Dunbarton Stillwell Star Navy Blue 1056 & Lagavulin 12

I am a big time fan of Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust – as are a couple of my friends. When one of them sang the praises of a Dunbarton made with pipe tobacco, I was intrigued. I was gifted a Dunbarton Stillwell Star Navy Blue 1056 to try so that’s what we’re testing today.

The back story behind Stillwell Star is that Steve Saka is into both cigar and pipe smoking. Saka even experimented with personal blends for his own private cigars that included pipe tobacco. Enter the master pipe tobacco blender at Cornell & Diehl. He and Saka created the pipe tobacco blends that became Dunbarton Stillwell Star.

Both the primary and secondary bands are blue and gold with a star prominent on the primary. The footer states “Stillwell Navy No. 1056.”

The filler on this cigar is multinational/multiregional – two types of Virginia, Nicaraguan, and several of which I am unfamiliar. The binder is Mexican San Andres. The wrapper is medium brown Ecuador Habano with some slightly raised veins.

There is a peat aroma to this cigar even before lighting it tempting me to pair it with an Islay peated single malt scotch. Charred oak with a barbecue flavor/aroma, a pipe tobacco fruit sweetness, kitchen cabinet spice with some mild pepper, roasted mixed nuts, chocolate, fresh ground coffee beans, mossy earth and mineral, and those notes of peat ajd pipe tobacco ever-present in the background. It’s medium-bodied and strength.

The construction was nearly flawless – semi-open draw – a tad more resistance than I prefer but no points docked, even enough burn line that required only one short touchup, plenty of smoke, and ash that held quite well.

Dunbarton Stillwell Star Navy Blue No. 1056 is a pleasant, interesting and enjoyable smoke. It has a flavor profile unlike any I’ve experienced in a cigar. The pipe tobacco to cigar tobacco differences in flavors are subtle, but they’re balanced and complex. I highly recommend the Stillwell, especially for Dunbarton fans, peated scotch fans and anyone who also enjoys pipe tobacco. There are 3 other Stilwells I intend to try.

And, yes, it paired very well with the Lagavulin 12. No surprise.

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