Mi Querida Triqui Traca No. 448

Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust

• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Nicaragua American Cigars S.A.
• Wrapper: U.S.A. (Connecticut Broadleaf)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
• Length: 4 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 48
• Vitola: Petit Robusto
• MSRP: $8.95 (Box of 20, $179)
• Release Date: December 2021
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Original Score: 93

This small cigar that was released at the end of 2021 kicked off our 2022 reviews with a bang, which is fitting since it gets its name from firecrackers that are strung together and commonly used in celebrations in Nicaragua.

As fans of the line know, the Triqui Traca is an offshoot of the company’s blue-banded Mi Querida line, with the blend modified to front load ligero and Dominican tobacco added to the filler to give it more oomph. Its roots trace back to United Cigars’ Firecracker Series, a collection of short, stout cigars designed to be smoked around the July 4th holiday, but its success propelled it into becoming a regular production line.

As I have mentioned before, smaller cigars are great for the colder winter months or when time is at a premium, but they don’t have the luxury of taking a puff off or delivering one that is subpar. As should come as no surprise for a cigar ending up on this list, the Mi Querida Triqui Traca No. 448 makes the most of every puff but also doesn’t lean too hard on strength to deliver its best aspects. Yes, strength is part of the profile, as is some chili pepper spiciness, yet it finds a middle ground that showcases its supporting and complementary flavors as well. While each cigar had some variance in how it got from start to finish, each ended up telling largely the same story while allowing some natural variance to enhance the experience rather than detract from it.

The newest and shortest vitola to be released in the Mi Querida Triqui Traca line packs an impressive punch, and one that is perfectly suited for when time may be limited but expectations for a great cigar are still high. — Patrick Lagreid.