The Good Stuff:

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Fabrica Oveja Negra, Black Label Trading Co.’s factory in Nicargua, the company is releasing the Eletto, or “Chosen One”. This limited edition cigar is blended with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Ecuadorian Habano binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua. The Eletto will come in three sizes: The Corona Gorda (5 2/4 x 46), The Short Robusto (4 1/2 x 52), and the toro (6 x 50). Each comes packaged in boxes of 20 running between $12.40 and $13.90 with only 400 boxes of the Corona Gorda being produced, and only 800 boxes of the Short Robusto and Toro.

• Size: 4 1/2 x 46
• Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
• Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Body: Full
• Strength: Medium/Full
• Price: $12.90

Prelight:

The Black Label Trading Co. Eletto starts out with a very deep, dark brown wrapper that is very rustic looking as the cigar is scattered with darker spots throughout its body with a nice red gleam when the light hits it. The wrapper feels very thick and dense with a ton of tooth and grit covering it along with a nice, thick layer of oils. There are some larger veins running through the cigar’s body adding to the rustic looking character as it leads up to the cigar’s round, pigtail finished cap. The cigar is polished off with a classic white and black band featuring the “Eletto” crest on the front in an almost black-metal band style typeface.

The wrapper on the Black Label Trading Co. Eletto gives off little aroma, mostly musk and tobacco while the foot of the cigar is very sweet and earthy. The cap cut clean using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces notes of and musk, earthiness and sweetness over a little black licorice.

First Half:

I was expecting the Eletto to start off with a huge pepper punch, but it didn’t. Instead I am greeting with an awesome mixture of deep wood, musk, and leather over loads of sweetness, brown sugar and caramel with a nice black licorice bite along with some spice on the finish. The draw is perfect as each little puff kicks out huge clouds of thick white smoke while the cigar releases a whole mess of stationary smoke while the oils burn off the wrapper as it sits in my ashtray. The burn line is razor sharp and dead even leaving behind a trail of tightly compacted, dark gray ash which held on for about 3/4 of an inch before giving way.

Second Half:

Into the second third of the Black Label Trading Co. Eletto I am starting to really pick up some of that pepper I expected at the start. Along with the pepper comes a full bodied spice and retrohaling the cigar only increases both the pepper and spice. As I peel back the flavor layers I still find a great sweetness, caramel, and leather, however the licorice has now turned into an awesome dark berry. The flavor profile in this cigar is intense, and complex and I am love every minute of it. I close out with a decent little nicotine kick. There was no sap, no heat, and absolutely no burn issues. It took me about an hour to take this cigar down to the nub.

Overview:

I always enter every Black Label Trading Co. cigar with high expectations. The fact that this is an anniversary blend made me hype it up in my mind even more. I am pleased to say, I was not let down. The Eletto is a bold, complex, and full-flavored powerhouse of flavors that has a nice, balanced strength profile that won’t leave you on your ass. The profile fit my personal tastes very well and the cigar burned perfectly from start to finish. What more could you want? Oh, more cigars. It’s a limited edition run so I need to make sure I grab more while I still can.

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The Good Stuff:

Black Label Trading Co. dropped the Intergalactic in 2022. This month they started shipping an updated version of the release called the Intergalactic Event Horizon. While most of the blend stays the same, the Event Horizon features a Pennsylvanian Broadleaf wrapper instead of the Sumatran wrapper featured on the original blend which James Brown, owner of Black Label Trading Co. says completely transforms the experience. Produced at the company’s fabrica Oveja Negra factory in Nicaragua, the event Horizon will come in three sizes: Petite Corona (4 3/4 x 46), Robusto (5 1/2 x 50) and the toro (6 x 48). Each format comes packaged in boxes of 20 ranging between $11 and $12 per cigar with only 900 boxes of each being released. Huge thanks to the Black Label team for sending a few of these our way for review.

• Size: 4 3/4 x 46
• Wrapper: Pennsylvanian Broadleaf
• Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Body: Full
• Strength: Medium / Full
• Price: $11

Prelight:

The Black Label Trading Co. Intergalactic Event Horizon starts out with a very deep, dark brown wrapper. The wrapper is mostly consistent in color with a few lighter areas scattered throughout. The wrapper itself feels very thick and dense while the cigar is packed rather tightly with no soft-spots. The wrapper’s text is very, very toothy and gritty with a good amount of oils coating it. The foot of the cigar is covered as the wrapper is folded over it. There are some smaller veins running their course through the cigar’s slim, little body leading up to the cigar’s pig-tail style cap. The cigar is then wrapper up with the same band we found on the Intergalactic only in copper instead of the blue.

The wrapper on the Black Label Trading Co. gives off an incredible amount of perfume and floral notes with lighter notes of spice. The foot of the cigar is pretty much the same due to the wrapper covering it. The cap cut clean and easy while the cold draw produces some light fruit flavors over earthiness and light floral flavors.

First half:

Note: Due to the smaller format of this cigar I will reviewing it in halves instead of thirds.

The Black Label Trading Co. Intergalactic Event Horizon starts out with a quick black pepper blast which fades very quickly allowing the cigar to release bold notes of cherry and raisin over an awesome floral mixture, sweet wood and musk, and a great sweet-spiced finish. The retrohale brings out the spice and despite it being on the bold side, I quite enjoy it and find myself rerohaling quite often. The burn line is so damn sharp and dead even leaving behind a trail of very tightly compacted white ash which held on for an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Finish:

Into the second half of the Black Label Trading Co. Intergalactic Event Horizon and the flavors are just pouring out of this thing. It’s quite a departure from its Sumatran-wrapper brother. The cherry and raisin mixed with sweet woodsy/musk lead the charge backed by sweet spice, vanilla, and an awesome honey finish. I really love this profile. It took me about an hour and fifteen minutes to take this cigar down to the nub. It burned perfectly from start to finish with no help needed from my torch. There was no harshness, no sap, nor any extended heat. I close out the cigar with a very minor nicotine kick.

Overview:

the original Intergalactic didn’t really knock my socks off, however the Event Horizon is a completely different beast that surely rocked them right off my feet. The flavor profile was right in line with everything I personally look for in a cigar while being very balanced, yet complex. It was fun trying to sort through all the layers of great flavors. The cigar performed perfectly, is priced well, and is something I will definitely track down more of while I can before they are all sold out.

The post Black Label Trading Co. Intergalactic Event Horizon appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Each year Black Label Trading Co. releases its Bishop’s blend release in limited quantities. The 2024 version features the same blend as the 2022, and Ecuadorian Habano Maduro wrapper over Ecuadorian Habano binder and Connecticut, Pennsylvanian, and Nicaraguan broadleaf fillers. Produced at their Fabrica Oveja Negra factory in Esteli, Nicaragua the blend is featured in three sizes: Robusto ( 5 x 48), Corona Largo (6 1/4 x 46), and the Lancero (7 x 42). Each come packaged in boxes of 20 ranging between $12 and $13.50 per cigar. Huge thanks to the Black Label team for sending these our way for review:

• Size: 6 1/4 x 46
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Maduro
• Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
• Filler: Nicaraguan, Pennsylvanian, and Nicaraguan Broadleaf
• Body: Full
• Strength: Full
• Price: $13

Prelight:

The wrapper on the Black Label Trading Co. Bishops Blend 2024 is deep, dark brown and incredibly consistent in color. The wrapper’s texture is very toothy and extremely oily. The wrapper is laid over itself seamlessly. There are some mild veining leading from the cigar’s covered foot up to the tapered, pointy cap. The cigar is very, very tightly packed especially around the cap where it’s as hard as a rock. The cigar is polished off with the standard red and black Bishops Blend band as well as the secondary foot band with the words “Bishops Blend” printed in the same red ink.

the wrapper on the 2024 Bishops Blend gives of loads of sweet molasses and spice while the foot of the cigar carries a lot of the same sweetness over more natural/tobacco aromas. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces notes of raisin, dark chocolate, and lots of spice.

