Wrapper: USA Pennsylvania Broadleaf
Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5.5 x 50 Robusto
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $11.50
Quantity Released: 900 boxes of 20
Released: September 2024
Factory: Fábrica Oveja Negra, Nicaraguan
My cigars received 6 months of naked humidor time.
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
The foot is partially covered. In my closeup photo, the scene reminds me of when John Hurt left the safety of the Nostromo and found himself staring into an alien egg…and saw things squirming around:
The wrapper’s aromas are pleasingly light and refreshing with notes of chocolate, melting caramel, baking spices, and a touch of barnyard.
Do I use my PerfecPunch on this nippled cap or a guillotine cutter? You know my name, look up the number.
The cold draw is as expected with most cigars, or maybe my palate is just dilapidated. Everything ages and wrinkles…and I mean, everything. Cool mint, baking spices, espresso, frootsie tootsie, and chocolate.
Tasty. Imagine Jim Carrey in The Mask saying that word. Deep and dark chocolate, the blackest of coffees, caramel galore, more frootisie tootsie, and a slice of black pepper.
Overall, this cigar was well received a year ago when released. Sometimes reviewers smack their foreheads and can’t explain why something evidential missed our lobal screens.
I just mentioned Sly Stone a couple reviews ago. I met him once in the studio. I never saw a pile of cocaine that big just sitting on top of his keyboards. I was urged to imbibe but I politely said no and left the premises. Everyone was so manic that it freaked me out a little. So, I am listening to the great band this morning in memoriam. I hope I can live to 82.
The blend gets even better at just past Go. Sweet and savory like me. What stands out is how smooth this blend is. I scoot back upstairs to look at the leaf stats. I sit here in wonder. Run of the mill it seems but clearly it is not. If the blend can keep the peace down to the last inch, I may have to score more before I publish. Sorry, men…
Not many cover bands could get the same vibe when attempting to replicate the recordings of Sly & the Family Stone. So much going on in those tunes. And without a horn section, things got lost in the mix. It was like trying to cover Earth, Wind, & Leather. Impossible for a four piece. No band wants less than tasty comparisons.
The first inch comes and goes. Loved it. Strength is an easy going medium with boundary flares expected in the second half. I have a tomato and fried possum waiting in the wings if I find the need to muffle the power.
Construction is more than solid. A stout borgwine with a perfect burn line. Music and a good cigar…it’s all we ask.
A fond memory: 1975 and Average White Band debuted with ‘Pick Up the Pieces.’ I made Curved Air listen to it while raving my ass off. It fell on deaf ears. No wonder they hated me…I was current.
Chocolate covered caramel, chocolate covered fruit jells, chocolate covered orange slices, and chocolate covered black pepper. With a dash of café au lait. Superfly.
Again, the burn is spot on:
The blend is so smooth that I barely notice I’m smoking. Does this make sense or am I having one of the three things: 1) A massive stroke is imminent, 2) A colonoscopy gone bad finds a home, or 3) This is a damn fine cigar. (Hint: Pick #3)
If I was to blind taste this cigar, I’d swear it had an Ecuadorian Connie wrapper, Ecuadorian binder, and Nicaraguan and Dominican filler. That’s how much I know about cigars…love ‘em, can’t build ‘em.
The first half was visiting the Stunning Faire of Newport. Nice weather and lots of whales. Or in English, I believe the strength was just upped.
Rhythm sections are more receptive to genre changes than the melodic section of bands. We are more open. Less structured. We happy few. In concert, the two sides give each other the stink eye. But we know who runs the band. Papa was a rollin’ stone.
Construction ain’t exactly perfect as the cap is disintegrating in real time. Mooshy. I clip it and we are back in business. The char line remains perfection.
Complexity is momentarily reiterated. Transitions are slow moving like your dog’s bowel movements because you fed him too much cheese. But the richness is just fucking lovely. Balance is how I love my women…in kilter and refined.
Ian Copeland was disgusted when I replied, “Who?” when he mentioned bassist James Jamerson. He found his neutral center when I said I was kidding. Every bass player was in awe of the Motown session cat. He showed further disgust when he pointed at his record player. For some reason, he was playing the Curved Air Live album. I had heard the damn thing enough, but it was his home. In the early stages of the band’s theme song, “Vivaldi”, violinist Darry Way broke into the ‘Sailors Hornpipe.’ I was backstage with my bass and I played along with the tune. I had completely forgotten we were recording. It sounded fine but like all the Copelands, he was hard to please.
