Alec Bradley Black Market
Friday, February 17th, 2012I picked up the Black Market at a local shop. Unfortunately they only had one size, so I was stuck with buying a couple of the Gordo’s. I always keep my eye on Alec Bradley. They make one of my favorite cigars, the Tempus. So with a glass of water, I got to smoking the Alec Bradley Black Market.
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Sumatra
Filler: Panama, Honduras
Size: Gordo 6 x 60
Price: Around $8.00
Pre-Smoke & Construction:
The wrapper had a nice velvety appearance, with only a couple medium sized veins. The smell of the wrapper had a barn yard smell, and the foot was more earthy and woody. The cigar was rock solidly packed with tobacco. As a result, the draw was way too tight. The pre-light draw flavor was sweet.
The ash held for around an inch or more, and the burn required a couple small corrections. The tight draw really got on my nerves. At the half way point, it loosened up a bit but was still a distraction. The other one I smoked did not have this issue.
Flavor:
The initial puffs of the first third was a simple earthiness. Through the nose was an easy pepper. A rich woodiness developed after about an inch. There was an interesting tang that I couldn’t put my finger on. Fruity perhaps? It was so mild I never figured it out.
The second third had a pleasant turn of events. The cigar woke up when comparing it to the dull first third. The pepper livened up and had a nice easy zing. The earthy and woody flavors combined nicely. That tang I mentioned before remained in the background and was elusive.
The last third didn’t change at all in terms of flavor. The body and strength crept up to the upper medium to lower full range. That’s about it.
Conclusion:
This was an OK medium to full bodied cigar. I guess Alec Bradley has me spoiled with the Tempus. The Black Market doesn’t even come close. But, this isn’t supposed to be a comparison. I would be curious to try this in a different size. This large size didn’t seem to fit. It is too one dimensional for my taste.