- Black Label Trading Co. Morphine 10 Year Anniversary Toro Box Press, 6×54. San Andrés and Ecuadorian maduro barber pole over a Nicaraguan binder and fillers, made at Fábrica Oveja Negra in Estelí. Launch price $13.50.
- Earth, oak, cinnamon, and black pepper up front. Black coffee and raisin come in as it burns, and the strength builds to medium-full.
- The draw was fine, and the burn was perfect. No touch-ups. Plan on about an hour and forty minutes.
- BLC Rating: 89/100. Would I smoke this again? Absolutely.
The Black Label Trading Co. Morphine 10 Year Anniversary Toro Box Press is a 6×54 box-pressed cigar made at Fábrica Oveja Negra in Estelí, Nicaragua. It came out in November 2024 to mark 10 years of Morphine. The wrapper is a dual leaf of Mexican San Andrés and Ecuadorian maduro in a subtle barber pole, over a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan fillers. Launch price was $13.50 a stick, or $270 for a box of 20, and I put it at 89/100.
From the Porch
Dallas was at the back door the second the humidor opened. He wasn't waiting on me, he was waiting on the cookie. I grabbed the BLTC Morphine Toro and we headed out to the deck.
Last time I was in Austin, I walked into a small shop, and a big part of the humidor was Black Label Trading Company. I'd never heard of the brand. I bought one because I liked the art on the box, and I wanted to know if the cigar was any good.
It was. Rich and bold, the way I like them, and the toro meant I got to stay on the deck a while longer.
I was well into it before the wrapper registered. I turned it a couple of times and still had to look it up. Subtle barber pole.
I had a good afternoon with it. Dallas approved. My notes are below.
Behind the Blend
James Brown created Black Label Trading Co. in 2013, and he and co-founder Angela Brown live in Nicaragua and run the operation together. Morphine hit stores in June 2014, and that first batch came out of Tabacalera Santiago de Nicaragua. James is also a partner at Fábrica Oveja Negra in Estelí, which started production in February 2015, and the brand moved its cigars there. This 2024 vintage marks 10 years of Morphine, and it was rolled at Oveja Negra.
BLC Blend Breakdown
The Vitola Lineup
| Vitola | Size | MSRP |
|---|---|---|
| Short Robusto | 4½ × 52 | $11.50 |
| Perfecto | 5 × 50 | $11.50 |
| Toro Box Press← reviewed | 6 × 54 | $13.50 |
| Lancero | 7¼ × 42 | $12.50 |
All four come in boxes of 20, and those are the November 2024 launch prices, so check what your shop charges now. The Toro and the Perfecto were new sizes for this release. James Brown says the Toro “shows how versatile the blend is and how well it works in a larger format vitola.” He ties the Perfecto to the chrysalis of the Death's Head moth, that's his framing. If you've got the time, the Toro's the one I'd grab. If you don't, the Short Robusto is the smaller commitment.
The Cold Draw
I went with a straight cut. The cold draw, that's pulling air through the cigar before you light it, gave me oak, black pepper, cinnamon, and earth.
Same core I got once it was lit.
BLC Cigar Profile
Appearance
Dark chocolate-brown with a subtle barber pole, smooth, almost no oil.
Burn
Perfect burn, no touch-ups.
Draw
Fine.
A barber pole is two wrapper leaves rolled together so one shows as a spiral stripe. On this one the stripe's only a little redder than the rest, so in low light you'll probably miss it. The 54 ring gauge means it's 54/64 of an inch across.
The First Third
The first puffs put black pepper on my tongue, with oak and earth, and there was definitely black pepper on the retrohale. Flavor sat medium-full, body at medium, strength just over medium. The draw was fine. The burn was perfect, and I didn't touch it up.
The Second Third
Earth and oak were the main notes in the middle. I picked up black coffee with the cinnamon, a little less pepper, and the first of the raisin. This is where it got full for me. Body and strength both sat at medium-plus. Still a perfect burn.
The Final Third
The last third kept the oak and the earth. I got more raisin and black coffee, cinnamon stayed, and the black pepper held to the end. Flavor stayed full. Body sat at medium-plus, and strength climbed to medium-full. My smoke time ran about an hour and forty minutes. It gave me plenty of time to enjoy it.
Overall Rating
The flavor's why I'd buy this one. I got earth, oak, cinnamon, black coffee, raisin, and black pepper, and they shifted as it burned.
The draw was fine. The burn was perfect, and I never touched it up.
Would I smoke this again? Absolutely.
Who Grabs This Cigar
This one's for you if you want earth, oak, and black pepper, with cinnamon, black coffee, and raisin in the mix. You'll also need close to two hours, so save it for an evening.
I was well into it before the wrapper registered. I turned it a couple of times and still had to look it up. Subtle barber pole.
— Norm Farrar
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