First Third:

The Black Label Trading Co. Bishops Blend 2024 starts out with a very minor black pepper punch which faded was quicker than I expected. Once the pepper faded the cigar releases great notes of raisin/plum over sweet honey, over loads of dark chocolate and espresso. The draw was very tight at first, after a bit of smoking it started to open up to a manageable level. I smoked 2 of these are both seemed to have a little trouble at the start but usually end up great. The burn line is razor thin and dead even leaving behind a very rightly compacted trail of white ash which held on for over an inch before giving way.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Black Label Trading Co. Bishops Blend 2024 and the pepper and spice have really ramped up, backed by the awesome raisin and honey mixture over gobs of dark chocolate and espresso with some great floral notes poking in and out of the experience. The draw has opened up considerably at this point and is now flowing perfectly. The retorhale brings out a bit more of the spice and pepper than I enjoy so I don’t find myself doing that too often. I close out the second third with a decent little nicotine kick.

Finish:

The pepper and spice have completely dropped out into the final third of the Black Label Trading Co. Bishops Blend 2024. The espresso and dark chocolate have really ramped up and taken control of the flavor profile backed now by only minor honey notes and that great floral mixture. The cigar took an hour and a half to take down to the nub. There was a fair bit of sap built up almost instantly after I lit up the cigar. I tried slowing my smoking speed down and it didn’t help it much. I suspect this is due to how tight the draw was. While it did need to just wipe the back of the cap off a few times during the experience, it wasn’t terrible, just worth mentioning.

Overview:

Every year I look forward to the Bishops Blend release. The blend always offers both unique, and very enjoyable flavors. The great news here is that the brilliant flavors in the cigar overshadow the tight draw ten-fold. Once the draw issues are dealt with you’re left with a very complex, bold, and flavorful cigar that delivers. I am glad I have a few more of these to last me until next year’s release.

The post Black Label Trading Co. Bishops Blend 2024 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

To celebrate their 10th anniversary Black Label Trading Co. has released La Madonna Negra, a celebratory cigar that will be offered in three different formats. Blended at the company’s Fabrica Oveja Negra factory in Esteli, Nicaragua the blend features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over an Ecuadorian Habano binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Pennsylvania. James Brown, founder of Black Label Trading Co. described the cigar as a blend that not only represents Black Label Trading Co., but also a blend that represents who he is today as a cigar maker. We’ve been lucky enough to follow James along his 10 year journey and hope to be a part of the next 10. The La Madonna Negra is offered in three sizes: Rothchild Boxpress (4 1/2 x 48), Corona Gorda Boxpress (5 1/2 x 50), and the Robusto Boxpress (5 x 54). Each come packaged in boxes of 20 and run between $11 and $13 per cigar. There will only be 900 boxes of each cigar produced. There will also be an incredible 50 “Collection Boxes” which contain a mixture of 32 La Madonna Negra cigars as well as a gorgeous dress box which includes a black rosary to top off the production. Huge thanks to the Black Label team for sending a few my way for review.

• Size: 4 1/8 x 48
• Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
• Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
• Filler: Nicaraguan and Pennsylvanian
• Body: Medium/Full
• Strength: Medium
• Price: $11

Prelight:

The La Madonna Negra starts out with a very, very dark brown, almost black wrapper which is very fitting for the cigar. The color is mostly consistent with a few darker areas around the foot of the cigar. The wrapper’s texture is pretty toothy and gritty with a ton of oils coating it which rub onto my fingers slightly as I handle the cigar. The wrapper feels very hard, very thick and very dense while the cigar as a whole is very hard and well-packed. I love the soft box press format. There are quite a few larger veins running through the cigar’s short, stubby body leading up to the round, double-wrapped cap. I also really like the band design here which features an actual black madonna over gold and white as well as a secondary matching foot band with the “La Madonna Negra” title embossed on the front.

The wrapper on the La Madonna Negra gives off mostly musk and chocolatey aromas while the foot o the cigar carries more chocolate along with some sandalwood and earthiness. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces mostly notes of dark chocolate and coffee.

First Half:

Due to the smaller format I will be reviewing this cigar in halves, instead of my normal thirds. The Black Label Trading Co. La Madonna Negra leads off with just a whisp of black pepper which only lasted through the first few puffs before the cigar released bold notes of dark chocolate and light baking spice over a subtle mixture of sandalwood and musk. I also get this great little acidity/tartness that I often get from strong black coffee. The draw is flawless as each and every little puff kicks out a huge cloud of thick, white smoke which really takes some time to dissipate while the cigar releases almost no stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. I also want to note just how comfortable the soft-box press is in both my hand and mouth. The burn line is dead even leaving behind a very tightly compacted trail of light and medium gray ash which held on for about an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Half:

Into the second half of the La Madonna Negra and the flavor profile has remained mostly the same. The dark chocolate completely owns the profile backed by lighter notes of sandlwood, musk, and plum while the baking spice has completely dropped out at this point. It took me only a little over and hour to smoke this cigar down to the nub. I experienced no harshness, nor any extended heat. One of the cigars I smoked did go out on me a few times even with my faster paced smoking, however it wasn’t anything bothersome, and the others smoked like a dream. I closed out the cigar with nothing in terms of nicotine kick.

Overview:

The Black Label Trading Co. La Madonna Negra is a solid cigar. I am used to these rich, deeply complex flavor profiles from the company and was initially caught off guard with how smooth and seamless this experience was. After smoking the cigar again I was really able to enjoy the slight nuances in the flavors while appreciating the overall profile of dark chocolate and musk. It’s a bit of a departure from the norm, and it should be as it is a cigar created to celebrate the companies longevity and Jame’s growth as a cigar producer. While I didn’t pair this particular review with a beer as I normally do, I did pair my first La Madonna Negra with a bourbon barrel aged chocolatey milk stout and holy crap was it a great pairing. The more I smoked through these cigars the more I realized it is absolutely a perfect cigar to pair with just about any stout beer.

The post Black Label Trading Co. La Madonna Negra appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

After being skipped over in 2021, Black Label Trading Co. has released this year’s version of the Morphine. This year’s morphine features two different wrapper variations. This specific format, the Robusto Torpedo features a dual wrapper consistent over Mexican San Andres and Ecuadorian Maduro while the other two formats in the line use only the San Andres. All three sizes utilize binder and fillers from Nicaragua. Crated at their Oveja Negra facility in Nicaragua, the 2022 Morphine is offered in 3 sizes: Corona Gorda (5 1/2 x 48), Lancero (7 1/4 x 42), and Box Pressed Robusto Torpedo (5 x 54). Each come packaged in boxes of 20 ranging between $11 and $12 per stick at only 800 boxes of each being produced. Big thanks to my boy Jake for hooking it up with a handful of these.

