Cigar Review: Red Meat Lovers

CTCP DEPT.

INCIDENT: CIGAR REVIEW

CASE NUMBER: CCR2025-11-09

DATE/TIME OF INCIDENT: 2025-11-09, 19:30 CST

LOCATION OF INCIDENT: Cedar Room

REPORTED BY: Marty C

-I. INCIDENT TYPE: Product Assessment - Cigar

–II. PRODUCT INFORMATION:

• PRODUCT NAME: Red Meat Lovers Fritanga

• BRAND: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust

• VITOLA: Toro 6x52 Prensado

• MANUFACTURING ORIGIN: Nicaragua at Nicaragua American Cigars S.A

• COMPONENTS:

  • WRAPPER: Connecticut Broadleaf

  • BINDER: Mexican San Andreas

  • FILLER: Nicaragua and Pennsylvania

• PRICE: $16.25 USD

—III. NARRATIVE OF ASSESSMENT:

On the aforementioned date, this reviewer conducted an assessment of a cigar identified as the "Red Meat Lovers Fritanga" by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. The assessment spanned approximately 101  minutes.

• A. SENSORY EVALUATION (TASTE):

• FIRST THIRD: Opens with savory espresso  with a little bit of spice and a background molasses sweetness. Some nice saltiness plays well against the sweetness.

• SECOND THIRD: The sweetness ramps up. Its a rich robust molasses, with hints of dark caramel, earthy and mildly bitter. Definitely enjoyable and not something I find often in a cigar. Coffee hangs in the background.

• FINAL THIRD: Spice increases slightly. Sweetness turns to a salted dark chocolate with a french roast coffee in the background.

• COMPLEXITY: I find this very complex. I had to smoke a few of these to nail down exactly what I was tasting.

• STRENGTH: Medium-full

• RESIDUAL FLAVOR: A mild spice and saltiness stays on the tongue. Retrohale is smooth.

B. PHYSICAL EVALUATION (CONSTRUCTION):

• QUALITY: Wrapper is dark brown. Mostly smooth with a bit of toothiness typical of a broadleaf wrapper.

• TACTILE SENSORY: There is a slight give to the touch typical of a soft box press 

• PREPARATION: Cap maintains its integrity after a straight cut

C. FUNCTIONAL EVALUATION (DRAW):

• RESISTANCE: Draw is perfect.

• SMOKE PRODUCTION: Cigar produces a normal amount of smoke

• CONSISTENCY: Draw remains perfect throughout

D. VISUAL EVALUATION (APPEARANCE):

• AESTHETICS: Cigar has a nice pigtail on the cap.

• MARKINGS/BAND: Band is red with a diamond like shape. It is red like the rest of the Red Meat Lovers line but the lettering is in gold.

• OVERALL PRESENTATION: A nice clean presentation. 

E. COMBUSTION EVALUATION (BURN):

• CONSISTENCY: Burn stays good throughout

• RESIDUE (ASH): A mostly white ash, but its a little flakey. Ash holds in one inch chunks.

• INTERRUPTIONS: A few touchups required to maintain a straight burn line.

• DURATION: 101 minutes

—-IV. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS:

The Red Meat Lovers Fritanga Toro by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust is a complex, medium-full Nicaraguan cigar featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and delivering evolving flavors of espresso, molasses, salted dark chocolate, and spice across three distinct thirds. Its flawless draw, consistent burn complement a dark, toothy appearance with a pigtail cap.

—--V. RECOMMENDATIONS/CONCLUSIONS:

• PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: This would pair well with a nice bourbon or a glass of Cabernet wine.

• RE-ASSESSMENT PROBABILITY: A box worth production

• TOTAL SCORE: 90100

• FINAL OBSERVATIONS: A fritanga is a beloved staple of Latin American street food culture in Nicaragua, where it refers to both a casual eatery (often a roadside stall or small restaurant) and the hearty platter of fried or grilled foods served there. Derived from the Spanish word frito (meaning "fried"), the term evokes smoky grills, sizzling oils, and communal feasts. The Fritanga cigar is described as bolder expression of the regular Red Meat Lovers cigar line. For me it is the molasses sweetness that sets it apart. Its not something I find often in a cigar and it took a few times with the cigar to nail down what it reminded me of (its a tough job I know, but somebody has got to do it). I really liked this cigar and look forward to many more sessions with this excellent offering.

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