Does a year make a difference? Usually, and for many cigars, it rounds out their sharp edges. But that could be a good thing or a bad thing. Sometimes the sharp edges define a cigar. Take them away, and the cigar feels diminished. But for the most part, I’ve found that time whittling down the sharp edges enhances a cigar’s refinement and balance, truly revealing the blend’s intention.
That couldn’t be truer in the case of the Black Label. While it didn’t have any sharp edges when I wrote about it last year, it’s different enough now that I was compelled to write about it. The flavor profile hasn’t changed much from the original palette. The core is still Melba toast, malt, stone fruit, vanilla, and a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg on top of a bed of black pepper and light coffee. But the tangy sourdough or citrus that I detected before is not nearly as pronounced as it was a year ago.
And that has revealed a subtle hint of eucalyptus that is adjacent to the black pepper, but overshadowed by the sourness, I thought was just a component of the pepper. Now, I can see that it stands close to the black pepper, but it is its own, distinct note. Luckily, it isn’t a prominent note because it would completely overpower the rest of the profile and that wouldn’t be good.
Strength and body are still full-tilt. The intensity increased much earlier than a year ago. I got just a few puffs in, and it was like a switch being thrown, and the strength ratcheted up full-tilt, no gentle build-up, no trickling out the flavors. It’s like the cigar said (in a cheeky NYC accent), “Look, honey, we already done this before. Let’s just get down to business.” (I will let you interpret that any way you want).
Though that might imply rushing, it’s not. The cigar simply doesn’t waste time getting to its core. A year ago, it took the entire first half for the cigar to establish its core. But now it comes on immediately, and comes on strong. To be honest, I didn’t know if I liked that at first because it came on so suddenly. And the revelation of the eucalyptus surprised me, and took me a little aback. It’s not my favorite flavor note, but thank goodness it works with this profile.
But a saving grace was that the cream also came forward immediately to help smooth the smoke. It was creamy from the start instead of waiting to arrive until I was well into the smoke, and that had me raising my eyebrows. Habano wrappers can sometimes bite with spice. And a year ago, there was a bite from the wrapper at the start. But the cream mitigated it. And as I get into the second half, what spice there is is in the background at best.
Overall, the cigar feels more structured, and it’s definitely more refined than it was a year ago. It’s almost toeing the line into elegance. Well, kind of… With its strength and potency, it’s like putting a bodybuilder in a suit. They look great, but you can’t mistake the chiseled physique. Are they elegant? Kind of hard to say. That’s not at all a bad thing. But anyone expecting to smoke something refined and elegant is better off with an Opus X or a Davidoff. But then those are in a different league altogether. This is a dressed-up ass-kicker, no bones about it.
So, here’s the rub. I like this cigar – a lot. I originally gave it an Experience Rating of 94, and that hasn’t changed. But I realized while smoking this one today that I definitely have to be in the mood for this kind of experience. From a flavor profile perspective, I could smoke this any time. It’s bright and refined, but rich in depth – right up my alley. But because of its strength and intensity from the get-go, I definitely have to be in the mood for it.
Unco B's Stogie Diary 