The ash is rigid like me when I climb from the wreckage in the morning.
I’ve barely taken a sip of water. This is highly unusual. Like retiring.
Flavors were canonized early. But the rave thing going on is the brilliant complexity in the second half that was only hinted at in the first half. This is a great blend. I want more. I’ve found that most Black Label blends are brash. This one is not…in a good way.
I sensed something was awry when I said to Stewart Copeland, “We will play together for years.” I was no Jack Kennedy.
I have nothing else to contribute. It’s a solid stick. And after promo codes, it’s only $10. Don’t let the leaf stats make you think this is an average blend. It is not.
You can purchase Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon from sponsor Small Batch Cigar. Take 10% off with promo code KATMAN.
RATING: 95
And now for something completely different:
You wonder why you have no patience? Do you wonder why your parents and grandparents don’t put up with shit?
I found this while trolling and it fits the scene of the crime perfectly. It should explain everything.
8 Reasons People Who Lose Patience With Everyone As They Get Older:
1. They’ve already spent too many years explaining themselves.
Younger people often need to explain, justify, or soften their thoughts to be understood or accepted. With age, that patience starts to run thin.
People who’ve had to constantly clarify their intentions or decisions eventually get tired of repeating themselves. At some point, they start expecting others to just get it. And when that doesn’t happen, irritation kicks in much faster than it used to.
2. They’ve learned that people are who they are:
In earlier years, it’s natural to believe that effort, kindness, or reasoning can help shift someone’s behavior. But over time, people see patterns that don’t break.
When someone has invested energy into helping others grow or see the light, only to be met with resistance or denial, they start to pull back. They no longer have the patience for reruns. They’ve seen how the story ends, and they’d rather not sit through it again.
3. Their energy isn’t unlimited anymore:
When you’re younger, it’s easier to tolerate nonsense simply because you have more bandwidth. You’ve got more energy to deal with drama, miscommunication, or inefficiency.
As people age, that energy gets redirected toward health and peace of mind. They become less willing to waste time or emotional labor on things (or people) that drain them, and impatience can surface where they once had stamina.
4. They’ve endured more than you realize:
Behind a sharp tone or eye roll might be years of personal stress, loss, betrayal, disappointment, and chronic anxiety. Most people don’t share the full story of what they’ve been through.
When someone seems quick to snap, it’s often because their threshold has been worn down over time. It’s not about you. It’s about everything they’ve already had to carry. What seems like a small annoyance might be the hundredth straw.
5. They value time more than ever:
The older people get, the more clearly they understand that time is finite and that not everything deserves a place in it. Conversations that go nowhere, arguments that repeat, or tasks that feel unnecessary start to feel like time theft.
That growing sense of urgency can make them less tolerant of fluff or inefficiency. They want clarity, purpose, and calm. When they don’t get those things, they don’t always feel like hiding their frustration.
6. They’re done prioritizing politeness over truth:
For a long time, many people bite their tongue, nod along, or hold back criticism in the name of keeping the peace. But eventually, that habit gets old.
With age comes a clearer sense of self, and with that comes the ability or urge to say what they really think. They stop dressing things up to appease anyone else. And when others expect sugarcoating, they may interpret bluntness as impatience.
7. They’ve grown wary of repeating the same mistakes:
Whether it’s trusting the wrong people, overcommitting, or ignoring red flags, older individuals have usually made a few rounds of the same painful lessons. And they’re keen not to repeat them.
So the familiar warning signs, like flaky behavior and half-truths, make them act faster. What looks like impatience to others is often just a well-earned reflex to protect their peace.
8. They no longer feel the need to fix anything:
In youth, there’s often a strong urge to smooth over problems, play mediator, or step in to help. With time, people realize that not every mess is theirs to clean up.
Highly involved, empathetic individuals may reach a point where their emotional generosity gets replaced by self-preservation. That shift can look like coldness or irritability, but really, it’s just the result of choosing peace over people-pleasing.
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Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