• Size: 5 x 54
• Wrapper: Mexican San Andres / Ecuadorian Maduro
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Body: Full
• Strength: Full
• Price: $11.50
• Pairing: The Bruery All the Cows (Imperial Stout 13.2% ABV)

Prelight:

The Black Label Trading Co. Morphine starts out with a very deep, very consistent, very dark brown wrapper. Laced in between the dark brown wrapper is a sliver of what looks like a whale lighter wrapper. In a few of the sticks I have the sliver is very visible, while in another it’s the exact same color. The wrapper’s texture is both very toothy and very oily. The wrapper itself feel decently dense while the cigar as a whole gives very little when pressed between my fingers. The short, stubby, soft-box pressed body showcases only minor veining as it leads up to the cigar’s tapered torpedo cap. The cigar is finished off with the standard Morphine black and white band we’ve seen for quite some time as well as a secondary black and white foot band with the “Morphine” logo printed across the front.

The Black Label Trading Co. Morphine’s wrapper gives off little more than just cashew and espresso aromas while the foot of the cigar is much more oaky, spicy, and carries bold natural tobacco aromas. The cold draw produces notes of caramel, cherry, spice and tobacco.

First Third:

The Black Label Trading Co. Morphine starts out with a mild black pepper punch with fades extremely quickly allowing the cigar to release bolder espresso, dark chocolate, dark berry, spice, and cedar flavors. I may be reaching but it almost tastes like a nice root-beer type mixture of flavors. As I continue to smoke on the root-beer becomes more and more prevalent. The draw is absolutely perfect as each puff kicks out a great amount of thick, white smoke which really sticks around for a while before dissipating while the cigar just pours out stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is dead even and razor thin leaving behind a trail of tightly compacted white and light gray ash which held on for almost an inch before giving way.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Black Label Trading Co. Morphine and things start to level out a bit here. The flavor profile is now lead by a creamy espresso and dark chocolate over lighter notes of spice, cedar and berry. That crazy root-beer mixture has started to fade away quite a bit now however when I retrohale the cigar it comes back pretty hard. I close out the second third with a decent little nicotine kick already.

Finish:

Man, this cigar just takes off in the final third! The Black Label Trading Co. Morphine is kicking out tons of black cherry and creamy espresso now over bold dark chocolate and lighter notes of spice, cedar, pecan, and a really nice anise. It took me about an hour and a half to smoke this stubby little guy down the nub and I loved every second of it. I experienced no harshness nor any extended heat. Just a warning though, this little cigar did hit me with a pretty big nicotine punch.

Overview:

I have always been a big fan of the Morphine ever since it first came out (shout out to my boy Drew for turning me onto them). While I don’t smoke every year’s version, I smoke enough to know that this year’s blend is something special. It offers the same bold experience you’d expect however the flavors seem both more refined and more complex. I also really love the box pressed torpedo robusto format. This is going to go fast, and is probably already sold out basically everywhere, but if you stumble into any then this is easily a box-worthy purchase.

Pairing:

The Bruery’s All the Cows is a bourbon barrel aged imperial milk stout brewed with Madagascar Vanilla beans. Coming in at 13.2% ABV the beer leads with dark chocolate, sweet malt, cinnamon, vanilla, and a nice little bourbon kick with a very heavy and sticky mouthfeel before finishing with toffee, dark chocolate, sweet malt, vanilla, and even a touch of caramel. This isn’t an overly complex beer and it doesn’t need to be. The sweetness really paired well with the drier Black Label Trading Co. Morphine pushing the experience forward creating a more balance profile for both parties involved.

The post Black Label Trading Co. Morphine 2022 Robusto Torpedo appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Created at Black Label Trading Co.’s Fabrica Oveja Negra factory in Nicaragua, the Memento Mori is created using a Pennsylvanian Broadleaf wrapper over A Ecuadorian Habano binder and all Nicaraguan fillers. The Memento Mori is offered in three sizes: Robusto (5 x 50), Corona (5 1/2 x 42), and Lonsdale (6 1/2 x 46). Each comes packaged in boxes of 20 running between $10.50 and $12 a stick and is limited to only 850 boxes being released in the U.S.

• Size: 5 x 50
• Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf
• Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Body: Full
• Strength: Medium/Full
• Price: $11
• Pairing: Foam Brewers Spelled in Bones (Imperial Stout 10% ABV)

Prelight:

The Black Label Trading Co. Memento Mori starts out with a crazy dark, almost black consistent wrapper. The wrapper’s texture is slightly toothy with a whole ton of oils coating it. The wrapper is laid perfectly over itself while sporting a few larger veins. The wrapper’s foot is inclosed as it lays over the filler tobacco. The Memento Mori sports a sharp, pointed cap and a black and white band with a skull and the Memento Mori logo across the front. The cigar feels very hard and tightly packed with absolutely no soft-spots to be found.

The wrapper on the Memento Mori gives off mostly sweet honey, cocoa, and musk. The foot of the cigar is much of the same since the filler is enclosed by the wrapper leaf. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces a ton of spice and pepper over sweet chocolate and natural tobacco.

First Third:

The Black Label Trading Co. starts out with a black of cayenne pepper which left my lips tingling. This faded very quickly allowing the cigar to release bold honey sweetness, milk chocolate, vanilla, black pepper, musk, and black cherry. While the cigar is packed tightly, the draw was effortless. Each little puff kicked out a great amount of thick, white smoke which hung out for a very long time before dissipating while the cigar releases only a small amount of stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is ultra thin and dead even leaving behind a trail of white, compacted ash which held on for an inch before giving way.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Memento Mori and the milk chocolate mixed with black cherry flavors are leading the charge backed by soft vanilla, sweet honey, musk, and an awesome black licorice that keeps popping in and out. The retrohale brings some of the pepper back into the mix. The cigar is still burning perfectly and I close out the second third with only a tiny little nicotine kick.

Finish:

The final third is much of the same. Lots of milk chocolate and black cherry with notes of black licorice, sweet honey, and musk. In the final inch and a half a really badass colonge/floral flavor started to take over the profile. I just with this happened sooner in the experience. The cigar took about an hour and half to smoke down to the nub. There was no harshness, no extended heat, and I finish out with only a small nicotine kick. I didn’t want this one to end.

Overview:

The Memento Mori is a great example of the rich flavors, complexity, and great profile that I have grown to love with Black Label Trading Co. The cigar kept me on my toes from start to finish and delivered in every aspect. These may be sold in out most cases, but I will be chasing a few more down to keep in my rotation when I am craving a more complex cigar that won’t knock me on my ass.

Pairing:

Spelled in Bones is a 10% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with vanilla bean, ancho chili peppers, cinnamon and lactose by Foam Brewers in Vermont. The beer starts with a blast of vanilla sweetness, roasted malt, mild cinnamon, and a great mile burst piloncillo with a lighter mouthfeel before finishing with more chocolate, bolder cinnamon and just a touch of pepper on the aftertaste. The alcohol is crazy-well hidden as this beer is super crushable for a 10% ABV stout. The pepper from the chili, the sweet chocolate and vanilla paired so well with the flavors in the Black Label Trading Co. Memento Mori making for a sweet pairing.

The post Black Label Trading Co. Memento Mori appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Originally part of the Black Label Trading Co.’s original portfolio in 2013, the Benediction has made its triumphant return as a Smokers Abbey Exclusive. Both the blend and the packaging have been updated to be more in line with the releases the Black Label Trading Co. has been releasing more recently. Created at Black Label’s Oveja Negra factory in Nicaragua the blend features a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers. The cigar is offered in two sizes: Short Robusto (4 1/2 x 50) and the Lonsdale (6 1/2 x 42). Both come packaged in boxes of 20 and run $10 and $11 per cigar.

• Size: 4 1/2 x 50
• Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
• Binder: Nicaraguan
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Body: Medium
• Strength: Medium
• Price: $10
• Pairing: Side Project Ambiente (Imperial Stout 13% ABV)

Prelight:

First, let’s talk about this artwork. Straight gorgeous. The band features a skeleton in full religion attire. The black, white, and silver embossed ink make the branding both elegant and creepy at the same time. I love it. There is also a smaller foot band with the word “Benediction” printed across the front.

