astringent note. By the final third, a coffee note surfaced in the forefront, displacing the natural tobacco and citrus that receded to the background. There were still some earth and pepper notes present in the background. As the Selección No 4 came to a close, it finished with a cool, firm nub.

The flavors delivered started out medium-bodied and progressed to medium to full by the second half. These were countered by medium strength. The burn required frequent touch-ups, but the touch-ups facilitated maintaining a straight burn path and line. The draw performed excellent—it had a touch of resistance, which I like.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

In the Sin Compromiso line, Paladin de Saka stands out. However, I feel more positively about Dunbarton’s offerings compared to Sin Compromiso. The Selección No 4 started out quite promising, but to quote Phil Collins again, “something happened on the way to heaven” in the second third, and it wasn’t quite as enjoyable. The good news is that the cigar finished up nicely in the final third. Ultimately, that second third (with some of the astringent notes) was a letdown for me. In this reviewer’s opinion, it would be best to try a sample and see if this is for you.

Summary

Key Flavors: Coffee, Cocoa, Citrus, Natural Tobacco, Earth, Cedar, Pepper
Burn: Very Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium to High
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (2nd Half)
Finish: Excellent