6″ x 52, tobaccos vary from batch to batch.

Smooth oily capa with mocha notes with mostly Cappuccino/latte notes from the foot. A somewhat heavy vitola with an excellent bunch and the perfect cold draw. I have heard lots about this cigar from smokers as well as Steve Saka, so let’s see what ol’ Joe Bob thinks.

Initial notes include insane amounts of carefully aged tobacco with backnotes of cream and coffee. Saka warned not to expect a Sobramesa or even a Mi Quireda; completely accurate so far. Not even much pepper in the retrohale. This is a very elegant creamy cigar.

Paired with an Atwater Decadent Dark Chocolate Brew, the two are meshing spectacularly, although I suspect the mocha notes would be lighter with a different beer. Still, the cigar has a sweetness of its own.

The ash is solid and medium grey and the burn is razor-sharp, signs of an excellently constructed cigar.

Backing off the cocoa-heavy beer for a few minutes, the cigar still has excellent mocha notes over the flavor of the finely aged tobacco. According to Saka, each batch will be different; this batch is divine.

Nearing the first third, the flavors kick up a bit with some pepper notes in the retrohale. Still as smooth as silk though, with lots of tasty smoke. The burn is still near perfect and is very flat.

A cool burning cigar on my patio on a nice breezy evening is pretty much as good as it gets. Not quite halfway and the cigar continues to be as cool as it was at the beginning.

I can almost hear some of you saying, “yeah, but Joe Bob is a huge Saka fanboy,” but as I continue towards the second third I am still looking for some flaw in the cigar to keep me from sounding like a worshipper; nothing has come up yet. That said, heed Saka’s warning that this is not as strong as a Sobramesa or a Mi Quierda. That takes nothing away from the quality nor enjoyment of this cigar.

Passing the 2/3 point, the fermentation notes of the tobacco strengthen, adding to the complexity of the flavors of the cigar. The burn is still almost perfect and the smoke remains cool and pleasant. I may have to run inside for a corn cob holder so that I can smoke past the point where it gets too hot to hold.

In the cigar industry, Steve Saka is mentioned in the same conversation as Rafael Nodal, EP Carillo, Michael Gianini and Christian Eiroa. I find no error in these comparisons. As for the Muestra de Saka, I’ll be “that guy” and only give it a 99.