Only 600 boxes of 14 of the Cigar Culture’s Hawk were manufactured and released by Blackbird Cigar Co. This is the second cigar the Cigar Culture, an online cigar group, has put together. This is the first with Blackbird Cigar Co, a boutique cigar company that produces cigars out of their Blackbird Dominicana Factory in the Dominican Republic. This is the first cigar from Blackbird Cigar Co that I have smoked. I have been intrigued by the brand, as I like the simplicity in their approach towards appearance, and I have heard good things.
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Blackbird Dominicana
Wrapper: Brazilian Cubra
Binder: Mexican San Andres
Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Vitola: 6 x 54 Box Pressed Toro
Price: $14.00
Release Date: November 2021
Company Website: www.blackbirdcigar.com
Expectations
With my nonexistent experience with the company I am basing this off my gut and the blend. I think this will be full of flavor with maybe medium to medium-full strength. I look for some sweet earth, pepper, charred wood, and some metallic notes. I am hopeful that this will be a complex experience and that I get more than what I anticipate.
Prelight Characteristics
I like the simplicity of Blackbird’s bands and this color choice looks pretty good against this darker brown, slightly reddish wrapper. The cigar is firm, but fairly lightweight. The wrapper has some character, but it’s pretty clean and intact. The cigar has nearly no smell, but I can get a touch of cherries. The cold draw has some fruit punch flavors, but it’s also quite faint.
First Third
First light brings full bodied smoke with medium-full flavors of earth, some roasted nuts, drying spices and some subtle wood. There is a ton of smoke output from this cigar. There’s some oiliness joining the draw. The retrohale brings the first hint of sweetness with some citrus, pepper, and a bit of milk chocolate. Halfway into the first third there is now some general sweetness joining a draw profile of earth, dry spices, pepper, and oily oak. The first third comes to an end with no changes to report. The performance has been perfect thus far.
Second Third
Quickly into the second third I have to do a small touch up due to a bit of a wrapper lag. So far the only real change to the draw is a bit of an increase in the spices, with them becoming less drying. The retrohale has dropped the milk chocolate in place of cream, while keeping the citrus and pepper. Nearing halfway I need to touch up the wrapper a bit again, though it hasn’t been bad. The profile is becoming more fuller and starting to show some more oily, slightly tannic oak. The second third comes to a close with the strength seeming to come up to medium. The performance has been great since the last touch up.
Final Third
I quickly have to do another small touch up as that one piece of wrapper continues to lag a touch. Again, it’s not a hindrance to the experience. This cigar has the aroma of a toasted marshmallow. That is very interesting. Halfway into the final third the cigar acted like it wanted to go out, but I saved it. It seems like it’s tunneling a bit, so I have to give it some assistance with the lighter. Right now there’s still tons of oily, slightly tannic oak, with some pepper, earth, and general sweetness. With about an inch of smoke time left it spontaneously went out. I figured I’d try to squeeze some more out of it to see how it reacts. Coming to an end, the relight changed nothing about the profile, which is good I suppose.
Overall Experience
I thought this cigar was just okay. The burn time was about an hour and 50 minutes in total. It started off a bit too dry for my palate with the earth, nuts, spices, and wood. However it took a turn for the better for me for a little with the inclusion of the general sweetness and the wood becoming more okay. Also, the citrus, pepper, and milk chocolate, then cream, on the retrohale added an enjoyable layer. However, starting at about halfway, it had a bit too much oily, tannic wood through to the end. The wrapper burn issues weren’t really an issue, however the spontaneous tunneling, and it eventually going out completely, were a bit of a burden. I can’t say that I would recommend this cigar, but, I will likely smoke some more from Blackbird Cigar Co to gain some experience with the brand.
Feel free to reach out to me with questions, concerns, criticisms, or just to talk at @guitarsandcigarsfarm on Instagram, or visit my website www.guitarsandcigarsfarm.com.