The first release of the Muestra de Saka sold out in nearly the blink of an eye. Now the Muestra de Saka returns with a new size and a new blend. The name Nacatamale is a reference to a traditional food found in Nicaragua that is often reserved for a mid-morning Sunday meal. The release this time around is limited 2250 boxes of 7, for a total of 15,750 cigars.
Cigar: Muestra de Saka
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Nicaragua (Single Farm)
Filler: Nicaragua (Single Farm)
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 48
The Look: Like the first release of the Muestra de Saka, the Nacatamale comes in 7 count boxes with each cigar in its own personal wooden box. Inside the cigar features the familiar yellow footboard with Nacatamale written over Muestra de Saka. The Habano wrapper is as oily as they come with only the thinest of veins visible. There is some subtle tooth on the wrapper. It is perfectly rolled with no soft spots and a well packed foot.
The Notes: The aroma off the foot of the cigar has elements of cocoa and cedar while the cold draw sees a darker note of mocha with some earthy and a bit of spice components. Once the cigar is toasted and lit, the first note reminds me of cinnamon from a red hots candy.
Moving on to the first third, the cinnamon notes faded relatively quick as the cigar develops a mocha like sweetness with hints of caramel and earth. The aroma is really intoxicatingly delicious although I can’t put my finger on what it reminds me of. The retrohale is pretty spicy, but there is also an underlying sweetness.
In the second third the cinnamon returns and becomes the dominant note with a touch of nougat and mocha rounding things out. The finish is slightly earthy and the retrohale offers up some continued spice, but there is also a nice cedar note on the extended finish.
The last third sees the introduction of cayenne pepper, though the nougat in the second third remains dominant. The mocha like sweetness has faded but it occasionally shows up from time to time. The retrohale singes the nostrils with a strong pepper and the finish of the cigar is nutty when we put it down for the last time.
The Finish: I wasn’t a fan of the original release and my score reflected that. Despite that, I was looking forward to this release, especially given the size. I am happy to say it did not disappoint, and it even exceeded expectations. With the binder and filler coming from a single farm in Jalapa I was worried about the complexity of the cigar, but that fear was unfounded. From first light to last puff, this was truly an enjoyable stick.
Score: 93
Price: $15.99 / $99.99 (Box of 7)
Muestra de Saka Nacatamale
Muestra de Saka Nacatamale Foot
Muestra de Saka Nacatamale Burn
