PCA 2023: Oveja Negra Brands

The tenth anniversary for Black Label Trading Company is this year. Black Label Trading Company is the brand that started it all for James Brown and today remains the cornerstone of Oveja Negra Brands. Just prior to the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, Black Label Trading Company would release its tenth-anniversary cigar, La Madonna Negra – and it’s a cigar that garnered high praise from many. As always, at the Oveja Negra Brands booth, all of the brands would be showcasing new products. Not only is there a compelling portfolio of small-batch limited releases, but this year would also see Oveja Negra continue to build up its core lines. As always, all of the products showcased come from Fabrica Oveja Negra in Estelí, Nicaragua.

Black Label Trading Company (BLTC)

La Madonna Negra was released just prior to the PCA Trade Show. It is a limited-production, small-batch cigar. It is produced at Fabrica Oveja Negra in Estelí, Nicaragua. The blend features a USA Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over an Ecuadorian Habano binder and a combination of Nicaraguan and Pennsylvanian fillers. The cigars will come in three box-pressed sizes: Rothschild (4 1/2 x 48, SRP $11.00/cigar), Corona Gorda (5 1/2 x 50, SRP $12.00), and Robusto (5 x 54, SRP $13.00). Each is in 20-count boxes.

While La Madonna Negra got a lot of attention, four of Black Label Trading Company’s regular production lines are getting a 5 x 50 Robusto Real size. The lines getting these sizes include Royalty, Salvation, Lawless, and Last Rites. Each of the sizes is presented in 20-count boxes. Pricing ranges from $10.50 to $11.50.

Photo Credit: Oveja Negra Brands

Another exciting thing BLTC fans can look forward to is a new expression of the Bishops Blend. Later this summer/early fall, the Black Label Trading Company Bishops Blend Novemdiales will hit the shelves. Novemdiales is the nine-day mourning period following the death of a Pope. The original Bishops Blend remains one of the most popular limited lines in the Oveja Negra portfolio. The idea here was to change things up a bit for BLTC’s tenth anniversary. Bishops Blend Novemdiales will feature a different blend highlighted by a U.S.A. Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper, along with some tweaks to the original blend profile. These cigars will be released in three sizes not seen on the original Bishops Blend before (Petite Corona, Robusto, and Toro).

Black Works Studio (BLK WKS)

While the tenth anniversary of Black Label Trading Company certainly is the big story for Oveja Negra Brands, there is no shortage of things under Black Works Studio. The main entry under Black Works Studio is a new limited production, a small-batch line known as Poison Dart. This cigar features a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper over an Ecuadorian Habano binder and all Nicaraguan filler. The Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper marks a first for Oveja Negra Brand. Poison will be available in two sizes: Short Robusto (4 1/2 x 50, SRP $11.50/cigar) and Corona Gorda (5 1/2 x 46, SRP $12.50/cigar) – each presented in 20-count boxes.

Also showcased was the Black Works Studio Ambush. This is a 15-cigar collection of Black Works Studio’s Tiger Series. The Ambush Collection was unveiled back in April. It will be offered at events for purchase. The Tiger Series has been one of the most limited lines by Oveja Negra Brands and has only been seen at events and at Fabrica Oveja Negra. Ambush consists of three cigars in the Black Works Studio Tiger Series, a series of cigars that had been featured at events. The collection of 15 cigars is broken down as follows:

Neon Tiger, Robusto: 5 x 48 (4 count)
Khan, Robusto: 5 x 50 (4 count)
Tiger Lily, Toro: 6 x 48 (7 count)

Pricing is set at $270.00 for the Collection or $18.00 per cigar.

In addition, the core lines are also growing for Black Work Studio. Killer Bee is getting a 5 x 50 Robusto while the Hornet (formerly Green Hornet) is getting a 6 x 46 Corona Large. Both will be in 20-count boxes and each will be priced at $10.50 per cigar.

Photo Credit: Oveja Negra Brands

Emilio

Last year, Oveja Negra Brands launched the Emilio Audiophile. The Emilio Audiophile features an Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper over an Ecuadorian Habano binder and Nicaraguan fillers. When it was originally introduced in 2022, the cigar was available in a 5 x 52 Robusto. Now the Robusto (5 x 52, SRP $10.50) returns, and a Toro (6 x 50, SRP $11.00) and Short Robusto (4 1/4 x 48, SRP $10.25) have been added. Each of the three sizes is presented in 20-count boxes.

Dissident Cigars

Dissident is the fourth brand under Oveja Negra Brands. It is owned by Josh and Cynn Coburn, but production comes from Fabrica Oveja Negra and distribution comes from Oveja Negra Brands. This year, there is a new cigar called The ReVolt that was covered in the Dissident PCA Report below.