Today, we review the Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon in the Toro size from Oveja Negra Brands. Over the past decade, Oveja Negra Brands has released numerous small-batch, limited-edition cigars. In 2022, Black Works Studio released a limited batch of cigars known as the Intergalactic. The cigar was quite eye-catching, featuring a skeleton in an astronaut suit. From a tobacco standpoint, the Intergalactic featured a Sumatra wrapper. The cigar quickly became a favorite among Oveja Negra fans. In 2024, Black Works Studio announced the release of a cigar from the Intergalactic line, called the Intergalactic Event Horizon. This cigar features a unique blend, highlighted by a Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper.

I admit, my first reaction when I saw news of this cigar is that Black Works Studio opted to create an event-only version of the Intergalactic. I could not have been more wrong. Event Horizon is a concept in astrophysics that describes a boundary fbeyond which events cannot affect an observer. Going further, it fits in with Black Works Studio’s releases, some of which pay homage to motion pictures (e.g., NBK – Natural Born Killers, Boondock Saints, etc.). In this case, Event Horizon was a science-fiction horror-themed film starring Laurence Fishburne.

Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Toro – Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

As mentioned, the primary difference between Event Horizon and the initial Intergalactic is the Pennsylvania wrapper. Like the original Intergalactic, Event Horizon uses an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and all-Nicaraguan fillers, but has not specified whether the underlying components are similar. Production comes from Fabrica Oveja Negra.

Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf
Binder: Ecuador Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Fabrica Oveja Negra

Vitolas Offered

Event Horizon is offered in three sizes. The only size carried over from the original Intergalactic line is the Robusto. Each size came in 20-count boxes. The cigar was released in September 2024 and was a limited, small batch production. Production numbers were not disclosed. The “Toro” is thinner, measuring 6 x 48 – a popular format that blender James Brown has used over the years.

Petite Corona 4 3/4 x 46
Robusto: 5 1/2 x 50
Toro: 6 x 48

Appearance (*)

The Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper of the Event Horizon Toro was quite good-looking. It has a rich medium-roast coffee bean color. There was a very light sheen of oil on the surface. This wrapper had a slight amount of ruggedness and bumpiness to it. There were some visible veins and visible wrapper seams. The cigar has a nearly covered footer. On the cap is a very short, thick pigtail that almost gives the head of the cigar a fume-like appearance.

Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon Toro

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw (*)

A straight cut was used to remove both the cap and pigtail of the Event Horizon Toro simultaneously. While I know some folks like to pull the pigtail off the cap, I wouldn’t recommend it here because it is so short. From that point, it was time to commence with the pre-light draw experience. The cold draw delivered notes of bittersweet cocoa (literally a cocoa-like flavor that has both bitter and sweet qualities) and some earth. This was a satisfactory yet straightforward pre-light draw experience. At this point, it was time to toast up the Event Horizon Toro and move into the smoking phase.

Tasting Notes

The Event Horizon Toro opened with more notes of bittersweet cocoa and earth. These notes were joined by natural tobacco, mixed pepper, and anise. Early on, cocoa and natural tobacco moved to the forefront. There was a nice fusion between these two notes that I had not gotten before. Meanwhile, the earth, pepper, and anise notes settled in the background. The retro-hale produced an additional layer of mixed pepper.

As the Event Horizon moved into the second third, the bittersweet cocoa and natural tobacco flavors maintained the fusion established in the first third. There was a nice balance of sweetness and bitter notes that didn’t run out of gas. The earth, pepper, and anise notes continued to round out the profile. The pepper notes gradually began to increase. The anise provided yet another unique flavor.

By the final third, the cocoa and natural tobacco notes were joined by the pepper notes. While the spices were more prominent, there was still a balance – this time between bitter, sweet, and spicy notes. The background still delivered notes of anise and earth. As the Event Horizon came to a close, the cigar finished with a soft, cool nub.

Burn

The Event Horizon Toro required some touch-ups to maintain a straight burn path and a straight burn line. While the touch-ups kept things on track, the cigar did require slightly more touch-ups than I preferred. The resulting ash was primarily silver-gray. There was some occasional flaking, but overall, this cigar had a relatively firm ash. Meanwhile, the burn rate and burn temperature maintained ideal levels.

Draw

The draw to the Event Horizon Toro scored very well. This was a draw that had the classic Ben Lee “milkshake” draw – namely, it had a touch of resistance. At the same time, this was a low-maintenance cigar to derive flavor from.

Strength and Body

Blender James Brown is known for his bold Maduro blends, and the Event Horizon Toro does not disappoint. This cigar started medium to full in terms of strength and body, maintaining this level throughout the smoking experience. There was a slight uptick in the intensity levels, but the strength and body stayed in the medium to full range of the spectrum right until the end. The strength and the body balance each other quite well.

BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)

One thing that often gets overlooked is that, in addition to blending, James Brown also creates the artwork for his packaging. Brown never misses when it comes to his artwork and packaging designs. As mentioned, it’s hard not to love the skeleton in the astronaut costume. In general, the Event Horizon features the same design as the original Intergalactic, but with burnt orange accents replacing the blue accents in the color scheme. This looks especially good on the bands, contrasting with the Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper.

Black Works Studio Intergalactic Packaging (Photo Credit: Oveja Negra Brands)

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

The first thing that comes to mind with Intergalactic Event Horizon Toro is balance. I’m amazed at how this blend maintains an outstanding balance of the different flavor notes from start to finish. Yes, some notes are more dominant than others, but the way the notes play in harmony is fantastic. On another note, I find that Pennsylvania Broadleaf misses more times than it hits with me. This is an excellent example of how Pennsylvania Broadleaf can be used in a blend. Overall, this is an outstanding cigar. While I’d recommend it to a more seasoned cigar enthusiast, it’s great for a novice looking to try something a little bolder. Coming in at 90 points, the Event Horizon Toro earns a Cigar Coop Standard of Excellence designation. Not only is this a cigar I would buy and smoke again, but it’s also one that garners box-worthy consideration.

Summary

Key Flavors: Cocoa, Natural Tobacco, Anise, Earth, Pepper
Burn: Very Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Medium to Full
Finish: Very Good