When the TNCC first reviewed the original Bishops Blend 10 years ago on Episode 40, I had this to say in my official summation of our experience smoking the cigar:
“I believe with the passing of time and continued positive word-of-mouth that the Bishops Blend may turn out to be the Liga Privada 9 for Black Label Trading Company in that this may be the breakthrough stogie that thrusts BLTC on to the main stage when discussing premium cigars. All the elements and potential are there.”
Wow! That’s some serious high praise from a highly respected leader guy in the cigar reviewing universe. Now I’m not saying that the company owes all of the success its had since 2015 to my public support… just a good portion of it. Black Label went on to release new iterations of the Bishops Blend in limited quantities over the last decade, which leads us to tonight’s adventure. Speaking of people who have something to say, BLTC’s James Brown issued these comments in a press release regarding this 10th anniversary blend:
“It’s been ten years since we introduced Bishops Blend, and it has grown into one of our most sought-after releases. To celebrate this milestone, this year’s edition features a double-wrapper presentation, pairing the original Ecuadorian Maduro with Connecticut Broadleaf. The addition of Broadleaf in both the filler and wrapper further enhances the cigar’s rich, elegant, and complex character, taking it to an entirely new level…”
That all sounds great, now let’s see how she smokes.
THE CIGAR – BISHOPS BLEND (2026) by BLACK LABEL TRADING COMPANY
Size: 5 x 48 (robusto)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian maduro / Connecticut broadleaf
Binder: Ecuadorian habano
Filler: Connecticut broadleaf, Pennsylvania broadleaf, Nicaragua
Price: $13.00 (while these samples were submitted for review, click on the Famous Smoke Shop banner on this page to receive the very best online deals!)
As advertised, this year’s Bishops Blend is indeed a barberpole offering although you might miss that detail at first glance due to the primary and secondary bands taking up a lot of real estate. After the cello is removed, aromas of leather, mesquite, and faint dark chocolate are detected. After clipping the chocolate chip cap (an aesthetic touch that has continued since the inaugural Bishops Blend), there’s a musty component to the cold draw as well as some earthiness.
As flame meets the Bishop Blend’s closed foot, crackling black pepper combined with a strong oak note comes through loud and clear upstairs. I notice the burn line growing a bit uneven immediately, which can often happen when dealing with a closed foot, so I quickly even things out with my lighter before it may (or may not) become an issue. No biggie. Downstairs, notes of oak and well-worn leather are leading the charge.
The Bishops Blend is medium bodied / medium strength here in the early goings. The retrohale’s black pepper seems to be escalating in potency a bit, edging the oak almost completely out of the picture. This allows a hint of graphite to begin emerging underneath the pepper. The draw’s profile has now also excused the woodsy oak, its services will no longer be required because of the new gingerbread note that has suddenly appeared. Yeah, that’s right, gingerbread.
Overall construction has been very good with a smooth draw and a straight burn that has required no more of my attention. The middle portion of the Bishops Blend is marked by an uptick in strength as the pepper spice simply refuses to be ignored. Surprisingly, the newly developed pencil lead sensation via the retro is not being washed out by the pepper at all. Sadly, after only a handful of puffs, the Gingerbread Man* is officially dead and buried underneath the draw by the highly consistent leather.
Oh well, it was a nice treat while it lasted. With the gingerbread now gone, I realize that it had brought a touch of molasses sweetness to the profile that I didn’t fully appreciate before it vanished. The Bishop Blend’s closing act continues to be dominated by pepper and leather. The pencil lead note suddenly appears through the draw, as well, with about 2” remaining to burn. As this graphite note transitions to down below, it opens up the opportunity for an unexpected blast of cream to arise alongside the pepper. I didn’t see that coming! But, to be fair, I rarely do. My only complaint, as the smoking experience comes to an end, is that the creaminess didn’t arrived sooner as it balances out the stronger, bolder flavors nicely.
THE NUB
TNCC Final Score = 92
2026’s Bishops Blend is a highly enjoyable, well-constructed cigar with bold flavors and some nice complexity revealed throughout the 60 minute smoking duration. I’m highly curious how the lancero vitola would perform, giving the barberpole format the best shot to shine. Or I could be completely wrong on that front because, to be fair, I usually am. Nevertheless, this cigar delivers whether you’re a longtime Bishops Blend fan or a newcomer who’s just looking for a ballsy, flavorful cigar that won’t give them any problems.
* This crispy lil’ bastard apparently gave a lot of people problems over the course of 4 (!) movies. And while it may seem as though these films are right in the TNCC’s wheelhouse… we stopped watching after the first flick. You read that correctly, WE stopped watching. ‘Nuff said.
