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Robusto

Staff Review: Black Label Trading Company Last Rites 

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Introduction:

For this week’s staff review, I am checking out the Black Label Trading Company Last Rites. BLTC is crafted at the Oveja Negra factory in Esteli, Nicaragua – the same factory that manufactures cigars under the BLK WKS Studio, Emilio, and Dissident brand names. I’ve been a fan of Black Label for years now, ever since their debut back in 2013, so I figured it was time to revisit one of their first blends: the Last Rites.

The Quick Hits:

  • First released in 2013, the Last Rites is part of the companies core portfolio
  • Tasting notes: earth, black pepper, and some leather and salty hints
  • The Last Rites is a three country, multi-national blend
  • Black Label Trading Co. was founded on the model of small batch cigar production

The Story:

Black Label Trading Company has a unique story. Most boutique cigars on the market are created through contract manufacturing. This is a process where a brand owner will travel to a cigar manufacturing country like Nicaragua, meet with various factories and cigar blenders, sample cigars and provide their feedback, and ultimately sign a “contract” for a particular factory to make the cigar for them. In these cases, the brand owner does not actually own the factory, fields, or means of production.

Black Label bucks this trend. Back in 2012, James Brown and his wife Angela started the BLTC brand after years of feeling like the cigars they were buying, and smoking were all branded in the same traditional, monotonous way. The brand quickly took off and James and Angela moved to Esteli, Nicaragua full time to run their factory: Oveja Negra. There, they make cigars for their own brands (Black Label and BLK WKS) as well as for a few other brands (Dissident and Emilio).

Last Rites is part of Black Label’s “core” product portfolio – five blends that are always available. Within those five, Last Rites is likely the fullest-bodied and darkest. Additionally, it is traditionally Black Label’s best-selling blend.

The Build:

Last Rites is crafted with a dark brown Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper with a Honduran binder a mixture of Honduran and Nicaragua long-fillers. The Last Rites is well rolled and has a solid heft to it – that is something I have noticed with many BLTC cigars: they are always packed to the gills with quality tobacco.

The Look:

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Black Label Trading Company has a look that is not going to appeal to everyone. Especially those that prefer the more traditional cigars on the market. In fact, that’s part of why James Brown started the company. After traveling to numerous cigar shops and seeing brand after brand with the same look and feel, James wanted to create a cigar with a unique marketing spin that would appeal to someone like him.

In that sense, BLTC has certainly succeeded. Last Rites is packaged in a heavy wooden box, painted all black. On the outside you will find a large skull with a cross emblazoned across its forehead, and the Last Rites name in script across the top and front of the box. This black and white motif continues with the bands – the primary band is a matte black with the skull in white in the center. Additionally, there is a black secondary band with the Last Rites name in white script.

In a lounge, these cigars absolutely pop off the shelf, and I am sure they will do so in your humidor as well. And if you are a fan of this art style, there is really nothing else on the market that is going to compare.

The Experience:

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Lighting the Black Label Trading Company Last Rites, I am greeted with a very familiar experience from this company. James Brown and the cigars from the Oveja Negra factory have a distinct style that has won them fans all around the cigar industry. The immediate flavors upon lighting deliver a thick mixture of earthiness, black pepper, and some leather and salty hints.

From looking at the cigars and the band, you may expect the Last Rites to be incredibly full-bodied. In truth, these cigars fall just a tad above medium-bodied in the first half. There is some strength, to be certain, but it’s manageable and shouldn’t scare off anyone who’s interested in the brand.

As the cigar burns, the draw and burn line are pretty much impeccable. About halfway through the blend, I notice a shift in flavor – the cigar becomes slightly darker and starts to deliver notes of dark chocolate and espresso. There is still a little pepper, but it is never overwhelming.

In all, smoking the Last Rites is a very enjoyable experience and while I didn’t get a chance to experiment with it myself, I have a strong suspicion this cigar would be great with a splash of bourbon or scotch.

The Value:

In a box, you can find the Last Rites Robusto for a little under $10 per cigar. This is on the higher end of the core line for BLTC but is well under their limited-edition cigars like Viaticum. Compared to other boutique cigars on the market, $10 seems right around average. That being said, I think Last Rites outperforms many other $10 cigars, and I’d find it a great value at that price point.

Final Thoughts:

Black Label Trading Co. is likely going to be a company that you are all-in on, or that you are not interested in. From their unique blending style to their non-traditional look and feel, James Brown certainly has a vision in mind for his cigars. For me and my money, that is awesome – I want to support cigar makers who are doing something they believe in and making great blends. And Last Rites is certainly a great blend.