Morphine by Black Label Trading Co.
The Morphine cigar by Black Label Trading Company is remarkably extraordinary, showcasing a profound, intricate, and truly unique character. Upon indulging in it, I found myself delving deeper into both the blend and the story behind it. This cigar is meticulously handcrafted, featuring not one but two Maduro wrappers — a Mexican San Andrés Maduro over an Ecuadorian Maduro — and filled with tobaccos from Honduras and Nicaragua, all bound in Nicaraguan Habano. While the description may seem extravagant, the execution is remarkably seamless. The result is a cigar that emanates richness and power while maintaining an unexpectedly refined and balanced essence.
Right from the initial draw, the Morphine mesmerized with deep flavors of earth, decadent cocoa, oak, espresso, leather, and black peppercorn. A subtle sweetness weaved through the smoke, occasionally hinting at dark cherries, raisins, and warm spices. Despite its full-bodied profile, the smoke was incredibly smooth — dense, creamy, and almost velvety on the palate. This cigar immerses you in a myriad of flavors, offering a lavish, dense smoking experience.
The construction was flawless. The cigar lit up effortlessly, burned evenly, and produced a solid, compact ash that held firm until I decided to tap it off. The draw was perfect, delivering ample clouds of flavorful smoke with every puff. As the cigar progressed, the oak and bold coffee undertones intensified, leaving a satisfyingly long finish complemented by subtle spice and earthy sweetness.
I came across another review describing the Morphine as “bold, robust, and formidable,” and I must say, I couldn’t agree more. This cigar commands your attention throughout, yet it never becomes harsh or unbalanced. It’s this equilibrium that truly left a lasting impression on me.
Paired with Wild Turkey Forgiven Bourbon on a rainy, leisurely Fourth of July afternoon while grilling filet mignon on the Big Green Egg, the experience was close to perfection. The bourbon’s rich caramel notes blended seamlessly with the cigar’s deep, earthy richness. Add in succulent steaks, freshly grilled corn, and my homemade baked beans, and it turned into one of those enchanting evenings you wish you could relive time and time again.
An exceptionally remarkable cigar that I would eagerly savor once more.
Wild Turkey Forgiven Bourbon
The story I heard behind this bourbon, a “mistake”, is that a tanker was filled with a small batch bourbon only to discover that the tanker was already loaded with high proof whisky, people lost their jobs. But then the Associate Master Distiller tasted the accidental blend and declared it worthy of bottling, and a mishap turned into Wild Turkey Forgiven. 91 proof with a spicy bold taste that has a surprisingly smooth finish. Coined “Forgiven” because everyone got to keep their job.
After a buddy and I sampled Forgiven at a bourbon tasting over a year ago we each had to have a bottle, but couldn’t find it anywhere. It’s limited. Like hound dogs we tracked down some bottles and ended up with a few each. We polished off a bottle this holiday weekend. And it was one of MY bottles – WTF!?
My Special Recipe Baked Beans
Scramble up some Tennessee Pride Hot Sausage, add baked beans (I use Bush’s), green, red and yellow peppers, onions, a dollop of English Mustard, a squirt of ketchup, and brown sugar. Fantastic!