The wrapper on Black Label Trading Co.’s Benediction is extremely dark brown and very consistent in color. The wrapper’s texture is slightly gritty with a whole ton of oils coating it. The wrapper feels thick and hard as the cigar is very tightly packed and heavy for it’s size. There are some very minor veins running up to the cigar’s round, triple-wrapped cap.

The wrapper on the Black Label Trading Co. Benediction gives off some dark chocolate aromas over natural tobacco scents while the foot of the cigar carries much of the same only with an added spice. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces notes of chocolate and cinnamon over deep woodsy flavors.

First Half:

When I took off the foot band I unveiled probably the largest wrapper patch I have every seen covering a very large area at the foot of the cigar. I really don’t mind patches at all, especially if its applied as well as this one is. It’s pointless to toss a good cigar if all it needs is a bit of wrapper leaf to fix it. Anyways, the Black Label Trading Co. Benediction lit up with ease. The cigar starts out with a very light burst of black pepper which faded almost instantly leaving behind notes of oak, dark chocolate, and black coffee over some light cinnamon and earthiness. I am happy to report the Benediction burned straight through that patch with absolutely no burn or cracking issues. The draw is slightly tight but nothing too concerning at this point. After just a little effort I get a good amount of smoke on my draw while the cigar releases a good amount of stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is decently even leaving behind a trail of white and medium gray ash which held on for about a 3/4 of an inch before falling into my ashtray. Note, after about a half inch in the cigar fully opened up as I expected and the draw was perfect.

Second Half:

The dark chocolate and coffee have completely taken over the Black Label Trading Co. Benediction and I’m not complaining. The cinnamon, and oak are still there just not as prominent at this point. The retrohale brings out some awesome honey and sweetness which I find myself doing quite often. It took me a little over an hour to smoke this cigar down to the nub. There was no harshness, no extended heat, barely any nicotine, and it never once needed any attention from my torch as it burned perfectly from start to finish.

Overview:

The first time I smoked the Benediction I was a little underwhelmed. The cigar may have just needed a bit of rest as this experience was quite nice. It’s not the bold, complex profile that you come to expect from Black Label Trading Co., nor did it need to be. This is a solid cigar with a very good supporting cast of flavors which I personally really enjoyed. This is also a great example of not being scared of cigars with simple patches. They are in use for a reason and in most cases will not affect smoking experiences when applied properly as in this case.

Pairing:

Side Project brewing’s Ambient is a 13% imperial stout with vanilla beans, cacao nibs, cinnamon sticks and ancho chilis. The beer leads with very heavy cinnamon, chocolate, black coffee and roasted malt with some light black licorice and black cherry. There is a lot going on here. The mouthfeel is very heavy and finishes with more cinnamon, chocolate, and a great little aftertaste of the chili pepper which is so subtle I don’t pick them up much on the taste. It’s easy to see why I paired the Benediction with this beer as they both share heavy notes of chocolate, coffee, and cinnamon while the cigar added a bit of smokiness to the experience.

The post Black Label Trading Co. Benediction appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Black Works Studio, a branch off Black Label Trading company, releases it’s first drop earlier this year: The Intergalactic. The Intergalactic is a limited edition cigar created at the company’s Fabrica Oveja Negra facility in Nicaragua. The cigar features an Indonesian Sumatra wrapper over an Ecuadorian Habano binder and Nicaraguan fillers. The cigar is offered in two sizes: Robusto (5 1/2 x 50) and the Corona Larga (6 1/4 x 46). Both come packaged in boxes of 20 and both run $10.50 per stick. I nabbed mine over at Fox Cigar Bar.

• Size: 6 1/4 x 46
• Wrapper: Indonesian Sumatra
• Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Body: Medium/Full
• Strength: Medium/Full
• Price: $10.50
• Pairing: Bottle Logic / Voodoo brewing Deprecophobia (Imperial Stout 13.61% ABV)

Prelight:

The Black Works Studio Intergalactic starts out with a medium brown wrapper with lots of both darker and lighter areas scattered throughout. The wrapper itself is slightly toothy with only a small amount of oils coating it. There are a few larger veins running from the cigar’s semi-enclosed foot up to it’s round, triple-wrapped, pigtail style cap. The cigar as a whole feels well packed with some softer areas around the center of the cigar. The cigar is ploished off with a great black, silver, and blue band with a skull in a space helmet as well as the Intergalactic and Black Works Studio logos on the back. P.S. those black embossed stars on the band are an incredible touch.

The wrapper gives off some light herbal aromas while the foot of the cigar carries lots of spice and natural tobacco aromas. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw draw produces notes of date, cedar, and natural tobacco with some light spices.

First Third:

The Black Works Studio Intergalactic starts out with a burst of black pepper which faded extremely quickly allowing the cigar to release some great herbal notes of black tea and light floral over raisin, cedar, natural tobacco, pecan, and spice. The draw is flawless and every little puff kicks out a good amount of white smoke which dissipates very quickly while the cigar releases only a minor amount of stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is as thin as it gets and extremely consistent as it leaves behind a trail of compacted white ash which held on for a little over a half inch before falling into my lap.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Black Works Studio Intergalactic the cedar flavor really takes hold of the profile and it’s fantastic. Backed by bold black tea and pecan over lighter earthy notes and spice. The retrohale only brings out more of that great cedar flavor. The burn line is still perfect as I haven’t had to reach for my torch. I close out the second third with no signs of nicotine.

Finish:

The profile final third of the Black Works Studio Intergalactic was very similar to the second. Cedar and black tea lead the charge backed by pecan, chocolate, earthy notes and spice. The burn line got a little wild in the last third, but again, I never once had to touchup and relight the cigar so no marks taken there. It took me an hour and a half to take the cigar down the nub and I experienced no harshness nor extended heat. I closed out with only a very light amount of nicotine.

Overview:

The Black Works Studio Intergalactic is a solid cigar, yet is a bit of a departure from what I normally expect from the brand. In the past, most of the Black Works offerings have been bold, unique, and in your face while the Intergalactic is much more calm and nuanced while still having a bit of the Black Works flare. Because of this, I think the cigar is better suited for the community as a whole since the experience isn’t aimed nearly as narrow as the rest of the cigars in the portfolio. I can easily see this being a staple in a good amount of the cigar community’s regular rotation and even the perfect cigar to bring new smokers to the brand. Now did I still enjoy it? Yes I did. I just think for my personal profile I would normally gravitate to other cigars in the Black Works portfolio before one of these.

Pairing:

Deprecophobia is a collaboration between Bottle Logic Brewing and Voodoo Brewing Company. The Double Mash imperial stout is aged in bourbon barrels for two years before being bottled resulting in a 13.6% ABV beer. The Deprecophobia starts out with a ton of sweet molasses, caramel, chocolate, raisin, and lots of bourbon with a very heavy, sticky mouthfeel before finishing with more molasses and chocolate over lighter raisin and coffee as well as really light malt. This syrup-like beer is fantastic if you like heavily bourbon barrel aged stouts. The chocolate, raisin, and coffee paired beautifully with the flavors in the Black Works Studio Intergalactic.

