Black Label Trading Co. Bishop’s Blend 2021

I’m trying to take advantage of all the non-fall like weather we are experiencing here. Today’s enjoyment includes a Black Label Trading Co. Bishop’s Blend 2021 and a whole mess of sun and still weather.

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.