Smoked: The Black Label Trading Company Royalty

Smoked at: West Chester, Ohio

Lit another Black Label Royalty this morning. I general stand by my assessment the first time I smoked the Royalty last year.

The Black Label Trading Company Royalty robusto is a medium full bodied, medium strength cigar with a Gothic looking band that could have been inspired by a gargoyle. The corojo wrapper is darker than most with small veins and a soft, slightly oily texture to the touch.

The draw was open, almost perfect on this stick after a loose draw on the first, although that first cigar reviewed immediately put out a generous amount of smoke. I like that so I can deal with the draw just fine, thank you. Cool draw. The burn was even, although the ash fell off twice - again. Otherwise, a well-constructed stick.

Flavor profile: The cigar comes charging out of the gate with a powerful, yet nice balance of sweetness and spice. It almost immediately takes on more notes of cedar, cocoa, nuts, leather, and earthiness. The cedar is dominant with hints of pepper in the spices. These flavors complement each other and meld very well throughout the smoke. This is a well-crafted cigar - very balanced blend. It’s smooth as silk start to finish. This is what small batch boutique cigars are supposed to be. I give it a 5 for body and flavor and a 5 for construction despite the issues with the ash. No points docked for the draw. I just prefer a little more resistance, but it all worked together for a very enjoyable smoke.

If you’re a fan of small batch boutiques, you really should add this to your bucket list. This is a very good cigar. My only regret is pairing it with coffee. The first Royalty I smoked paired much better with single malt scotch.