Boondock Saint
Produced by: Black Works Studio
Wrapper: Pennsylvanian Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan/Pennsylvanian/Connecticut
Size: 6 1/4 x 46 (Corona Larga)
Strength: Full-bodied
Time to Smoke: 94 minutes
About the cigar:
Black Works Studio/Black Label Trading Company is skyrocketing in popularity, assisted by the ever-burgeoning popularity of Nicaraguan cigars. Creators and couple James and Angela Brown started their factory, Oveja Negra, in 2015 so they could have the freedom to be as creative as possible with every process that goes into cigar-making. They succeeded: The Boondock Saint is certainly creative and an absolute treat.
“The Boondock Saint is a perfect example of a balanced cigar,” said James Brown. “The profile is rich, complex and bold, with tons of subtle flavors. The cigar is both strong and refined, with a very elegant finish. The Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper combined with the Connecticut Broadleaf and Nicaraguan filler creates flavors of anise, clove, dark fruits, bitter cocoa, and earth. This blend highlights the many complexities in the broadleaf and Nicaraguan tobaccos used.”
My thoughts:
This was my first time trying any stick from Black Works, so I had no idea what to expect. Thankfully, I was appropriately blown away. This cigar, at first glance, is a midnight-colored dream. The wrapper is so dark, slightly rough, and firmly packed. It’s foreboding, in the best possible way, of the dark richness to come.
The cold draw is earthy, the scent is wonderfully sweet, like dark chocolate. The first few puffs bring immediate spiciness, though lingering in the back are the cocoa, cloves, and earth. I’m reminded of why I love Nicaraguan tobacco so much. The retrohale is spicy and bold. The overall aromas and flavors are reminding me of jalapeno-infused chocolate bars.
This cigar is so well-constructed and densely packed that it’s one of the slowest smokes I’ve enjoyed in recent memory. The ash is well-formed and held for well over an inch and a half before I tapped it off. One of the best parts is that it didn’t require a single touchup, and the burn line stayed uniform for almost the entirety of the smoke.
As the cigar progresses, the flavors transition to more earthiness with slightly less spiciness. Cloves and anise are there as well with a lingering flavor finish. The final third was just as enjoyable as the first two-thirds, and I had a hard time setting it down.
I will say, this is definitely an evening smoke. If you smoke the Boondock Saint in the morning, you may find yourself out of commission for the rest of the day. It’s that strong and dark. I smoked it in the afternoon, and I wished I would’ve waited until the evening as I probably would’ve enjoyed it even more.
Paired with:
Good ol’ fashioned coffee and sweet cream. The bitterness of the coffee and the rich sweetness of the creamer perfectly balanced the spiciness and earthiness of this cigar.
Overall:
Props to Black Works Studio for making such a bold, strong, and delicious cigar. I highly recommend it as an evening smoke or in the wee hours of the night. It’s truly worthy of its namesake, The Boondock Saints—dark, violent, and oh, so fun.
The Boondock Saint is available in limited quantities at select retailers.
For more info, visit blacklabeltrading.com.
For more Black Label Yellow Jacket and Bishops Blend, and CigarClub, a cigar subscription box service!