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The Good Stuff:

Bishop’s Blend has been a limited edition release from Black Label Trading Co. over the past six years and serves as one of the more sought after releases each year. Manufactured at the Fabrica Oveja Negra factory in Nicaragua, the 2021 Bishop’s Blend starts with an Ecuadorian Habano Maduro wrapper over an Ecuadorian Habano binder and filler tobacco from Nicaragua, Connecticut and a broadleaf from Pennsylvania. The 2021 Bishop’s Blend comes in three sizes: Corona Largo (6 1/4 x 46), Robusto (5 x 48), Lancero (7 x 42). Both the Corona Largo and Robusto come packaged in boxes of 20 with only 600 boxes of each being released, while the Lancero comes packaged in boxes of 12 with only 400 being released. The cigars range between $11 and $12 per stick and another should out to my boy Jason for the hookup here.

• Size: 6 1/4 x 46
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Maduro
• Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
• Filler: Nicaraguan, Connecticut, Pennsylvanian Broadleaf
• Body: Full
• Strength: Full
• Price: $11.50
• Pairing: Unsweetened black tea

Prelight:

The Black Label Trading Co.’s Bishop’s Blend 2021 starts out with an extremely dark brown wrapper that’s pretty consistent in color with the exception of some lighter areas around the cigar’s cap. The wrapper itself is very dense and very hard while the cigar as a whole is extremely heavy and well packed. The wrapper’s texture is extremely smooth with a whole mess of oils coating it. The wrapper is slightly extended which is carefully folded over the foot canceling the filler tobacco. The cigar showcases some milder veining as it’s long, slender body leads up to it’s etremely pointed, tapered cap. The cigar is then polished off with the red and black Bishop’s Blend band we find on each of these releases as well as a secondary foot band with the cigar’s nameplate across the front.

The cigar’s wrapper gives off lots of raisin and pepper scents while the foot of the cigar carries much of the same raisin as well as lots of spice and musk. The cap on the Black Label Trading Co.’s Bishop’s Blend 2021 cut with ease. The cold draw produces lots of musk and raisin which a little pepper bite.

First Third:

The Black Label Trading Co.’s Bishop’s Blend 2021 starts out with a much more mild black pepper punch than I anticipated which quickly transitioned into a sweet, cinnamon-led spice over bold musk, raisin, and dark chocolate with lighter notes of black cherry and pecan. I can’t place it but there is a certain tobacco that gives off this amazing piloncillo flavor that just flat out rocks and its VERY present in this blend. It’s very noticeable on the nose as well. The draw is perfect as each puff kicks out huge clouds of thick, white smoke which hang around for a while before dissipating while the cigar releases a whole mess of stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is dead even and razor thin leaving behind a trail of tightly compacted white ash which only held on for about a half an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Black Label Trading Co.’s Bishop’s Blend 2021 and this thing is still piling on the flavors. The cinnamon/spice mixture along with the musk still lead the charge over loads of raisin and dark chocolate and lighter notes of pecan and black cherry. That piloncillo note is still hanging in there too and its very evident on the retrohale. I close out the second third with only a light little nicotine kick.

Finish:

I’m kind of sad that I’m already closing out the Black Label Trading Co.’s Bishop’s Blend 2021. The flavors are so good. The musk and spice are still the dominant flavors over dark chocolate and pecan, black cherry, vanilla, piloncillo and some nice floral undertones here towards the end. It took me an hour and forty five minutes to smoke this cigar down to the nub and I didn’t want to put it down. I experienced no harshness nor extended heat, and a decent little nicotine kick. I never once had to touchup or relight the cigar as it burned perfect from start to finish.

Overview:

The team over at Oveja Negra is making it really hard for me not to include every one of their releases in my top 10 cigars for 2021. I always thought the bishop’s blend releases were special cigars, but this year there was something extra special with the blend or tobacco. The flavor profile is absolutely incredible from start to finish. The cigar burned perfectly, and the price is actually lower than I’d expect for a cigar like this. The limited production is a bit daunting, but they have released a new run each year which evens it out. The only complaint here is the amount of sap this cigar produces. There is quite a bit and while slowing down my smoking pace greatly reduces it, I was unable to make it through any of the cigars I smoked without some slipping out. I’m sure some more rest would easily clean that up.

The post Black Label Trading Co. Bishop’s Blend 2021 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Originally released as a limited edition blend only available to retailers who attended the 2019 IPCPR show, the Last Rites Viaticum would now be available to all of Black Label Trading Co.’s retailers in 2021. Created at the Fabrica Oveja Negra factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, the blend features an Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper over a Honduran Habano binder and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua. The Viaticum is produced in 3 sizes: Robusto (5 x 54), Toro (6 x 48), and the Lancero (6 3/4 x 40). All three sport a soft box-press format and come packaged in boxes of 20 running between $15 and $15.25 a stick. Only 800 boxes of each size will be released. We scooped ours up from our good friends at Cigars International.

• Size: 5 x 54
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro
• Binder: Honduran Habano
• Filler:  Honduran / Nicaraguan
• Body: Medium/Full
• Strength: Medium/Full
• Price: $15
• Pairing: The Bruery Melange Noir (Blended Ale 16.6% ABV)

Prelight:

The Black Label Trading Co. Last Rites Viaticum starts out with a very deep, dark brown wrapper. So dark it’s almost black and incredibly consistent. The wrapper itself feels pretty thick and tough while the cigar as a whole is very hard and tightly packed. The wrapper showcases lots of mild veining as the soft box-pressed body leads up to the cigar’s round, triple-wrapped cap. The cigar is then polished off with a black and gold band with the skull embossed on the front and a black and gold foot bad with the Viaticum crest printed across the front.

The wrapper on the Viaticum gives off a ton of raisin over some natural tobacco while the foot of the cigar is much more spice-forward with lots of herbal and dit aromas. The cigar cut like butter using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces a whole mess of raisin, cocoa and spice.

First Third:

The Black Label Trading Co. Last Rites Viaticum carries a very mild black pepper punch that quickly faded as the cigar released a ton of cocoa, cinnamon, raisin, espresso, maple, and moss. It’s a really great flavor profile to lead off with. The draw is absolutely perfect as each and every tiny puff kicks out a whole mess of thick, white smoke which sticks around for a considerable amount of time before dissipating while the cigar releases a ton of stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burnline is very thin and dead even leaving behind a trail fo white and light gray ash which held on for an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third

Into the second third of the Viaticum and the cinnamon and raisin lead the way backed by cocoa, caramel, and espresso with light maple sweetness and earthiness. There is this very enjoyable, unique blend of earthy/herbal tones I get from a lot of the Black Label cigars and it’s pretty potent in this one. The cold draw produces a whole ton of black pepper, even more than I got off the initial smoke. The burnline is slightly wavy as I close out the second third with nothing in terms of nicotine.

Finish:

Into the final third of the Black Label Trading Co. Last Rites Viaticum and the cigars continues to pump out it’s amazing flavors. The raisin and cinnamon have remained in front of the pack while the caramel, cocoa, and espresso have been consistent. In the final third I noticed a lot of the sweetness and maple were replaced with much more herbal earthiness. It took me an hour to smoke this down to the nub. That’s right, just an hour. This thing smokes crazy fast. I experienced no harshness nor any extended heat while the cigar left me with no signs of any nicotine. While the burnline was a bit wavy there for a while it completely corrected itself and I never once had to reach for my torch to touchup, or relight the cigar.

Overview:

Giving credit where credit is due, this is easily one of the best cigars I’ve smoked all year. The construction and burn were fantastic while the unique blend and flavor profile really appealed to my personal palate. And when I say it “really appealed”, I meant that I loved it. There are few drawbacks, but most are expected. It’s a bit pricey, however I feel the price is justified as I don’t mind paying $15 for the experience it delivered. It’s very limited. Well, that’s a given. And it burns very quickly. None were big enough miffs to keep me from purchasing quite a few more.

