Archive for the ‘Alec_Bradley’ Category

Alec Bradley Nica Puro

Sunday, August 11th, 2013

I found this cigar while browsing a local cigar shop. As the name implies, this is a Nicaraguan puro. I believe this is a first for the company, and they claim an exciting flavor profile. Let’s see if I agree or not.

 

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano

Binder & Filler: Nicaragua

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: 6 – $7.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

I could find no flaws in the wrapper, and it had a mild barnyard odor. The cigar was solidly and evenly packed. Despite the rock solid feel, the draw was decent. The cold draw had cedar, coffee, and earthiness.

The burn required no corrections, and the ash held solid for just over an inch.

1 Alec_Bradley_Nica_Puro cigars

Flavor:

The first third was very smooth, with a very simple flavor. Up front was earthiness, coffee, and an easy pepper. I could be wrong, but there may have been a faint nuttiness far in the background. The smoke feel was dry, with a cedary finish.

2 Alec_Bradley_Nica_Puro cigars

The flavor profile livened up a bit in the second third. Things stayed simple, but flavor deliver was improved. Up first was black coffee, followed by a familiar, peppery Nicaraguan zing. Next was earthiness and wood. The smoke feel remained dry, but satisfying.

3 Alec_Bradley_Nica_Puro cigars

The last third… Now we’re talkin. That is, if the “Nic Zing” is your thing. The peppery zing left a cinnamony tingle on the lips. I could even feel it on my gums and tongue. Despite my description, it wasn’t harsh or unpleasant.

4 Alec_Bradley_Nica_Puro cigars

Conclusion:

This was a good medium to full bodied cigar. Body and strength gradually built as I smoked. The flavors were very simple, but satisfying. I could see this being a turn off to those who prefer a more subtle, mild experience. As for me, if in the right mood, I would smoke more.

Alec Bradley American Sun Grown Blend

Friday, November 30th, 2012

While the Sun Grown Blend isn’t exactly new, it is the latest in the Alec Bradley American series. I enjoyed the Classic Blend, but it was sort of your run of the mill Connecticut. That’s not to say it was bad. I was curious how this would compare, so let’s get to it.

 

Wrapper: Honduras Connecticut

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Esteli, Condega

Size: Toro 50 x 6

Price: Around $7.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper was very smooth, with virtually no seams or flaws. I can only describe the scent as earthy with typical rich tobacco. Squeezing the cigar revealed some hard spots, mainly towards the head. This caused the draw to be a little snug, and barely within my tolerances. The pre-light flavor was mild spice and dark cocoa.

The ash held for just about one inch, and the burn required a few small corrections. Luckily, the tight draw loosened up in the first third.

1 Alec_Bradley_American_Sun_Grown_Blend cigars

Flavor:

The first third was a mixture of espresso, pepper, and nutty notes in the background. The smoke feel was dry, and had an interesting aftertaste. I couldn’t pin it down, but it reminded me of fruit.

2 Alec_Bradley_American_Sun_Grown_Blend cigars

Espresso mellowed a bit in the second third, which allowed sweet creaminess to stand out. At the halfway point, wood and fruity notes joined in. The pepper calmed down, but kept some pep.

3 Alec_Bradley_American_Sun_Grown_Blend cigars

The last third had dominant flavors of espresso and pepper. The sweet creaminess fell to the background, and the smoke feel became dry. That elusive fruity note remained way in the background, along with earthiness and a touch of leather.

4 Alec_Bradley_American_Sun_Grown_Blend cigars

Conclusion:

This a good medium to upper medium bodied cigar. It had some nice complexities and nuances that held my interest. I may have been in a picky mood while smoking this cigar. In some small way, there was a lack of richness, except in the last third. This isn’t to say it was bad, and my mood could have been a factor while smoking this particular cigar. The American Sun Grown Blend is worth a try for sure.

Alec Bradley Harvest Selection 1997 Habano

Monday, March 21st, 2011

We originally planned on posting a video review today, but this asshole made us change our plans slightly. Stay tuned, within a couple weeks Mike, Ed, and I will have a review up. Anyhow…

A couple samples of the Harvest Selection were included in a cigar bomb Mike from MikesStogies.com sent me awhile back. It looks like this cigar is only available online, and more information can be found at Cigars International and a couple other online stores. What I care about is how it performs, and for such a great price point, I was eager to get smoking. I paired this cigar with water.

 

Wrapper: Habano

Binder: ???

Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan, Mexican

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: $3.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The dark wrapper was shiny with invisible seams and some medium sized veins. The wrapper and foot had a slight odor of earthiness. The cigar was pretty packed, and had a minor soft spot or two. The pre-light draw had slight resistance, and had a mild earthy tobacco flavor.

The burn required one touch up, and the ash held for 1.5 inches.

1_Alec_Bradley_Harvest_Selection_1997_Habano_Cigar

Flavor:

The first third opened up with an earthy and almost floral note. Through the nose, there was a nice peppery spice. I had a hard time telling if there was a tinge of sweetness way back inside of the spice. After the first inch, I picked up a very nice coffee flavor. It also had a sweetness to it, similar to having sugar in your coffee. Not over the top sweetness, but it was there.

2_Alec_Bradley_Harvest_Selection_1997_Habano_Cigar

The second third kept the same flavors. The earthy and floral notes were still there. At times the coffee was black, and at times it was like coffee and sugar. Basically, the sweetness was detached from the coffee, and at other times it was mixed in with it. The spice became less peppery and more sweet. The smoke volume seemed to increase as well.

3_Alec_Bradley_Harvest_Selection_1997_Habano_Cigar

The last third saw a slight decrease in the floral and earthy notes. The sweetness picked up in strength. Like before, sometimes the coffee was separate from the sweetness, and other times it was mixed in with it. Passing smoke through the nose, it pretty much stayed the same as before.

4_Alec_Bradley_Harvest_Selection_1997_Habano_Cigar

Conclusion:

This was a good medium bodied cigar. For $3.00, it easily delivers to it’s price point. Like most cheaper cigars, there obviously was no wow factor. You could even call it one dimensional. On the other hand, there were no bad flavors either. Everything fit together nicely. Thanks to Mike from MikesStogies.com for sending these to me. I may have found a new morning budget cigar. I think these are worth a try.

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