Back in 2016, Black Label Trading Co., owned by husband and wife, James and Angela Brown, introduced a limited edition cigar known as the Bishops Blend. The idea was highlight the broadleaf characteristics in the blend. The Black Label Trading Company Bishops blend five year anniversary is, as the name declares, the fifth installment of this blend, which is described as:
- Wrapper – Ecuadorian Habano Maduro
- Binder – Ecuadorian Habano
- Filler – Nicaraguan, Connecticut broadleaf and Pennsylvania broadleaf
The BLTC Bishops Blend Five Year Anniversary is expressed in the same two sizes as the original release back in 2016 and come packaged in 20-count boxes:
- Corona Larga (6.25 x 46) MSRP $11.50
- Robusto (5 x 48) MSRP $11.00
I purchased 3 of each vitola for this review. Though the focus of this review is on the Robusto, I will say the Corona Larga performed the same way with just an added bit of licorice in the final third.
Pre-Light Examination
The BLTC Bishops Blend Five Year Anniversary is a dark chocolate brown cigar that has a slight oily sheen with minimal veins and tight seams. The is a light toothy feel to the wrapper as you run your finger along the wrapper. – unique cap quad wrapper light on veins. The cigar is solidly packed and neatly finshed with a closed foot and a unique cap. Maybe it is the name of the ciagr, but the cap reminds me of a “bishop” chess piece.
Two bands adorn the cigar. Both use a black and bright red motif. The primary band uses a vivid graphic of a skull with a crown and a cross set of keys below. Along the bottom, the band declare “Hand Made – Est 2013”. The secondary footer band declares this as the “Bishops Blend Five Year Anniversary”
As I ran the Bishops Blend along the nose, I picked up a mild pungent barrel along with baking spice notes with a touch of earthiness off the foot.
I sliced the cap straight across the first line of the shoulder of the cigar to open it and proceeded to take some cold puffs that offered a mild pepper note that slowly grew with each cold draw especially on the lips and tip of the tongue. I can not discuss the restriction as it has a closed foot.
I used a double flame torch to warm the foot, which took to the heat well, with the leaf closing the foot. The journey started with a deep white pepper spice that hits the throat and nose on the first full volume puffs. Follow along as I break down the BLTC Bishops Blend Five Year Anniversary robusto and burn it to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial smoke hits the nose and throat with a white pepper note
- Butter notes quickly add tot he profile as the pepper pulls back notch
- Smoke is at full throttle right out of the gate – thick and creamy
- Light grey ash forms on a thick char line
- Dry cocoa notes mix in
- Draw is perfect
- Slightly jagged burn
- Ash falls revealing a well centered burn cone
- Fresh citrus notes
- Strength has ratcheted up
- Sweetness and a touch of honey moves in near the second third
- Savory notes join the profile
- Dark chocolate notes add to the pleasure
- Burns a tad hot to the touch
- Peppery spice reenters midway
- Maple syrup aroma and hint of licorice
- Pepper increases down to nub
- Medium to Full in Strength
- Total Smoking time was 1 hour and 40 minutes to the nub
Overall, the BLTC Bishops Blend Five Year Anniversary was just as as James and Angela described it, “highlights the broadleaf without overpowering the Nicaraguan leaves, with a great balance between richness, spice and strength.” The complex and full body of flavors were well balanced and transitioned well from foot to nub. It dd have a slight wavy burn through the journey and burned a tad hot to the touch, deep in the second third. This is worth picking up a box. I rate this a 93.
Point Deductions: (-1) Sight Wave in Burn; (-1) Burned a tad hot to the touch deep in second third
Bonus Points: Buy a Box
