Cigar Review: Lawless by Black Label Trading Company

Vitola: Robusto
Size: 5” x 54 ring gauge
MSRP $10
Samples provided by Black Label Trading Company

Background

Back in April, I took a look at the 6 blends that Black Label Trading Company started with upon their company launch last summer. At the time, the goal was to just get familiar with each of them. Company owner, James Brown, sent me a sample of each blend and I did a short write-up on them all over a two week period. After it was over, he elected to send some more cigars for sampling and more in-depth reviews.

One of my favorites from that first round was Lawless, although the sample I got had construction problems. James sent me two more samples of Lawless and I decided to follow up with a full review of this blend. There were one each of a couple other blends…they got sent off to Jon and Keith, so they may be offering some reviews of their own in the coming weeks.

Seems like a good time to talk a little more about BLTC…on their website, they talk this to say:

ATTITUDE

Our attitude re-thinks standards for cigar making, and caters to cigar lovers and aficionados tired of a mainstream, mass produced approach to cigar making. At Black Label Trading Company, we have created a market for those with the attitude that they deserve the best, and the confidence that they deserve to experience the Black Label Experience.

PHILOSOPHY

Our philosophy is Less is More; Small is Big; Small is Elite; and finally, Fine Tobacco making is Fine Art. Much like when we experience fine art, the Black Label Experience involves slowing down, taking in, being in the moment and letting expectation be replaced by surprise, and ultimately, total satisfaction.

As stated in the previous article, Lawless is composed of Nicaraguan filler and binder, along with an Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper leaf.  The website states that production is “1000 boxes per year.”

Prelight

I’m not one of the people that says “Mo Skulls, Mo Better!” Skulls can look cool or they can be overused and start to look clichéd. The semi-gothic lettering and ornamentation on the BLTC main label works well with the skull here. Making it pop even better is the satiny quality of the white lettering. It seems to be a quality of the paper, actually, as it the same look on the inside of the band after it’s been taken off. The effect is very cool.

The wrapper color was an even chocolate color; the leaf felt oily under my fingertips and smelled of rich earth and cocoa powder. The foot had aromas of earth and cedar. The cold draw was excellent and featured flavors of dry cocoa and earth, while leaving a peppery tingle on my lips, too.

Flavor

The Lawless began with a strong cocoa powder influence, along with lesser notes of dried fruit and earth. Lower down in the blend was some woodiness and a bit of red pepper on the finish. The retrohale was intensely peppery. Smoke production was excellent and the peppery burn grew with just about every puff.

The pepper reached a medium burn and maintained that level during the second third, while there were still plentiful cocoa powder notes and the addition of some espresso bean. Toward the end of the third, I got an influx of cedar flavor.

The last third of Lawless saw a new increase in pepper spice and a continuation of the cocoa powder and espresso flavors. Overall the balance was very nice.

Construction

I had no construction problems with the two samples of Lawless that I smoked during this review cycle.

Value

This cigar delivered an excellent smoking experience for the asking price.

Conclusions

Of the six blends produced initially by Black Label, the Lawless is my favorite. With body and strength on the low side of full, it had a consistently great flavor profile with enough complexity to keep my interest throughout. This is definitely a stick I would smoke again and again.

By-The-Numbers

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10