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Black Label Trading Co. Royalty Review

Black Label Trading Co. Royalty Review

Brand overview

If cigars ever dabbled in the dark arts, then Black Label Trading Co. (BLTC) would be at the forefront. Their moody, gothic vibe coalesced with unique blends and flavors make them a standout boutique brand among run-of-the-mill cigars that bury themselves under the radar.

Given BLTC’s knack of producing diamond in the rough treasures, it’s hardly surprising that more and more cigar lovers are itching to fire up their small batch, highly limited releases. Founded by James Brown (not the soul sensation) in 2013, I’m feeling good ahead of my encounter with one of their core lines – The Royalty.

The BLTC cigars are created by a small team in Esteli, Nicaragua. Along with their small batch model mindset, the BLTC have always shone the spotlight on the quality of their hand crafted premium cigars. The construction of the Royalty is no different.

Seamlessly dressed in a mysterious dark chocolate Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper, the binder is from Honduras and packed with extensively aged Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos. There’s a rich, oily feel to the wrapper, but as with any BLTC cigar, it’s the artwork  I can’t get enough of.

All of the brand’s unique artwork is designed by  creative genius  Brown himself – an American visual artist, adventure traveler and sommelier (not forgetting cigar maker).

The imagery for the Royalty was given a refresh back in 2019. The main cigar band combines the macabre with the light-hearted, with a skull donning a crown. However there’s arguably a more sinister look to the updated version, as the background has been swapped from white to black

Only available in three vitolas, let’s find out if the Royalty lived up to its name and was indeed full of majesty.

Cigar Specs

  • Country of Origin: Nicaragua
  • Strength: Medium
  • Wrapper: Corojo
  • Binder: Honduras
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Smoke Time: 105 minutes
  • Sizes Available:

Cold draw

Before I commenced with the pre-light workout, I gave the cigar a good sniff  to see if I could gauge anything from the wrapper or foot. There was a hefty cedar note from the wrapper which set the tone for the rest of my royal encounter.

After I clipped the cap, leather and earth joined the strong cedar for a thoroughly enjoyable dry draw. It was time to set my throne alight.

Flavor profile: first third

If your brain craves caffeine, then you will love the rich flavors that come flooding out of the fire. There’s espresso and then a large dose of coffee with cream. My palate had been well and truly awoken.

Slowly, some light pepper spice came into play – flavors a sun-soaked Corojo wrapper are recognized for. Through the nose, a bold cedar note was still making its mark.

Flavor profile: second third

The cigar was still giving a consistent cedar flavor smoke, but as I got deeper into the middle section the flavors became even more concise and mouthwatering. Cocoa, dark fruits and leather graced my tastebuds, while the pepper spice gave the blend a subtle edge.

There’s a pleasant, albeit slightly spicy, nuttiness to the finish as I transition to the final third.

Flavor profile: final third

As I got to the end, there were some lovely hints of cinnamon spice that left a bite on the tongue, unlike the previous light pepper. Cedar and leather were still the main attractions of this luxury profile that definitely benefitted from those rich-spice nuances throughout.

The scrumptious nutty finish seemed to flow with creaminess this time round, as I wrapped up a memorable one hour and 45 minutes of cigar splendor.

Conclusion

The Royalty is yet another distinctive blend from BLTC that provides an experience you don’t get from an ordinary stick. If your cigar kingdom is home to stogies of the richest and most immense flavors, you need to find a place for this medium-bodied smoke.

Available now from cigars.com – no royal appointment needed!

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