July 6th, 2017

Size of cigar: 6 inches long by 52 ring gauge

(The blend of tobaccos used in the Muestra de Saka Exclusivo varies from batch to batch.)

The smooth, oily capa of my Exclusivo emits a mocha-like fragrance, with mostly cappuccino-latte notes coming from the foot. This vitola feels somewhat heavy, and has an excellent bunch and a perfect cold draw. I’ve heard lots about this cigar from smokers as well as from Steve Saka, so let's see what ol' Joe Bob thinks.

After lighting up, initial characteristics include insane amounts of carefully aged tobacco with back-notes of cream and coffee. Saka warned not to expect a Sobramesa, or even a Mi Quireda – completely accurate so far. There’s not even much pepper in the retro-hale. This is a very elegant, creamy cigar.

I’ve chosen to pair the Muestra with an Atwater Decadent Dark Chocolate Brew. The two are meshing spectacularly, although I suspect the mocha notes of the cigar would come across as 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 shows excellent mocha notes over the base flavor of finely aged tobacco. According to Saka, each batch will be different. Maybe so. All I can say is that this batch is divine.

Nearing the first third, the flavors kick up a bit, with some pepper notes emerging in the retro-hale. The cigar remains as smooth as silk though, with lots of tasty smoke. And the burn is still near perfect, with a very flat end to the ash.

I’m enjoying this cool burning cigar on a nice breezy evening while relaxing out on my patio. This is pretty much as good as it gets. Now, I’m just shy of the halfway point, and the Muestra continues to be as cool as it was at the very beginning.

I can almost hear some of you saying, “Yeah, but Joe Bob is a huge Saka fanboy.” Nevertheless, as I continue on through the second-third of the session, I am still looking for some flaw in the cigar to keep me from sounding like a worshipper. Nothing negative has come up yet. That said, heed Saka's warning that this is not as strong as a Sobramesa or a Mi Querida. That aspect takes nothing away from the quality or enjoyment of this cigar, mind you.

Passing the two-thirds mark, the fermentation notes of the tobacco strengthen, adding greater complexity to the flavors of the cigar. The burn is still almost perfect, and the smoke remains cool and pleasant. I may just have to run inside for a corn cob holder so that I can continue smoking past the point where the cigar gets too hot to hold.

Within the cigar industry, Steve Saka is often mentioned in the same conversation as Rafael Nodal, E.P. Carrillo, Michael Giannini and Christian Eiroa. I find no error in these comparisons.

As for the Muestra de Saka Exclusivo, I'll be ‘that guy’, and only give it a 9.9/10. Joe Bob says, “Check it out.”
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Jeff Slatton (jefslat) resides in the San Antonio, TX area. Jeff is a longtime member of and contributor to Cigar Weekly.