The Red Meat Lovers Fritanga is a new addition to the Red Meat Lovers lineup, officially launched at this year’s PCA. It is blended to be a bolder version of Steve Saka’s Red Meat Lovers brand, which, according to the Dunbarton website, are a “maduro liga that was created intentionally to be smoked after enjoying a heavy meal of steak or prime rib. The blend was developed while simultaneously consuming ‘chuleta de dos lomos,’ aka an export grade of prime Porterhouse steaks in Nicaragua, with a varied selection of fine post-digestif whiskeys and espresso.”

• Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
• Binder: San Andres
• Filler: Nicaraguan, Pennsylvania
• Size: Toro 6 x 52

Appearance and Construction: The cigar has a dark coffee brown wrapper and a very firm feel. The draw is firm, revealing notes of sweetness, earth, cocoa, and barnyard.

Upon lighting, the cigar presents flavors of oak, earth, espresso, flour, and a light creamy sweetness. The burn is straight with a white ash that is slightly flaky and a thin burn line. The retrohale is not very noticeable in the first half inch and is less spicy than expected. The overall experience is smooth and creamy with a bready finish, reminiscent of Yorkshire pudding.

As the cigar progresses, notes of white and black pepper emerge in the retrohale. The burn remains straight, and the cigar is medium-bodied at best and not quite medium in strength. The flavors are consistent into the final third, where the strength and body increase. The flavors become bolder, with more pepper in the retrohale and a stronger Yorkshire pudding taste.

The Fritanga is noticeably different from the rest of the RML lineup, becoming bolder at the end. The Yorkshire pudding profile is unique to this cigar and did not stand out as much as expected. Despite my expectations, this was an excellent cigar that would indeed pair marvelously with a steak. It is good enough to get the hashtag #PipeWorthy. Definitely not just blowing smoke, the Fritanga is a fine cigar and is highly recommended.