Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona is rustic looking as it is medium brown with some lighter marbling and a network of well pressed veins. The seams are smooth, the head is well finished with a tightly wound pigtail and the foot is covered with excess wrapper that is folded over. The band is black, copper, silver and white and denotes the brand and line names with an image of a skeleton is a space suit. The aroma from the wrapper is dark earth and faint cocoa powder and the covered foot is pretty much the same, except it has a bit more cocoa powder to it. The pre-light draw is an airy mix of cedar and dry earth along with a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: The Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona is a cool looking cigar. I love the slightly closed foot and nipple style head. The cigar has a solid maduro coloring, and I would give it this dry coffee bean color with some hints of dark chocolate. It is toothy with medium sized veins throughout. Firm in hand, there is an aroma on the wrapper of pepper spices, tobacco and leather. The foot is showing more spices with dark chocolate and rich earth.
John: The Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona comes in cellophane and has a UPC sticker with the cigar information and is attached to the main body to remain intact when opened. There is a single main Intergalactic band. For artisanal complications, there is a twisted tail cap, and a partially closed foot. I weighed the cigar at 10.2 grams and measured the humidity to 61.3%. Aromas from the wrapper were barnyard, and aged wood that was rather faint. Since the foot was almost entirely closed, I struggled to pick out anything beyond wood.
Jiunn: The Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona has a near jet black rustic maduro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the head is nicely nippled. Pre-light aromas tell faint gasoline, leather, campfire and barnyard.

Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with dark, toasted oak, black pepper and earth. The retrohale is dark, toasted oak, earth and cocoa powder. At a half inch in, the oak loses the dark note. At three quarters of an inch in, the earth is now right behind the toasted oak. At an inch in, a light creaminess joins the profile as the black pepper mellows a bit. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak is just ahead of the earth, with black pepper and creaminess in the back half of the profile. The strength was right at medium.
Seth: The first third opens up with lovely dark chocolate notes and rich earth. There are sweet spices present along with some coffee bean and leather qualities. Rich and filling smoke. I would classify the cigar as medium-full to full in strength and body.
John: Creamy tobacco sweetness started the first third off with delayed pepper at medium-full strength through the post draw. Earthiness joins the post draw at medium strength as the first third settles in. As the cigar continues, the pepper recedes down to medium strength. In the second cigar some light plus chocolate moved into the retrohale at this point. Approaching the halfway point, light-plus wood takes up the center of the profile.
Jiunn: The first third creates a full body and rustic flavor experience. Star anise, dried red pepper spice, heavy cream and cedar. Retrohaling deepens the dried red pepper spice. The finish has a mixture of cream and cedar on the palate with a semi-gritty dirtiness to it. Strength is medium-full and body is medium.

Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, some darkness returns to the oak and the black pepper picks up a bit. At a quarter inch in, a light cocoa powder becomes present. The retrohale is now dark, toasted oak, earth, cocoa powder and light black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the dark, toasted oak is just ahead of the earth, with black pepper in the middle of the profile and cocoa powder and creaminess in the background. The strength remained at medium.
Seth: The second third is fairly in line with the first. More pepper and spice notes paired with the coffee beans and earth notes from before. Finish of leather and dark chocolate. The cigar smoked closer to the full point towards the end. Right after the halfway point of the cigar.
John: Creamy, sweet tobacco combines with earth to start the second third, as light-plus strength spices serve as an accent into the post draw. The creaminess intensifies into the finish as the second third settles in. That profile remains consistent for the remainder of the second third, with creaminess, sweetness and spices playing off of each other.
Jiunn: I’m starting to really feel the strength of the cigar now. The nicotine is almost at a full throttle. But luckily, the flavors are still intact and delicious. Same flavors of star anise, dried red pepper spice, heavy cream and cedar. The strength remains medium-full.

Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the toasted oak loses the darkness again and becomes fairly dry in combination with the earth. At three quarters of an inch in, the cocoa powder and creaminess depart. The retrohale is now just toasted oak and dry earth. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted oak is just ahead of the earth, with the black pepper in the middle of the profile. The strength remained at medium.
Seth: The final third delivered a strong pepper and tobacco flavor profile. It was paired with coffee, dark chocolate and earth notes as well. Strong but smooth finish. Ended very well. Full in strength and body.
John: Creamy tobacco is the primary note again, with sweet earth following and earth to finish. The earth moves up to medium strength as it settles in. There are no more flavor changes to remark on through the last third.
Jiunn: The final third is less complex with mainly a mixture of char and star anise. What’s missing is the heavy cream to help with the rustic nature. Nicotine is still very prevalent as is the thickness of the body.

Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona

Burn

Aaron: The burn line was a bit wavy at times and the cigar went out twice, requiring re-lights.
Seth: The burn was great from beginning to end.
John: The first cigar was straight through the entire review process. The second cigar had some minor waviness in the second third, but otherwise was perfect.
Jiunn: Perfect burn performance providing tight ashes, even burn and cool burning temperatures.

Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: Amazing draw throughout.
John: The first cigar had a draw that was perfect, while the second cigar had a draw that was roughly one notch towards the resistant spectrum which also puts it in the ideal range between open and resistant.
Jiunn: The draw was slightly snug for the entire smoking experience. Not a big deal but a notable one.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with dark, toasted oak, black pepper and earth. The darkness left the oak at a half inch in and some creaminess joined a bit later. The second third saw the darkness return to the oak and a light cocoa powder joined in. The final third saw the darkness leave the oak again and the cocoa powder and creaminess departed. The Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona had a nice start with a good combination of flavors. It took a step down in the second third as the balance wasn’t as good as in the first and maintained that level the rest of the way. Overall, the experience was a bit average as the balance from the first third couldn’t maintain itself longer. I’d be interested in trying another vitola to see how it performs, but I wouldn’t see myself coming back to this size.
Seth: The Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona is a fantastic cigar. To begin with, the vitola is fantastic. It’s not too small or big. With that, the cigar smoked great. Burn and draw were perfect from start to finish. Most importantly, the cigar delivered great flavors. There was depth, complexity and transitioning throughout. From beginning to end, the cigar performed incredibly well. This is what smoking cigars is all about ladies and gentlemen. This is what PA Broadleaf is about and used to be about. Black Label has shown so much growth as a company. It’s great to see!
John: The Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona is a well balanced cigar delivering medium-full to full bodied flavor in a small format. Construction for both cigars was perfect. This represents another great cigar release from Black Works Studio. While I’ll no doubt pick up some Petite Coronas the next time I can, I’m very curious to try this cigar in the Robusto or Toro format to see how the blend stacks up. Total smoking time averaged 1 hour and 27 minutes across the two cigars.
Jiunn: The Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona is a powerhouse of a cigar, delivering palate sticking rustic flavors. If you’re gonna go deep, go balls deep. And this cigar went elephant balls deep. It hurt so good. Give me more please.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.80

Cost/Point

$1.90

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

7.43

Cost/Point

$1.48

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$1.61

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.67

Cost/Point

$1.65

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Petite Corona