This Woodworking Sessions finds me smoking a little powerhouse while I work on getting the fretboard on this whiskey barrel guitar coated. Normally I would not do this on a fretboard, but nothing about this project is normal. I am only applying a thin coat of this before glaze, then I will sand and final spray the neck. The end is in sight with this build, and I am anxious to get it completed.
The little powerhouse I mentioned is the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Mi Querida Triqui Traca No. 448. The Triqui Traca is a spin-off to the Mi Querida line and was brought to market after Steve Saka modified the Mi Querida blend for the United Cigars Firecracker series. He “front loaded” the Mi Querida Firecracker with a Dominican Ligero to give it some extra pop. After making a second run of Firecrackers, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust launched the Triquie Traca as an extension of the Mi Querida line. In 2021 the No. 448 would be released as the fifth vitola in the line.
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Nicaragua American Cigars S.A.
Wrapper: USA Connecticut Broadleaf No. 1 Darks
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan & Dominican Republic Ligero
Vitola: 4 x 48 Petite Robusto
Price: $8.95 MSRP
Link to Purchase: Guitars & Cigars Farm
Release Date: December 2021
Company Website: www.dunbartoncigars.com
This cigar is very firmly packed and I’m sure it will burn plenty long. I think the Mi Querida bands are cheesy but the red looks good against this darker broadleaf wrapper. The cigar smells like damp wood. It’s a good, musty smell. The cold draw doesn’t deliver much, maybe a little earthy cinnamon. Off the bat it is full-bodied smoke with loads of pepper and earth. There’s some tannic wood and peppery heat into the finish. The retrohale is pungent - lots of pepper spice, some semi sweet cocoa, and leather. About a quarter inch in and the smoke has a very aromatic cedar scent. The flavors are holding true to the initial profile with the addition of some char. There’s some strength already emerging in this blend. The first third comes to an end with the char dropping and a dark sweetness subtly joining the earthiness. The performance and draw have been great. Into the second third there is a bit of Red Hots candy coming in and the retrohale shows a plum or dark cherry kind of sweetness. Crossing halfway the flavors have become primarily wood and pepper. There’s a little Red Hots candy hanging on. Entering the final third I must have gotten used to the punch cause it seems to have mellowed out. The final third has dropped the wood mostly and is earthy with some cinnamon and that dark sweetness still lingering. Coming to an end at an hour and 29 minutes, the Red Hot candies amped back up with some earthiness still there. It ended full in body, flavor, and strength.
Overall Experience
This cigar is exactly what you would expect from knowing the backstory of the Triqui Traca line. There is a lot of flavor, body, and strength in the blend no matter the size. I have previously smoked the No. 552, 648, and 652 vitolas in this line and I give the edge to the 448. The core flavor profile of earth, pepper, dark sweetnesses, and wood are present in all the vitolas I smoked, however, I’ve only gotten the sweet and spicy cinnamon notes (that I call Red Hots candy) from this 448 and I enjoyed the dimension it added to the cigar. The profile, while quite full and powerful, was also nicely balanced and not hard on the palate. It is also hard to ignore the burn time that you get from this Petit Robusto, especially at the lower price point. Couple all of that with perfect performance and you have an easily recommendable cigar, and one I will certainly revisit.
Try the cigar yourself at Guitars & Cigars Farm and let me know what you think! Use code “WW10” to get 10% off your entire order. Plus, sign up and begin earning rewards points with each purchase.
Feel free to reach out to me with questions, concerns, criticisms, or just to talk at @guitarsandcigarsfarm on Instagram, or via email at trevor@whiskeyandwhitetails.com.