Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga is a barber pole, with the majority of the visible wrappers being medium brown and the other medium tan. There is a network of lightly raised veins, the seams are smooth, caps well applied and finished with a tightly wound pigtail. The band is black and silver on the front with the line and brand and a more colorful snake head and graffiti on back. The aroma from the wrappers are dusty earth with light wood, while the foot brings the opposite of wood with light earth. The pre-light draw is aged cedar along with a floral perfume note and a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: The Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga is finished really well. The black and silver band work well against the barber pole, but the colorful aspect of the band works as well. The pigtail finish is fantastic, the barber pole is precise and well done, and the wrapper colors are not too far apart. Closeness between the Sumatra and Connecticut. Firm throughout, great Corona Larga size. Aromas of rich spices, pine, tobacco and earth.
John: The Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga comes in cellophane and has a UPC sticker on the main cellophane body so it remains intact when opened. For artisanal complications, the cigar has a curly head cap as well as a barber pole style wrapper. Aromas from the wrapper included hay, sweet barnyard and some floral components underneath. The foot had mossy tobacco and earth with sweetness throughout.
Jiunn: The Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga has a well layered barber pole design. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the man bun head is well wrapped and capped. Aromas from the wrapper tell of barnyard and cedar. Aromas from the foot tell a blast of white pepper spice and dried nuts. Cold draws reveal red pepper spice, salt on the lips and dried nuts.

Team Cigar Review: Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with a mix of oak and earth with a very faint floral note in the background. At a half inch in, the earth has mellowed a bit. The retrohale is a mirror image of the mouth draws with oak ahead of the earth and faint floral note in the background. At an inch in, a very mellow black pepper becomes present as the earth picks back up a bit. At an inch and a half in, a light mustiness joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the oak is a bit ahead of the earth with a mellow mix of black pepper, mustiness and floral notes in the background. The strength was slightly below medium.
Seth: The first third delivers this lovely cream profile that has touches of pepper spice, leather, nuts and tobacco. Earth qualities present as well. Medium to medium-full in strength and body. Lovely and balanced.
John: The first third gets going with dry baking spices, and light-plus strength sweet tobacco on the finish. Sweet peanuts come through on the finish and in the center what I’d describe as sunflower seeds with the shells on. A clover and floral combination breaks through on the retrohale. Baking spices become more complex as it settles with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and light graham cracker underneath. Light wood is present at the end of the draw by this point. Some clover like vegetal flavor is also present at the end of the draw as it moves to the halfway point.
Jiunn: The first few puffs yield a very unique taste. It’s as if someone dehydrated leafy greens and torched it. But this note subsided fairly quickly. The core flavors taste dense with hay, cedar, subtle dried red pepper spice and cotton candy sweetness. Retrohaling isn’t as complex, as it delivers a bigger spice punch. The finish cakes the palate with cedar and slightly bitter dried nuts. Strength is medium and body is medium-full.

Team Cigar Review: Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, a bit of smokiness becomes present. At a half inch in, the oak takes on a bit of a young profile and the floral note disappears. At three quarters of an inch in, the overall profile is becoming a bit dry. The retrohale is now oak and earth along with a light smokiness. As the third comes to a close, the profile is lightly young oak ahead of the earth with black pepper, mustiness and smokiness in the background. The strength remained at slightly below medium.
Seth: The second third delivers that creamy and nutty profile with some tobacco, leather and soft spices from before. Pepper spice present on the finish. Medium in strength and body.
John: Creamy baking spices greet me in the second third, with wood to finish. Sweet tobacco moves into the center after a few puffs. Hay occasionally comes through on the finish as it settles in. Chocolate develops on the retrohale as the cigar continues towards the halfway point.
Jiunn: The second thirds primary difference is the strength level increasing to medium-full (body is still medium-full). The nicotine rush to my head is actually well managed, working very well with the density of all the flavors.

Team Cigar Review: Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the earth picks up a bit. At a half inch in, a light vegetal bitterness becomes present. The retrohale remains oak and earth along with a light smokiness. As the cigar wraps up, the lightly young oak is just ahead of the earth with black pepper, mustiness, smokiness and vegetal bitterness in the background. The strength bumped up to medium.
Seth: The final third has a flavor profile that is a combination of cream, tobacco, leather, soft spices and earth. Similar to the second third. Medium in strength and body.
John: Creamy, medium strength baking spices are present on the first few puffs, along with a combination of chocolate and wood. As the last third settles in, wood finishes the draw and lingers well into the post draw. Sweet baking spices bring bread with them on the retrohale, and chocolate returns at a light level.
Jiunn: The final third is unchanged from the second third. Still medium-full strength and body with flavors of dense hay, cedar, subtle dried red pepper spice and cotton candy.

Team Cigar Review: Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga

Burn

Aaron: The burn was straight throughout and the ash held on in inch and a half increments.
Seth: Great burn throughout.
John: Two cigars were smoked for review and both exhibited a straight burn with an ash that held on consistently over the one inch mark.
Jiunn: Great burn performance. Even burn, ample smoke production and cool burning temperature.

Team Cigar Review: Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: Very nice draw from start to finish.
John: The first cigar had a perfect burn and the second cigar was just at the edges of a perfect burn, being one notch towards the open spectrum.
Jiunn: Slightly tight, but not a real hinderance to the smoking experience.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with a mix of oak and earth with a very faint floral note in the background. Some black pepper joined a bit later and then some mustiness after that. The second third saw a smokiness join in and the floral note depart. The final third saw a light vegetal bitterness join in. The construction was flawless. The Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga had a nice start with a simple but pleasant profile. From the second third on though, the profile dropped a level as the overall profile became a bit dry and the oak took on a young note to it. Overall, the cigar is OK, but not something I’d see coming back to with any regularity. The original release of this line fared better for me.
Seth: The Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga was a fun barber pole release. Really nice flavor profile produced with the Sumatra and Connecticut wrappers. Different than your standard barber pole releases. It’s not a cigar I would gravitate towards in the future, but I would say it is good barber pole release. Last time a barber pole release caught my attention like this was the 7-20-4 Hustler.
John: The Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga was consistently good across two cigars that I reviewed. The overall strength profile peaked at medium and had subtle and nuanced flavors through the entire experience. Both cigars had flawless burn and flawless draw. The S&R 2023 Corona Larga was quite enjoyable and the price point is reasonable in the current cigar market. I’d happily seek these out and likely try them in the robusto size or even the lancero culebra if it was even attainable. Total smoking time averaged 1 hour and 44 minutes.
Jiunn: I’m not someone that tries a lot of Black Works or cigars coming out of Fabrica Oveja Negra in general. I don’t have anything against the brand/factory, it’s just not really in the rotation. But when I smoke blends like this one, I seriously question my actions. Like most Fabrica Oveja Negra offerings, the blends are typically stronger, with a good amount of hefty flavors. This Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga offers just that and it’s delicious from start to finish. Easy buy recommendation.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$2.05

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.30

Cost/Point

$1.98

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$1.74

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.02

Cost/Point

$1.78

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Black Works Studio S&R 2023 Corona Larga