Black Label Trading Co. Santa Muerte 2019 Short Robusto

📌 Brand: Black Label Trading Company
📌 Line: Santa Muerte
📌 Size: Short Robusto (4 3/4" × 52)
📌 Weight: 12.3 g
📌 Age: 7 years
📌 Origin: Nicaragua

‍ ‍Tasting Notes

• Bitter Cocoa – Thin and unpleasant

• Harsh Pepper – Aggressive without balance

• Burnt Wood – Dominates after corrections

• Acrid Earth – Lingering, dirty finish

First Impressions

The cigar looks appealing with its dark wrapper and bold presentation, but in hand the bunch feels uneven and inconsistent. Pre-light aroma reveals cocoa, earth, and spice. Cold draw is irregular, already hinting at trouble ahead.

Smoking Experience

• First Third – The cigar struggles almost immediately. Burn line is crooked from the start and requires an early correction. Flavors are muted by construction problems.

• Second Third – Construction becomes awful. The cigar tunnels, burns unevenly, and demands repeated touch-ups and relights. Smoke becomes hot and harsh.

• Final Third – By this stage the cigar is almost unsmokable. Constant corrections ruin any remaining flavor, leaving only burnt wood and bitterness.

Pairings

• Alcohol – Braulio Amaro Alpino - Alpine herbs, bitterness, and menthol freshness help reset the palate after the cigar’s harsh finish.

• Tea – Japanese Genmaicha - Toasted rice sweetness and gentle green tea notes help calm the palate and reduce bitterness.

Music Pairing

“The Beautiful People” – Marilyn Manson
Aggressive, abrasive energy reflecting the cigar’s harshness.

Final Thoughts

Black Label Trading Co. Santa Muerte Short Robusto had potential on paper, but awful construction ruins the entire experience. Constant burn problems, corrections, and harshness prevent any enjoyment.

Final Score: 2/10
Why not a 10?
Severe construction flaws destroyed the burn, flavor, and overall smoking experience from beginning to end.

Only cigars that deliver flawless draw, balance, flavour evolution, construction and satisfaction get a 10.