On the 500th Episode of The Cigar Authority asking when cigar tasting notes became a thing. While we can’t be certain, we believe it started during the days of Usenet and forums like alt.smokers.cigars when Dave Garofalo, Ed Sullivan and Steve Saka were members. Dave recalled a story where he gave some cigars to Steve Saka and Saka wrote him a long letter with detailed tasting notes well before any publication was doing so. For those who don’t know what Usenet is, it’s basically the Reddit of the 1980’s.
Steve Saka went from consumer to working directly for Lew Rothman in 2000. He would eventually start working for Drew Estate in 2005 as an executive consultant which he served for 4 years before becoming President, then CEO of Drew Estate until 2013. In 2015 he would start his own cigar company, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust.
Today we light up Sin Compromiso, which means Without Compromise in English. It also happens to the company mantra of Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust.
Cigar Review: Sin Compromiso
Wrapper: San Andrés Negro “Cultivo Tonto”
Binder: Hybridized Ecuador Habano “Thin Ligero”
Filler: Independent Plantation Grown Nicaraguan
Length: 5.63″
Ring Gauge: 46
Size: Intrepido
The Look: Sin Compromiso is packaged in a thin box that is reminiscent of a laptop in terms of size. Like the Espada Estoque the Intrepido features a pigtail cap. For these particular vitolas a notch is cut in the box for the pigtail cap. The cigar features a cedar sleeve which comes up to the band which has a celtic like design to it. The dark San Andres wrapper is flawless with some oils and the cigar has a slight box pressed. In the hand it is firm but feels light.
The Notes: I’ve been asked why I include the cold draw in a review, but I do it because I do it almost every time I smoke a cigar. Often the cold draw notes are easier to to taste, but I do it mostly to open up my palate and prepare for the journey ahead. In this case the cold draw serves up notes of chicory that takes me to Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. The same note appears on aroma off the foot of the cigar and all I am missing is some beignets to complete the experience.
Once the cigar is toasted and lit there is some pepper to start before the cigar reveals some notes of cocoa and a continued chicory component. As the chicory begins to fade some pepper notes emerge especially on the retrohale. As the first third comes to a close some cedar appears on the aroma of the cigar.
The second third sees wood notes become dominant as they transition to the palate. The sweet notes of the first third have disappeared and the retorhale is loaded with a pepper note that borders on wasabi. The aroma of the cigar still has a cedar nose and there is a touch of leather on the finish of the Sin Compromiso Intrepido.
As the the final third begins the cigar features notes of leather and coffee. After we remove the band some sweetness returns as notes of cocoa emerge. As this cigar comes to a close some chicory notes begin to emerge on the end of the retrohale which creates a long finish.
The Finish: I sat here for 15 minutes trying to decide if this needs to be a part of the argument. I’ve come to the decision not to let it alter the score, but I’ve decided to make it part of the finish. I like Sin Compromiso but often choose not to smoke it because of the price. At $10 maybe $11 I would smoke it more often than I do. However at the price point I need a reason to smoke it, a reason to treat myself to it. Thankfully the box price bring it down to a bit more manageable $14.
Score: 92
Price: $15.99 / $185.99
Sin Compromiso Intrepido
Sin Compromiso Intrepido Foot
