Blind Cigar Review: The Vince by Blackbird Cigar Co.
If you’ve been following the cigar scene for the last few years, you’ll know that cigar marketing is getting more and more creative, especially among boutique producers. The latest Blackbird Cigars release, an LCA exclusive, is The Vince. Named for Tom Cruises’ character in the Martin Scorsese film The Color Of Money, this cigar stands out with its dark wrapper, box pressed shape and pigtail closed foot.
Blend Specifics
- Cigar Reviewed: The Vince by Blackbird Cigar Co. LCA Exclusive
- Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
- Binder: Dominican
- Blend: Dominican and Nicaraguan
- Size: 6” x 50
Blind Review: The Vince
Appearance and Construction
On inspection, this is a unique looking boxed pressed maduro with a closed pigtail foot. The head of the cigar is slightly tapered and there are minimal veins visible. As I give a squeeze to the wrapper, I can see it is firm all the way through. I clip the pigtail foot and there’s notes of oak and cherry with black pepper hitting my nostrils.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
Clipping the tapered head and with the pigtail foot taken care of, I take a dry draw. It’s a bit airy with wheat and fruit that’s rather mild. The fruitiness that comes through lingers for a moment on my palate and the finish is buttery. Unfortunately, one layer of the wrapper comes loose early on. As I take a retrohale there’s cashews, oats, and a slight sourness on the exhale. The ash is straight as an arrow and glaringly white, with the cigar falling in the medium range.
By midway, the amount of smoke seems to be increasing along with sour cherry and a sharp bitter finish. Taking another retrohale I’m getting barnyard notes with cedar and strong espresso creating an unbalanced group of flavors. With another draw there’s a creaminess and butterscotch followed by vanilla that touches the sides of my mouth, though in short supply. The body picks up to medium-full with coffee, black pepper and a snap of leather on the back end. Drawing on this cigar even slowly does not seem to calm down its hefty smoke production, and the wrapper is starting to become looser as the combustion builds.
The final third sees the wrapper even more undone, and there’s an acidic bitter quality forming. Leather and white pepper cause a drying and tingling sensation all at once as I take successive draws. The bitterness deters from the flavors on the finish and taking a retrohale pepper, cedar and spice come through. There’s a grittiness on the wrapper at present with earthy notes and salinity from the smoke hitting my palate. I take a last puff which delivers coffee, cedar and a short burnt finish.
Conclusion
With such unique construction, I found this cigar intriguing from first glance with its dark wrapper, box press and pigtail cap. Unfortunately, the flavors did not deliver enough to keep my attention. From the airy draw to the wheat notes, coffee, cream, and pepper, all were present but they never lasted long. The bitter acidic finish midway coupled with the wrapper unraveling didn’t help the experience. I’m not very familiar with the Blackbird Cigar Company, nor do I fully understand the homage to The Color of Money movie and the cigar. I’d be willing to try something else in their portfolio, but I wouldn’t pick this one up again.