CA Review Panel: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Famous 80th Anniversary

The Cigar Advisor Review of Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Famous Smoke Shop 80^th Anniversary

Dunbarton Famous 80^th Anniversary Backstory

In 2019, Famous Smoke Shop turned 80. And we celebrated with a chorus of fantastic cigars. Steve Saka and Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust released not just one of the most oft requested of the Famous Smoke Shop 80^th Anniversary blends, but one of the most requested blends in Famous history. Period.

Since then, the cigar has resurged a handful of times, and each occasion Steve exclaimed that this time, was the last run.

Seriously. The cigar had more farewell tours than Kiss…

Yet, nothing could quench the demand. The relentless onslaught finally forced Dunbarton’s hand, and we’re pleased to announce their Famous 80^th is now in regular production. Icing: the brand now comes in four popular sizes that range from Corona Larga to Gordo.

Good things come to those who wait. Even if it’s impatiently.

Cigar Details:

Factory: Nicaragua American Cigars S.A. – Esteli, Nicaragua
Sizes Reviewed: Toro (6” x 52), Robusto (5” x 52) Corona Larga (6 ½” 48), Gordo (6” x 60) – All Sizes Box Pressed
Strength: Full
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano 2000 Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaraguan Jalapa C98
Filler: Nicaraguan Esteli, Ometepe, Jalapa, Condega

Presented in boxes of 10

Dunbarton Famous 80^th Anniversary Gordo Cigar Review

John’s Tasting Notes…

Summary: This is a new size for the DT&T Famous 80^th; previously the cigar never got bigger than a Toro. Get it lit and we’re off to the races: wood, baker’s chocolate, earth, and coffee. They’re all dark flavors. Medium body and strength, the smoke is pretty plush.

For all that Nicaraguan-ness, the pepper doesn’t really ramp up until the second third. A subtle sweetness makes the coffee nuances seem “bright” (if you’ve ever seen coffee described this way, you’ll know what I mean). There’s more chocolate, more pepper, more coffee, more body.

Last third is where this Dunbarton Famous 80^th peaks: rich, toasty, even a tangy payout from the Habano wrapper that overtakes the wood and earth in the profile. The best way I can describe it is, this is where the cigar “opens up” in the same way a really nice whiskey would.

Being a 6×60, it naturally smokes for longer…but then again, most DT&T cigars burn long and slow, so this 80^th Gordo will fill plenty of free time. Even the nub lasted a half hour. But the size also allows the Nicaraguan long fillers to make themselves more obvious, flavor-wise: Esteli, Ometepe, Jalapa ,Condega – all the Nicaraguan hotspots are represented, and offer all the Nicaraguan flavor highlights.

Dunbarton Famous 80^th Anniversary Corona Larga Cigar Review

Gary’s Tasting Notes…

Summary: Could the Corona Larga be the “Goldilocks” of the series? My sample has a slim appearance that, once lit, was instantly creamy, issuing flavors of caramel and peppery spice for the first half inch. At that point, the cigar rounded out to a cool, creamy, and medium-bodied smoke with a long white pepper finish. Shortly after that, the caramel returns while the pepper is nudged out of the way. Nutty notes arrive.

At about the two-inch mark the cigar gets a bit more earthy. I was beginning to notice a certain back-and-forth between the darker earthy elements and the brighter sweet elements. Then, at the midpoint the cigar just opened-up, blooming with flavors of nuts, caramel, and coffee bean. It continued to burn perfectly, jettisoning an ash about every one-half inch.

Even in the final inches the cigar kept its cool. Now more medium-full in body, it was still flavorful and sweet with a little baked-in earthiness.

I found the Dunbarton Famous 80^th Corona Larga to be a perfect cigar. As I said, I like the 6½x48 dimensions, when I can get them. When Steve Saka visited Famous recently, he intimated that he also had a preference for those dimensions. Box-press it and it’s more like a Lonsdale. In any event, I thought this size really delivered the goods in every metric. Until now, I’ve smoked more of the Toros, but this Corona Larga convinced me it was the Goldilocks of the bunch. I liked how the flavors jockeyed for position which gave it some complexity. However, when you boil it all down, Steve delivered a line with consistent flavor, body, and balance all the way through. Suffice it to say, after my third Corona Larga, I bought a box.

Dunbarton Famous 80^th Anniversary Toro Cigar Review

Jared’s Tasting Notes…

Summary: A rare third time I’m reviewing Dunbarton Famous 80^th Anniversary. My first was for the Famous 80^th Anniversary Guide (linked in the intro) in 2019. The second was for Dunbarton’s Essential Review Guide in 2020. Now, a whopping five years after its initial release, here I am again!

Dunbarton 80^th—like it was in 2020—is summed up in three flavors: earth, citrus, and cream. The initial blast of pepper you expect from a Nicaraguan cigar isn’t there. In fact, the body sits around medium, even though it’s listed as full. If pepper and spice are what you’re here for, they will creep in for a medium plus finale.

The second half marks the most significant complexity for Saka’s Famous 80^th blend. Flavors shift from earthy and citrusy to more of a traditional Nica-loaded fare: coffee and floral sweetness.

Ultimately, I found Dunbarton Famous 80^th Anniversary to be incredibly consistent to my palate across a significant time gap. I can only imagine how the two original blend sticks in my humidor have aged!

Dunbarton Famous 80^th Anniversary Robusto Cigar Review

Paul’s Tasting Notes…

A remarkable and leisurely smoke.

Blessed by flame, the Dunbarton Famous 80^th Anniversary opens with earth—the type that’s kind of gritty with some minerality. There’s some cabinet spice present, a sweet variety along the lines of cinnamon, and a cedar citrus combo that gives the smoke a tangy quality. As I’m approaching the end of the first portion, a black pepper note pops up on my radar screen. So far medium to full in strength, and closer to full-bodied.

The second part of the Dunbarton Famous 80^th offers more of the same. But with more depth as the flavors gain a richness and an undercurrent of cream hops along for the ride. The construction is worth mentioning as the burn is tried and true—a sign of quality in a box-pressed smoke. Strength remains the same while the body is full.

As I smoked the Dunbarton Famous 80^th down to the nub, I thought two things about the cigar: 1) it’s a quintessential Steve Saka blend, 2) it’s a Nicaraguan love fest. It had everything that I personally love in a good cigar—complexity, an overall smooth/creamy profile, an array of flavor, and longevity. Seriously, it burns nice and slow. My only reservations regarding the Dunbarton 80^th would be that it’s the sort of blend whose nuances might be lost on a newcomer. Other than that, I’d recommend it without reservation.