Pairing:

The Bruery’s Melange Noir is a blend of the brewery’s Black Tuesday stout, and two different barleywines including the anniversary release. The result is a 16.6% ABV powerhouse beer that is dangerously easy to drink. The  Melange Noir leads lots of raisin, dark chocolate, caramel and black cherry over a good amount of sweethesss with a surprisingly thin mouthfeel before finishing with even more raisin, chocolate and black cherry. I’m often iffy about blended ales but this one turned out fantastic. The raisin, chocolate and caramel paired perfectly with the Viaticum while the cigar itself added some great spice to the beer resulting an in incredible paring.

The post Black Label Trading Co. Last Rites Viaticum appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Last week I got a surprise package from my favorite Cigar people in Fox Cigar in Arizona. We’ve worked with Fox for about 8 years now, covering events, checking out their exclusive releases, and just all around hanging out and having great times with the awesome people over there. Back to the package, which was an awesome new collaboration between Fox and one of our favorite manufacturers Black Label Trading Co. The Araposa Negra is a new, exclusive cigar that will only be available for purchase at Fox Cigar.

“Araposa is dark, rich and extremely well balanced. This cigar has bold flavors and just the right amount of spice on the retro hale. The flavors of black cherry, anise and bitter cocoa let you know this is a Black Label cigar. The Nicaraguan fillers are topped with an Ecuadorian Habano binder and wrapped in both Mexican San Andrés and Ecuador Corojo,” says James Brown, creator of BLTC and partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra.

Created at the Fabrica Oveja Negra in Esteli, Nicaragua the Araposa will come in a single box-pressed 5 x 54 format. The blend features a dual, barber pole-style Mexican San Andres / Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over an Ecuadorian Habano binder and all Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. They will come packaged in soft packs of 10 and will only be available at Fox Cigar Bar starting THIS FRIDAY, September 24th and should run around $11 per cigar.

• Size: 5 x 54
• Wrapper: Mexican San Andres and Ecuadorian Corojo
• Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Body: Full
• Strength: Medium
• Price: ~$11
• Pairing: Perennial Artisan Ales Black is Beautiful (Imperial Stout 12.5% ABV)

Prelight:

The Black Label Trading Co. Araposa Negra’s obvious standout characteristic is it’s stunning wrapper. The dark San Andres wrapper is laid seamlessly over the Ecuadorian Habano resulting in a gorgeous barber-pole looking cigar. the wrapper itself feels very thick and dense with some gritty tooth and a ton of thick oils coating the cigar. The cigar as a whole feels heavy and hard and I am a huge fan of the soft-box pressed format as its just so comfortable both in hand and mouth. The cigar carries only light veining as it leads up to it’s round, double-wrapped cap. The Araposa is then polished off with a beautiful black and white band with the expected fox wearing a great silver crown along with silver markings carrying the cigar’s name.

The wrapper on the Black Label Trading Co. Araposa Negra’s wrapper gives off a huge amount of cinnamon, spice, and cedar aromas while the foot of the cigar carries much of the same aroma only with a little more earthiness and natural tobacco. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw carries lots of black pepper, spice, cinnamon, cedar, and dark berry.

First Third:

The Black Label Trading Co. Araposa Negra starts out with some great deep cedar, dark chocolate, brown sugar sweetness, black cherry and black coffee over light black pepper and an awesome musk that really sticks around on the aftertaste. Note: My tasting notes are very similar to the tasting notes posted by the James Brown above. This was not intentional. I actually wrote this review before adding the notes above. Just got lucky on my tasting notes . The draw on the Araposa is flawless as every little puff kicks out a massive cloud of thick white smoke which really hangs around for a while before dissipating while the cigar itself releases only a minor amount of stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burnline is razor thin and dead even leaving behind a compacted trail of white and light-gray ash which held on for almost an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the The Black Label Trading Co. Araposa Negra and the flavors are just pouring in. The dark chocolate, cedar and black cherry still lead the charge backed by black coffee, spice, musk, and brown sugar. There are also these great floral notes that seem to come and go. While the pepper is completely gone from the experience, the retrohale brings it right back out while intensifying the spice at the same time. The burn is still flawless, and draw is brilliant. I close out the second third with nothing in terms of nicotine.

Finish:

Not a lot has changed between the second and third portions of this Black Label Trading Co. Araposa and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The complex flavor profile is still weighted heavily on the dark chocolate, cedar, and black cherry over brown sugar, spice and coffee. It took me about and hour and a half to take this cigar down to the nub and I didn’t want it to end. I experienced no harshness nor any extended heat and I finished the cigar out with only a very minor nicotine kick. I always love when I lear through an entire full-bodied cigar and it still finishes in the medium-strength arena.

Overview:

All bias aside, this is easily one of the best cigars I smoked all year. The Araposa’s flavor profile was incredible and easily kept my palate happy and busy with it’s complexity. The construction was flawless, and gets extra points for the soft-box press format. I’m really stoked to see such a great collaboration between two great parties. Again, this will go on sale THIS FRIDAY, September 24th at Fox Cigar and will sell out extremely fast. Make sure you get them while you can.

Pairing:

Brewed at the Perennial Artisan Ales brewery in Missouri, Black is Beautiful is a blend of 20% barrel-aged imperial stout and 80% fresh imperial stout. Comprised of a couple 23 month old Knob Creek Single Barrel Series and a couple 19 month old Rittenhouse Rye barrels, then blended with our base stout. Coming in at 12.5% ABV the beer leads with dark chocolate, sticky toffee and molasses, sweet cinnamon and spice along with a nice light malty body with a very heavy and sticky mouthfeel before finishing even sweeter and smoother with more chocolate, vanilla, and toffee over some very light barrel character. This beer is dangerously smooth with a great sweetness that showcases the beer’s great adjunct-free base stout. The cinnamon, chocolate, and sweetness went beautiful with the Araposa while the cigar itself added some great spice to the pairing.

The post Black Label Trading Co Araposa Negra Fox Cigar Exclusive appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Super Deluxe is one of the newest blends to be added to Black Label Trading Co.’s portfolio towards the final few months last year. The goal of this new blend was to create a bold, rich and complex blend which utilizes a Mexican San Andres wrapper, Ecuadorian habano binder, and Nicaraguan Fillers. Produced at the Fabrica Oveja Negra factory the blend is offered in three soft-box-pressed sizes: The Petite Corona (4 1/2 x 48), The Robusto (5 1/4 x 52), and the Lancero (7 x 42). Each size comes packaged in boxes of 20 ranging between $9 and $11.50 a stick.

• Size: 4 1/2 x 48
• Wrapper: Mexican San Adres
• Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Body: Full
• Strength: Medium/Full
• Price: $9
• Pairing: Saint Archer Tusk & Grain No. 002 (Imperial Stout 12.94% ABV)

Prelight:

Black Label Trading Co.’s Supreme Deluxe starts out with an extremely consistent, extremely dark brown, almost black wrapper. The wrapper’s texture has some very slight tooth and a whole mess of oils coating it. The wrapper feels very thick and very hard as its laid seamlessly over itself with only a few ripples near the cap. The short, stubby, soft-box-pressed body leads up to a round, triple wrapped cap. The Supreme Deluz is polished off with a black, white, and silver band with the Black Label crest within a cross, laid over a heart on the front and “Supreme Deluxe” embossed in the back.

