James Brown creator of Black Label Trading Co. and partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra said in a press release, “We are very excited about this highly anticipated release. This is the eighth release of Bishops Blend and continues to be one of our most sought-after, limited annual releases. Bishops Blend boasts big bold flavors of anise, pepper, raisins, and a sweet earthiness on the finish. It is very complex and extremely refined. As with the past vintages, the broadleaf fillers shine at the forefront and are perfectly balanced by the Nicaraguan filler tobaccos”
Today’s review is referred to as a Robusto in a press release, but it does have a belicoso appearance.
Cigar Review: Black Label Trading Co. Bishops Blend 2024
Size: 5 x 48 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Fillers:Nicaragua, Connecticut & Pennsylvania Broadleaf
Factory: Fábrica Oveja Negra
Release Date: August, 2024
Box Count: 20
The Look: The red foil skull, Mitre (Bishop’s hat) and crossed keys on a black background reminds me of the artwork of Pushead. For those not familiar with the name, he was the designer of many Heavy Metal shirts, album covers, posters and other merchandise. He worked with the likes of Metallica, Misfits and the company Nike. The cap of the Bishops Blend comes to a point somewhere between a belicoso and torpedo while the foot of the cigar is closed. In the hand the cigar is heavy and dense under the fingers.
The Taste: A subtle molasses and dense licorice note are on the fluid cold draw which I expected to have some resistance due to the closed foot. The foot is loaded with mesquite and molasses which makes me wish I had some barbecue for dinner tonight. With the closed foot we pull on the cigar as we light it up instead of toasting it to get an added taste of the wrapper which has a nice char and black peppercorns to it.
Moving into the first third the black peppercorn notes remain as a meaty component takes hold complete with char from the grill. There is a nice nuttiness to this cigar which also has a subtle cocoa and leather.The cigar is joined by notes of licorice and cinnamon both of which trade punches as to which will take charge with licorice winning out before the first third comes to a close. The retrohale has some subtle cinnamon to it which is mouthwateringly delicious.
The second third sees notes of raisin and leather in the background with some fading cinnamon. The leather component becomes dominant at the halfway point with some licorice in the background that becomes more dominant on the retrohale. The lengthy finish has a kola nut taste profile to it with a subtle cherry sweetness.
The last third is loaded with dark chocolate and black cherry notes. There is still a hint of anise and kola lingering in the background but a touch of vanilla has been added to the mix. The finish is long and leathery with a touch of raising. As the cigar comes to a close there spice tingles the nostrils if you leave the cigar resting in your mouth which I tend to do when I am finalizing a review. The retrohale has black pepper and a slight floral component.
The Finish: These were my first experiences with the Bishop’s Blend and I found them to have a very complex flavor profile.The cigar looks like it’s going to smoke stronger then it does, so if you go into these expecting a powerhouse I do not believe you will get that. It’s medium throughout only occasionally creeping into medium-full territory.
It’s an outstanding cigar and one of the best Black Label Trading Company produced cigars I’ve had to date.
Score: 93
Price: $13.00 (Before any local or state taxes)
Available at site sponsor Small Batch Cigar.
