Ah yes, who doesn't like putting meat in their mouth? From the shores of San Francisco to the plains of Oklahoma, Americans love meat in their mouth. Steve Saka understood this fundamental truth when he created the Red Meat Lovers line - allegedly while "under the influence" of Nicaragua's top-grade porterhouse steaks. Originally a 2019 Smoke Inn exclusive for the Red Meat Lovers Club charity dinners, this blend proved too good to keep locked behind Florida's gates. In 2023, Saka released it as regular production nationwide, adding new vitolas and spreading the meaty gospel to the masses. The concept is simple: create a cigar explicitly designed to pair with steak, which apparently no one had bothered to do properly despite cigars and beef being partners since someone discovered fire and had two good ideas in the same evening.
🔥 THE VITALS 🔥
Cigar: Red Meat Lovers Meat Stick
Master Blender: Steve Saka - Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust founder who took the radical stance that cigars should be designed to pair with specific foods like a normal person would pair wine
Size: Flat, closed foot 6 x 48
Country of Origin: Nicaragua (Estelí)
Wrapper: USA Connecticut Broadleaf No. 1 Dark (Maduro)
Binder: Mexican San Andrés Negro Oscuro
Filler: Nicaraguan and USA Pennsylvania
Price: $15.45 per stick
Aging: Regular production, made at NACSA factory
Draw: Great - smooth and effortless
Burn: Even and consistent
Smoke Output: Huge clouds of thick, dense smoke that takes time to dissipate
Ash: Solid formation before release
Immaculate construction from the closed foot to the pigtail cap. The closed foot adds a nice touch to the light-up experience, letting you ease into the blend rather than getting hit with full intensity immediately. The wrapper is toothy and gritty with a reddish-brown hue that actually evokes the visual of a perfectly cooked steak - which is either brilliant branding or confirmation that Steve Saka was really committed to the meat theme. The box-press is clean and uniform, showing proper rolling technique from the NACSA factory. Available in four steak-themed sizes (Beef Stick, Filet Mignon, Ribeye, Porterhouse), the naming convention is either charming or insufferable depending on your tolerance for food metaphors in tobacco marketing. The blend specifically uses Pennsylvania filler tobacco alongside Nicaraguan leaf, which is an interesting choice that adds unique character rather than just being another all-Nicaraguan powerhouse.
🎢 FLAVOR JOURNEY
FIRST THIRD: PEPPER ESPRESSO AWAKENING
pepper, cream, espresso, oak
Pepper dominates immediately alongside rich cream that balances the spice assault. Espresso provides robust coffee character while oak adds woody depth to the foundation. The opening is bold and unapologetic, delivering exactly what you'd expect from a cigar designed to stand up to a 16-ounce ribeye - like showing up to a business meeting in a suit that actually fits instead of pretending athleisure is acceptable professional attire.
SECOND THIRD: CHOCOLATE OAK TRANSITION
dark chocolate, smooth pepper, oak
Dark chocolate takes center stage as the pepper smooths out considerably. Oak persists throughout while the smooth pepper provides gentle spice without aggression. The flavors intensify but remain balanced, showing restraint rather than just piling on strength for strength's sake. This section delivers refined power, proving that full-bodied doesn't have to mean face-punching intensity.
FINAL THIRD: CHARRED EARTH FINALE
charred oak, pepper, espresso, earth
Charred oak dominates the closing act with pepper returning alongside espresso that provides coffee punch. Earth notes ground the profile, creating that classic Nicaraguan character that signals you've reached the finish line. The cigar ends strong and composed without bitterness or heat, maintaining quality down to the nub - this knows when to leave the party rather than overstaying its welcome like that friend who never picks up on closing time cues.
🏆 THE VERDICT
B+ TIER
Flavor: B+
Construction: A
Availability: B+
Price: B-
Final Rating:
The Dunbarton Red Meat Lovers Ribeye delivers on its core mission: creating a cigar that can stand up to heavy meals and bold flavors. The Connecticut Broadleaf and Mexican San Andrés combination provides serious depth, while the Pennsylvania filler adds unique character that differentiates it from standard Nicaraguan bombs. At $15.45, the pricing sits in that awkward middle zone between affordable daily smoke and special occasion territory.
📊 BOTTOM LINE
Steve Saka's Red Meat Lovers line proves that designing cigars for specific food pairings isn't just marketing nonsense - when done thoughtfully, it actually works. Originally created for the Red Meat Lovers Club charity dinners in South Florida, this blend graduated from store exclusive to national production because it was genuinely too good to limit artificially. The concept of building a cigar specifically to pair with steak makes sense when you consider that most premium cigars either get overwhelmed by heavy meals or compete with them rather than complement. The B- price rating reflects this awkward positioning - you're paying boutique prices for regular production availability. The steak-themed naming convention (Beef Stick, Filet Mignon, Ribeye, Porterhouse) commits fully to the meat theme, which is either delightful or eye-rolling. Regular production availability since 2023 means these aren't allocation-chasing limited releases, just solid cigars designed with specific purpose. If you enjoy Connecticut Broadleaf power cigars and appreciate the Pennsylvania filler difference, the Red Meat Lovers delivers exactly what it promises - bold, savory smoking that can stand up to your carnivore lifestyle without apology.
TLDR: Tasty cigar, a bit expensive.
