One of Black Label Trading Co.’s more acclaimed releases of 2016 is getting its second release, as the company has announced that Bishops Blend will be returning to retailers this week.

The 2017 version shares all the specifics of the 2016 version, as the cigar uses an Ecuadorian maduro wrapper over an Ecuadorian habano binder and broadleaf fillers from Pennsylvania and Connecticut, as well as an undisclosed varietal from Nicaragua.

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In a press release, James Brown, creator of Black Label Trading Co. and partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra, described the cigar as being bold with exceptional balance and complexity, adding that the blend offers subtle spice, earth, bitter sweet chocolate and anise.

The same two sizes return as well, Robusto (5 x 48, $9.50) and Corona Larga (6 1/4 x 46, $10), both in 20-count boxes and both at 2016 prices.

The one change for 2017 is production numbers: each size will be getting 300 boxes as opposed to the 150 boxes made last year, a doubling in production by Fabrica Oveja Negra. All of the cigars have been allocated to retailers, according to a spokesperson from the company.

“It’s great to get Bishops Blend back in the market,” said Brown, adding that the cigar “is a representation of how I have grown as a cigar maker.”

Black Label Trading Co.’s Bishops Blend was ranked #16 on the 2016 Consensus.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.