I had a busy week at work. A little background: In August I started a job as a warehouse manager for a company that delivers durable medical equipment directly to veterans. This was a new location for the company, which contracts with the Veterans Administration. The warehouse was just a big empty space, which the VAs (we work with three of them, whose inventories need to be kept separated), so everything was stacked on the floor. I asked for pallet racks when I started, and the GM took it under consideration. After a few months, the VAs piled in the inventory, and I quickly ran out of room. I am a staff of one, by the way. So a few weeks ago I, once again, made an argument for pallet racks, which included three written estimates for local companies to come in and install what I wanted. The GM ended up getting a great deal on a warehouse full of used racking, and sending me a load last week. So I spent the week moving stuff around and putting up ten foot high by 12 foot long pallet racks (some of it by myself). Now I have a warehouse that actually looks like a warehouse, is functional and efficient, not a pile of pallets that I have to move to get to things, and gets clogged every time I get another truck load of new stuff in. It made me a happy boy. This explains why I kinda phoned in my Wednesday post. At 57 years old, putting up pallet rack all week, as well as doing all the other stuff I usually do during the day, whipped me. So I went out and bought myself a few new (to me) cigars to smoke.
I never claimed to be a hand model.
Oddly, or maybe not, my local shop didn’t have anything new to speak of. So I looked for cigars I hadn’t smoked yet. It’s getting harder to find those. They had some Black Label Trading Company selections, and since I had just posted about the new Morphine release, I grabbed a Morphine Lancero, along with a Dissident Bloc 7 x 43. I got home and decided to take the dogs for a walk with the Dissident. Since my son moved home with his dog, a young mixed breed with a dachshund head, cute dog, Macha has been refusing to take walks for the most part. I think the younger dog wears her out playing during the day. I was quickly reminded how great Macha is on leash! This little dog is all over the place, I’m constantly untangling leashes, getting pulled in opposite directions…nightmare. All the while juggling this really nice Dissident Bloc 7 x 43 BP. The cigar is made at Oveja Negra, is box pressed with and Ecuador maduro wrapper, Ecuador binder and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. I rather wisel let this cigar go out about halfway through the walk when I went to relight it for the third time, so as to finish it in the peace of the porch without distraction. It had some earthy coffee notes, but, for the most part, was a really good tasting, medium bodied cigar. I loved the size, it was easy to deal with given my handful of dogs, and when I got to sit and relax, it smoked well and elt right. Like any smaller ring cigar, it needs to be smoked slower so as not to overheat and turn hot and bitter.
Like I said, I also picked up a Morphine. I usually buy cigars in twos, but I’m being budget conscious this time of year, and the shop where I got these is two miles from home, and they had plenty. I knew If I needed more I could get more in a hurry if need be. I’m going to assume that this Black Label Trading Company Morphine Lancero is from the 2019 release. I am guessing this because The 2020 release was just announced, and Steve at the shop said he didn’t have anything new. This was a 7″ x 38 lancero with a San Andrés wrapper, Nicaraguan Habano binder and Nicaraguan filler. Again, small ring gauges need to be smoked slowly. Wrapper to binder ratio affecting flavor is a myth, it’s the heat from smoking faster that makes it seem like it has a stronger or sharper flavor. Slow down when smoking smaller ring cigars. If you don’t believe me, ask Saka, he’s the one who I learned it from, argue with him (I dare ya). This Morphine Lancero is right in my wheelhouse. It’s a espresso with spice, although I did have to relight it a few times. Perhaps I smoked it too slowly. It was rich with some sweet earthiness and I dug it. Is it ironic to use “earthiness” and “dug” in the same sentence? I will probably have to stop in the Frazer CigarCigars shop and snag a few more of these to toss in the Lancero tray for future consumption, and I’ll keep an eye out for the new ones. Do any of those knowledgeable in the ways of BLTC know if they put the year on these annual releases?
You should notice that CigarCraig.com is now a “secure” site. No transactions take place, nor do I ever collect any personal information, but, for everyone’s peace of mind (and Google’s search algorithms I guess), I got rid of the whole “not secure” business in the address bar, and the lock should be there. That’s all for today, until the next time,
CigarCraig
I started dipping in to the PCA show samples, and and one that caught my eye was the Dissident Bloc. This isn’t a new cigar, but it was one I hadn’t tried before. I spoke with Cyn and Josh Coburn, the new owners of the brand a the Oveja Negra booth. They seem to have a passion for the brand. I smoked the corona gorda size, 5 5/8″ x 46, one of my favorite sizes after toro. The cigar has an Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper, whatever that is, Ecuador (again, could be anything) binder and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. This cigar was my cup of tea. It had dark, rich espresso flavors, and I quite enjoyed it. I wish it had been larger, because it left me wanting more. I like most of the cigars made at Oveja Negra, and this one is no different. 
My video interview with Tatuaje Cigars Pete Johnson has quickly jumped into the top five viewed videos on Youtube! The numbers are relative, I don’t consider myself a “Youtuber”, it just a place to put videos to me. Anyway, I smoked the new Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue in the No. 1 size, which is a 6¼” x 52 Toro. This cigar has a shade grown Nicaraguan wrapper, and is fully composed of tobaccos grown by the Garcia family. The Verocu is one I usually grab when I stop at Holt’s in Philly, I like them. This one is more on the creamy side, with coffee and cocoa. It performed well and is one I will revisit. It was a very nice cigar. 
