Black Works Studio (BLK WKS) to announced the BOONDOCK SAINT back in August. “The Boondock Saint is a perfect example of a balanced cigar. 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 & Nicaraguan filler create flavors of anise, clove, dark fruits, bitter cocoa and earth. This blend highlights the many complexities in the broadleaf and Nicaraguan tobaccos used,” said James Brown, creator of BLK WKS and partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra. Today we are reviewing the Black Works Studio | Boondock Saint Corona Larga.
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
BOONDOCK SAINT is available in limited quantities at select BLK WKS retailers. BLK WKS cigars are an expression of art showcasing the talent, technique and tobacco behind boutique cigar factory; Fabrica Oveja Negra. BLK WKS cigars are available for purchase through Boutiques Unified.
“A very good looking Maduro cigar with a closed foot that adds Elegance to the cigar. The very dark wrapper has a oily shine to it. With a closer look you see bulges coming through the the wrapper that seem to be stems. The bulges and veins do not take anything away from the overall appearance of this cigar.” –Daniel S. (Daniel S.)”
Aroma: 89
“From the wrapper I really just get some leather and cedar. Since it is a closed foot, more of the saame. The cold draw has notes of pepper and musty earth. ” –Matthew T. (A Huge Nerd)
“Off the first light i got hit with a very pleasant chocolate flavor from the closed foot. Right away I am getting a chocolate espresso flavor that finishes with pepper. The pepper is getting stronger and is overpowering the chocolate and espresso flavors. As it is starting to get a inch or so in the pepper is still the main flavor but there is also creamy sweetness starting to creep in underneath the pepper. On the retro I am getting straight black pepper” –Daniel S. (Daniel S.)”
“Boom! The first light brings on flavors of espresso, charred wood, and the aroma of leather on the retrohale. As the burn continues, I get an earthy, almost dirty texture to the smoke. ” –Matthew T. (A Huge Nerd)
“The earthy characteristics take on the forefront in this middle third. The smoke is thick and has rich body. Almost gritty in nature. Leather, earth, and musty aromas are balanced by a rich molasses sweetness, bittersweet chocolate, and twang of cayenne on the tongue. The retrohale is kind of awesome. So much going on. ” –Matthew T. (A Huge Nerd)
“The second third started with white pepper moving from the retrohale and onto the palate, with oak replacing it in the nasal cavity. The main flavor continued to be earthy, but with different side-notes. The cigar had an oatmeal-like texture which kept the flavors lingering.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“I really enjoyed the last third of this cigar. Pepper at first is still prominent but has mellowed out a lot more. The chocolate and espresso flavors are starting to come back in the third of the cigar. There is a sweetness coming through now that helps balance out the pepper. The last third seems to be the most enjoyable due to the pepper being balanced out by the creamy sweet chocolate flavor. Really enjoyed the last third.” –Daniel S. (Daniel S.)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 91
“This cigar was just a bit on the firm side of things. ” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“This cigar burned great the whole time. Just a tough of flame at the beginning to get the closed foot started and it took care of the rest. The smoke output continued increasing from start to finish, which was probably most noticeable when the cigar was at rest.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
Construction: 93
“This cigar felt uniform from head to foot, and had a great overall look. ” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“It’s hard for me to assign a top rating to any cigar, and I try to reserve the highest mark for something really wondrous. This is about as close to cigar perfection for me as I can imagine. Big bold flavors with a lot of strength. Packs a punch but the potency was never over the top and the overall balance between strength and flavor was really thoroughly impressive. ” –John I. (John I.)
“Give this to me in an “A” because I could smoke it all day. It looked great and the transitions and flavors throughout the cigar were outstanding. I took this one all the way down to the nub before I had noticed that my time with it was running short.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“I will be buying some of these after I find out what it is. The fact is, my preference is typically not for earthy and “dirty” flavor profiles but this cigar had such a great balance with the sweetness and the great texture. I found it to be very well rounded and yet still bold and intense. Very well done. ” –Matthew T. (A Huge Nerd)
“The pepper flavor was the most prominent flavor throughout the cigar in the first two thirds. It seemed one note to me, with very little transitions. Although there was chocolate and espresso teases throughout the first two thirds. The last third of cigar was a game changer for me. A sweet, creamy chocolate and espresso flavors started to come into play and started to balance out the strong pepper flavor. I would like to try this cigar again and see how it develops with some age.” –Daniel S. (Daniel S.)
Blind Cigar Review: Black Works Studio | Boondock Saint Corona Larga
Summary
"It's hard for me to assign a top rating to any cigar, and I try to reserve the highest mark for something really wondrous. This is about as close to cigar perfection for me as I can imagine. Big bold flavors with a lot of strength. Packs a punch but the potency was never over the top and the overall balance between strength and flavor was really thoroughly impressive. " -John I. (John I.)
John I. (John I.)