Black Label Trading Company is known for their special release cigars that come out annually during different times of the year. One of the most anticipated cigars is the Last Rites. This year, the Last Rites is a little different from the normal yearly Last Rites release. This year, James Brown, owner of Black Label Trading Company, tweaked the blend to be more in the realm of his personal tastes. Here is a quote from James Brown about the new Last Rites:
“We wanted to release a cigar exclusively for IPCPR attendees as a way of showing our appreciation for the retailers who come to support our brands and the show. Last Rites has always been a special cigar to me. It was the first cigar I blended on my own, and I blended it to my personal tastes. It’s everything I wanted out of a cigar and a perfect representation of Black Label Trading Co. To celebrate our sixth anniversary, I wanted to do a Special Edition of the Last Rites. The Viaticum is an evolution of the Last Rites blend. It uses most of the same tobaccos but in different proportions and primings. It’s rich, dark and elegant just like Nicaraguan tobacco. We also box pressed the cigar like the original 2013 release.”
This special Last Rites is called the Viaticum, which as a Catholic, is really fitting for this cigar. The Viaticum is the eucharist given to a person during the Last Rites, with or without the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
Blend
Vitola: Robusto
Size: 5 x 54 box pressed
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro
Binder: Honduran Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran
MSRP: $15.00
Produced at Fabrica Oveja Negra
Samples provided by Black Label Trading Company
Appearance
The Last Rites Viaticum has a dark, chocolate brown wrapper with a rustic look. The cigar has a nice box press with a slightly rough looking appearance to the wrapper. The draw is perfect with notes of black cherry, rich earth and oak.
First Half
The Last Rites Viaticum has a rich flavor profile with notes of pecans, cinnamon, hints of vanilla and black cherry on the retrohale with a nice sweetness. It’s a nice mixture of savory and sweet notes with a full body profile. The construction is really nice as well with a lot of smoke production.
Last Half
The Last Rites Viaticum was more savory, less sweet than the first half. I got notes of oak, vanilla, cinnamon with just a hint of sweetness. I got notes of pepper on the retrohale and the cigar is still full bodied. The cigar is burning great which isn’t easy for a box pressed cigar.
Conclusion
The Last Rites Viaticum is a full bodied flavor bomb. The interchange between sweet and savory notes keep the cigar interesting all the way to the end. It’s a full body cigar with full flavor that I nubbed until the very end. For me, this is the best iteration of the Last Rites I’ve ever had. James Brown hit a home run with this blend. I can’t wait to get more of these as I would love to keep my humidor stocked with these. Keep an eye out for them because, as a limited edition, they won’t be around long.
Final Score: 91