The wrapper on Black Label Trading Co.’s Super Deluxe gives off some really bold sweet tobacco aromas with soft black cherry while the foot of the cigar is much more natural with more of a pepper/spice lean. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces a ton of heavy spice over musk and natural tobacco flavors.

First Half:

Black Label’s Trading Co.’s Super Deluxe starts out with a blast of cayenne pepper which quickly faded after the first few draws to reveal a very heavy musk flavor backed by dark chocolate, black cherry, black coffee and a nice little tartness that lingers for a bit after taking each puff. The draw is a bit looser than I prefer, but its not really hindering the smoking experience so no points taken there. The burnline is razor thin and dead even leaving behind a trail fo tightly compacted, dark gray ash which held on for almost an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Half:

Into the second half of Black Label Trading Co.’s Super Deluxe and the dark chocolate is now leading the pack and I love it. Backed by musk, vanilla, and black coffee over some lighter spice and sweetness notes. That tart black cherry is hanging in there too, but not as potent as it was in the first half. The retrohale really brings the spice out of the shadows. It looks me an hour and a half to smoke this little beast down to the nub and I loved every second of it. I experienced no harshness nor any extended heat with only a minor little nicotine kick.

Overview:

I am a big Black Label fan. They tend to make bolder, more complex blends and the Super Deluxe is just that. Huge, bold flavors, yet the balance is so delicate that the complexity keeps you on your toes without any of the flavors really dominating the experience, which is no easy feat. Outside of a slightly loose draw, I don’t have a single bad thing to say about this cigar. In fact, this is a stick I really want to keep around for the rotation on days when I am craving something that will satisfy my palate when I am craving a more complex experience.

Pairing:

Saint Archer’s Tusk & Grain series No. 002 features a barrel aged blend of stouts coming in at 12.94% ABV. The beer leads with loads of milk chocolate, vanilla, caramel, malt, soft brown sugar and just a hint of anise with a very heavy mouthfeel before finishing with more chocolate, vanilla, and malt with a little barrel on the aftertaste. This is dangerously easy to drink given the alcohol content. The chocolate and vanilla mashed very well with the flavors in the deluxe while the spice from the cigar really added another dimension to the beer and its always nice when a cigar can do that.

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The Good Stuff:

Mophine was created to celebrate Black Label Trading’s 5th anniversary and was the company’s first limited edition cigar ever released. Morphine is created at Black Label Trading Co.’s own factory in Esteli, Nicaragua the Fabrica Oveja Negra. The Morphine is composed of a Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper and Nicaraguan Habano wrapper over all Nicaraguan fillers. The cigar is offered if 3 sizes: Corona 5.5 x 42, Lancero Double Wrapper (7.25 x 42) and Short Corona or Robusto (4.5 x 50) running between $10.50 and $11.50 a stick. I got this one for my buddy Andrew over at Lucas Tobacco in Las Cruces, New Mexico who always carries the greatest boutique blends including tons of Black Label Trading Co.’s goodies. 

Size: 4.5 x 50
Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan
Body: Full
Strength: Full
Price: $10.50
Pairing: The Bruery So Happens It’s a Tuesday w/ Coffee (Imperial Stout 14.7% ABV)

Prelight:

The Black Label Trading Co.’s Morphine starts out with a crazy dark, beautiful, consistently dark brown wrapper. The color is about as dark brown as you can get before the color turns black. The wrapper itself is very smooth and silky with a good amount of oils coating it as it’s laid seamlessly over itself exposing almost not veins or webbing leading up tot the cigar’s round, pigtail style cap. The Morphine sports two bands and black and white foot band with the word “Morphine” printed accross the front as well as a bigger back with a crowned skull over a butterfly as well as Black Label Trading Co’s crest. 

The wrapper on the Black Label Trading Co’s Morphine gives off bold aromas of deep oak, strong tobacco, and vanilla while the foot of the cigar carries more spice, pepper, and earthiness. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO cutter. The cold draw produces some great black cherry, strong tobacco, and deep oak flavors. 

First Half:

The Black Label Trading Co.’s Morphine lets loose a flurry of black and cayenne pepper when it’s first lit up leaving my tongue and lips tingling. After the first few puffs the pepper starts to drop off and I am left with some really bold oak, black cherry, vanilla, spice, and bold tobacco. This cigar already starts off in the full arena and I doubt the body will dip down very much. The draw is flawless as each and every little puff kicks out a great amount of thick, white smoke while the cigar releases just a slight amount of thin stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burn line has some slight waves, but there is also breezy out so that may be adding to the affect. The ash left behind is bright white and tightly compacted holding on for about 3/4 of an inch before giving way. 

Second Half:

Into the second half of The Black Label Trading Co.’s Morphine and the cigar hasn’t let up one bit in the body department pouring out gobs of oak, black cherry, vanilla, spice, bold tobacco and dark coffee with some soft pepper and floral flavors. The retrohale kills me with spice and pepper so I don’t find myself doing it too much. I am definitely feeling the nicotine in this little beast as well. I took me an hour to smoke the Morphine down to the nub and I experienced no harshness nor extended heat. While there was some wavy moments I never once had to reach for my lighter to tough up or relight the cigar. 

Overview:

I’ve said it time and time again, I am a huge fan of Black Label Trading Co’s portfolio and the Morphine is no exception. Its an incredibly bold cigar in both body and strength with a complex profile that could easily kick a novice cigar smoker’s ass. That being said this wasn’t my favorite cigar by them. It’s fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but at times I felt the experience was just overpowering my palate and I wished it would have just been a bit more tame for my personal liking. The price is very modest from this company and since its a limited edition I’d be surprised if these are still out there in circulation, but if you see them and aren’t afraid of a strong cigar I’d urge you to pick them up. 

Pairing:

Brewed in California, The Bruery’s So it Happens it’s a Tuesday with Coffee is a 14.7% ABV Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels with Coffee added. The beer wakes you right up with bold notes of strong espresso, vanilla, malt, dark chocolate and brown sugar with a very heavy mouthfeel. As the beer warms more vanilla comes through along with some of the bourbon barrel. It’s boozy and you taste all 14.7% of it with every sip. The coffee, vanilla, and barrel married up wonderfully with the flavors in the Morphine will adding some missing sweetness creating a perfect pairing.

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#10 Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust – Sin Compromiso

Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust’s Sin Compromiso is one of this year’s most highly anticipated / most sought after cigars. Making it’s debut at this year’s IPCPR show in Las Vegas Sin Compromiso or “Without Compromise” consists of tobaccos that were specifically grown just for this blend. Everyone knows just how picky, and meticulous Steve Saka, founder of Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust can be so to hear that he went through the trouble of carefully picking and growing specific tobaccos to create such a unique experience creates a considerable amount of anticipation. The cigar starts with Nicaraguan filler tobaccos covered with an Ecuadorian Habano binder, then wrapper with a special San Andres Negro wrapper which is grown by using a similar process Japanese fruit farmers use. As the tobacco plant grows workers remove the bottle leaves of the plant which causes more nutrients to be consumed by the tap of the plant resulting in a much bolder tobacco leaf. The end result to all the hard work results in what Saka calls the blest blend he has ever created. 

Read the Full Review Here

#9 Tatuaje – 15th Anniversary Habano Oscuro

The Tatuaje 15th Anniversary is a great celebration of 15 strong years in the cigar community. The cigar is bold, complex, with great flavors and great balance. The experience and construction is great, while the price point is just a bit high I don’t see that stopping me from grabbing more of these to keep in my humidor for those great nights when I am craving an extra special treat. I really enjoyed the flavor profile and the fact that the cigar burned so slowly taking me 2 hours to smoke down to the nub so you definitely get quite a bit of bang for your buck.

