This is my first cigar from Black Works Studio and it certainly won’t be my last. What a tasty cigar! I came across it on r/cigar_refuge on Reddit when someone posted a picture of the BWS Killer Bee Shaolin. I had never heard of it but found out I could order some through Foodland on Oahu, HI. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any Shaolins left in stock, but they did have the Hawaiian Hornet. So, I ordered a 10-pack of those to start out. And I’m probably going to have get another pack pretty soon. The ones I have will not last.
Everything about this smoke is unique. I’ve never seen a wrap like this. It has a Candela foot, and the cap looks like the striped abdomen of a hornet; hence, the name. The main body of the cigar is an Ecuador Maduro wrapper that then alternates with a light Connecticut to form the head and cap. The filler is Nicaraguan, and the binder is Ecuador Habano.
I was expecting this stick to be a lot more robust than it is. But it’s on the mild side of medium halfway through the smoke. In fact, starting out with the Candela foot, I was a little underwhelmed. Many of the cigars I’ve smoked, especially lately, make an immediate statement. This stick hardly made a statement at all through the first third and I almost made the mistake of dismissing it as hype. I would have been SO wrong!
Not surprisingly, the Hawaiian Hornet starts out mild because of the Candela foot. But it stays mild through the first third and into the second third. In these early stages, you get the hay and grassiness of the Candela, that then quickly transitions in a woodsy profile; not cedar, but more on the oak side. There’s also a certain tannic quality to it along with some light leather. In the background there’s a mild sweetness that I detect but it comes and goes.
The cigar hits its stride at the halfway point where the flavors in the first half become more pronounced. The relatively mild, short finish of the first half becomes about medium length, and the transition is a little abrupt. It took me by surprise, which was kind of cool. A little saltiness presents itself – kind of like soy sauce. And the mouthfeel becomes a little chewy. It’s nice. Toast also surfaces along with a hint of dark brown sugar or molasses. I can’t decide. Nicotine also picks up ever so slightly. It’s not enough to make me nic-sick, but it’s there and I’m getting VERY mellowed out. The experience is like getting stung.
Finally at the start of the last third, it gets just a tad spicy with black and white pepper. The black pepper is up-front while the white pepper makes itself known on the finish. It’s quite pleasing. That goes in line with the elevated nicotine. Nice.
Well into the last third, the molasses gets a burnt quality to it and the smoke becomes creamy. It also gets considerably thicker, and it coats the inside of my mouth, and the strength has transitioned to a solid medium. I had to open a Topo Chico to cleanse my palate in between puffs! But that’s not a bad thing.
Down to the nub, and now we’re hitting medium-full territory and the spicy influence from the Connecticut wrapper becomes apparent and the nicotine has picked up just a little. Again, it’s not enough to make me sick, but I’ve got a pleasantly mild buzz going.
The construction is spectacular. It started out as a nice solid stick with no soft spots and remained that way throughout the smoke. The burn line has been razor-straight with just occasional angles because I’m smoking outside but the cigar corrects itself. I rolled the ash every inch or so, but I think this is one that could build up a very long ash.
The smoking experience was unlike anything I’ve experienced before. The mild, almost weak start is like a hornet flying around pestering you (first third). You bat it away several times and get a bit annoyed (start of the second third) then the hornet gets pissed and stings you (halfway point). Then the venom takes effect and spreads (the rest of the smoke). And though a hornet sting is quite unpleasant, this cigar’s sting is pretty awesome!
That said, I’m not sure I’d recommend this cigar to a new smoker. They’d certainly enjoy the first half, but when the nicotine kicks in, it might just be a bit too much for someone new to cigars or tobacco products. Moreover should I share this stick, I’d only share it with someonee who would appreciate the journey and more importantly, would take the time it takes to appreciate it. So no way would I share these at a wedding.
As for me, this isn’t a cigar I’d smoke very often. It’s on the level of ultra-premium because of the smoking experience. This is a stick that I will save for when I want to take a lot of time. Smoke time was an hour and twenty minutes for this first smoke.
And while I said I will be buying more, since these are limited release, I want to have some to smoke after they run out.
Unco B's Stogie Diary 