Black Label Trading Co. Bishops Blend 2024

Enough with this damn 100+ degree heat. I had to convince myself to go outside and light up this afternoon. Joining me is a Black Label Trading Co. Bishop’s Blend 2024.

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.