Read the Full Review Here

#8 The Crowned Heads – Four Kicks Maduro

Several months ago, I lit up the Four Kicks Maduro with my close friend and former boss. As soon as the smoke started flowing, I knew this cigar was something special and one I had to review. Full flavors, medium/full strength and a hefty amount of spice are masterfully matched up with balance and smoothness. Other than a single touch-up, I have no complaints on the performance. The price of $9.60  is a little more than I prefer to spend on a regular smoke, but the Four Kicks Maduro is one that is worth it.

Read the Full Review Here

#7 Caldwell Cigar Co. – The T

So, you decide you want to put 3 of the more prominent, forward thinking cigar minds in the game in one room to create a single product. In a lot of cases, the hype is stronger than the cigar, but in the case of The T. The outcome was an incredible cigar. From start to finish this cigar was flawless. The burn, the construction and the profile were all exactly what I look for in a cigar. The price is slightly high, but what I would consider on-point for a cigar of this stature and I would gladly pay it for what the cigar delivered. My only gripe would be availability as I know sooner rather than later this cigar is going to become a whale.

Read the Full Review Here

#6 Warped – Serie Gran Reserva 1988

I’ve really liked the Warped cigars that I’ve had so far, and this one is no exception.  There’s a decent amount of complexity and the transitions are somewhat subtle, but it carries a great balance of rich flavors on a medium body, and makes for a very enjoyable experience.  Combined with the one I previously smoked indoors, I would have to say that the construction is excellent, as is the burn.  It can easily be smoked at various times of the day and will appeal to a wide range of smokers.  With a more than fair price, I have no problem giving the Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 a strong recommendation, so pick up a few or a lot.

Read the Full Review Here

#5 Black Label Trading Co. – Bishops Blend

It’s not just Texas love ya’ll, Black Label Trading Co. has produced some of the greatest blends in the recent years and the cigar community has quickly grown to appreciate and embrace the boutique brand. I have been high on their blends for a few years now and Bishops Blend has made it’s way into one of my favorite blends they have made to date. My only issue is how hard it is to find. The construction is flawless, the experience is memorable and the flavor profile is complex an right on key with my own personal preference. I love how bold it was without being over the top, or over powering. The price point is perfect and this cigar would easily make its way into my regular rotation if it was easier to acquire. 

Read the Full Review Here

#4 RoMa Craft Tobac – Black Irish

I have been a long-time fan of RoMa Craft Tobac’s releases and I have to be honest hear, the Black Irish is probably one of the best cigars I have smoked from the team. The flavor profile is unique, and incredible while the cigar sports perfect construction, and the price point is about where you would expect it to be. I bet you can guess that my only gripe is that these are pretty near impossible to find. So if anyone has been hoarding onto these… let me know.. now please.

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#3 Drew Estate – Pappy Van Winkle Tradition

Its no secret that I have been a longtime fan of Willy Herrera’s blends, and in all honesty I think the Pappy Van Winkle Tradition is right up towards the top of my favorite cigars that he has made. The flavors are solid, meticulous, complex, and so well balanced without hitting you in the face. That’s something I have always been able to appreciate with his blends and why he fits right in and Drew Estate. The Pappy Van Winkle is an exclusive, limited, and expensive cigar which fits right in with the Pappy branding. In all honesty, I think this cigar is worth the coin. I dropped so much money on the La Palina Goldies and I can easily see myself buying a box of the Traditions as well. If you find them, buy them.

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#2 Illusione – One Off

The Illusione OneOff is a fantastic cigar through and through and I couldn’t think of a better team than Casa Fernandez and Illusione to bring this brand back to life. While I haven’t smoked the original OneOff in years and years I do remember how much I enjoyed it which is similar to just how much I enjoyed this version of the cigar. It’s complex, bold from the start, has a wonderful flavor profile, and burned like a dream. While the price is a bit steep it’s not more than what I would personally pay to make sure I had this cigar ready and available in my regular smoking rotation. The 10 count packaging makes it much more manageable as well and I will go back on record for the thousandth time in saying the more manufacturers should follow that route.

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#1 Joya de Nicaragua – Cinco Decadas Diadema

What a fantastic cigar. Not even going to try to hide how much I enjoyed it. Usually Joya de Nicaragua cigars are packed with both power and punch, but I found the Cinco Decadas was the perfect balance of full flavor without being an overly strong cigar. I kept finding myself really relaxing and taking in all the flavors the cigar had to offer. While this cigar is limited, and pricey, its a perfect cigar for a seasoned smoker who is looking for a special experience. The price would be the only thing keeping this out of my day to day rotation.

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Featuring a Mexican San Andres wrapper over Nicaraguan internals, Sindustry was soft launched before the FDA regs went into place in August, but it wasn’t until February 2017 that the line became fully available. There are three vitola options: Robusto (5 by 50), Toro (6 ¼ by 48) and Lancero (7 by 38). The toro and robusto version come packaged in 20-count boxes, while the lancero in 16-count boxes with 250 boxes of each size produced.

THE FACTS

Price: $9.50
Vitola: Robusto
Size: 5 by 50
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

Sindustry by Black Works Studio is wrapped in an extremely dark brown leaf that is consistent in color. Small veins web down the entire leaf that has a fine tooth and some scattered bumps. A fair amount of oils can be felt on the gritty leaf as I inspect the cigar. Bringing the Sindustry to my nose, I am met with a barnyard/manure and big chocolate aroma. From past experiences, an aroma like this means promising things in the future.

Due to the closed foot, much of the aroma is the same, but there is a bit of spice. The cigar comes to a close with a triple cap that has a nipple-like tip. After a shallow, clean cut, the draw has a tad more resistance the preferred and full, rich flavors come across of potpourri, chocolate, and some pepper spice.

FIRST THIRD

With the Black Works Studio Sindustry underway, big flavors come rushing forth that are rich, dark, and meaty. In the flavor arena, there is a rich, sweet woodsy flavor that first hits the palate, followed by a leather and saltiness. At about a half an inch in, a thick yeasty flavor joins in. A medium spice heat lingers in the mouth and the spice is accentuated as I pass it through my nose. On the sharp side, but manageable. The burn-line is thin and mostly even.

MIDDLE THIRD

Some of the sweetness fades from the profile and the woodsy flavor becomes more of a pencil-shavings and there is a growing black pepper flavor. The yeasty flavor remains and actually may be gaining ground. After a short while, the sweetness reappears, along with a new orange zest and the richness is in full swing. The burn is all over the place as a white, flaky ash is being formed. Even though it is flaky, it is nearly inch and half long.

FINAL THIRD

Pulling into the final third of the Sindustry robusto, the flavors are darker than earlier with the leather and an earth now at the front. The flavors remain rich, but there is not as much sweetness accompanying it, but rather an unsweetened cocoa. The cocoa lingers on the finish of the smoke. Behind the heavier flavors, the yeast flavor still pulls through. Waves of strength hit me as the cigar progressed, but it wasn’t until the final third where a steady amount of strength was noticeable.

WRAP-UP

I ordered these up on the recommendation of the owner of Ford on Fifth, and he didn’t do me wrong. I loved the bold, rich flavors the Sindustry by Black Works Studio delivered that paired up with a progressing strength profile that ended in the full range. Sure, the burn got a little out of whack here and there, but when the flavors are hitting on a cylinders, who really cares! Sindustry has whet my appetite to try the other offerings from Black Works Studio. And this is a must try if you enjoy full flavor, full strength cigars.

The post Black Works Studio – Sindustry Robusto appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.