Alec Bradley cigars have become a staple in the humidors of cigar aficionados worldwide, not just for their quality but for the compelling story of perseverance and passion behind their creation. Established by Alan Rubin, the company was named after his two sons, Alec and Bradley, signaling the deep personal commitment Rubin had to his venture. This narrative explores the rise of Alec Bradley Cigars from a fledgling brand to a celebrated name in the cigar industry.
Early Struggles and Strategic Shifts
Rubin entered the cigar business with little knowledge but a great appreciation for the craftsmanship involved in cigar making. The early days were challenging, especially after the Cigar Boom of the 1990s, when the market was flooded with numerous brands, leading to a decline in demand. Rubin's initial foray with a golf-themed brand did not yield the desired results, prompting a crucial pivot towards premium cigar shops. This move was instrumental in alleviating debt and setting the stage for future successes.
Collaborative Beginnings and Breakthrough
The turning point for Alec Bradley came with Rubin's collaboration with Ralph Montero and renowned cigar maker Henke Kelner, known for his work with Davidoff. Their first joint project, Occidental Reserve, marked the beginning of a favorable phase, garnering attention and establishing a foothold in the market. This was followed by the launch of the Alec Bradley Trilogy and Maxx, which were produced at the Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras.
The Creation of Tempus and Prensado
The breakthrough for Alec Bradley came with the creation of Tempus, a blend that utilized aged tobaccos from the Trojes region, which had matured to perfection by 2007. This blend elevated the brand's profile significantly, paving the way for the introduction of Tempus Maduro and subsequently, the critically acclaimed Prensado in 2009. Prensado, known for its lush profile of leather, cocoa, and spices, earned the prestigious title of ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ by Cigar Aficionado in 2011.
Challenges of Success and Quality Assurance
The accolade for Prensado led to a surge in demand, which in turn posed challenges in production and quality control. Rubin's commitment to maintaining high standards saw him actively engaging with the Raices factory to ensure that the quality of Alec Bradley cigars remained uncompromised, despite the rapid scale-up in production.
Alec Bradley Cigars
Alec Bradley American Classic: This blend is a nod to the classic cigars of Tampa's heyday. It features a mild to medium-bodied profile with a Nicaraguan filler and binder, neatly encased in a smooth Honduran Connecticut wrapper. The result is a creamy, accessible smoke with flavors of nuts, mild spice, and a hint of sweetness, perfect for any time of day.
Alec Bradley American Sun Grown: Building on the success of the American Classic, the Sun Grown version adds a bit more intensity by using a sun-grown Nicaraguan wrapper. This medium to full-bodied cigar amplifies the richness with deeper notes of spice, cedar, and a robust coffee finish, making it a fuller, richer counterpart to its American Classic sibling.
Alec Bradley Black Market: A standout in the Alec Bradley lineup, the Black Market features a unique four-country blend with an Ecuadorian wrapper and a sumptuous mix of Honduran and Panamanian fillers. This medium-bodied cigar delivers complex layers of leather, spice, and black cherry, appealing to those who seek depth and complexity.
Alec Bradley Black Market Esteli: The Esteli variant takes the original Black Market blend and intensifies it with Nicaraguan tobaccos from the fertile Esteli region. This medium to full-bodied cigar offers pronounced flavors of spice, earth, and pepper, with a robust Nicaraguan wrapper completing its rich profile.
Alec Bradley Black Market Vandal: The Vandal variant of the Black Market series pushes the envelope with a bold, assertive profile designed to disrupt the norm. This cigar is characterized by its potent blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers under a dark wrapper, delivering strong notes of spice, earth, and a lingering sweetness, making it a favorite for those who prefer a vigorous smoking experience.
Alec Bradley Black Market Vandal The Con: This cigar is a daring addition to the Vandal series, offering a richer and more complex profile. It boasts a dynamic blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers, encased in a strikingly bold wrapper. The Con delivers a powerful smoking experience with pronounced notes of pepper, dark chocolate, and a hint of citrus zest, ideal for those who appreciate a strong, flavorful cigar.
Alec Bradley Blind Faith: Created by Alan Rubin's sons, Alec and Bradley, Blind Faith is their debut blend showcasing their blending skills. This cigar is crafted with a rich mix of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos, covered by a lush Honduran wrapper. It's a full-bodied smoke filled with flavors of earth, roasted nuts, and a creamy finish, reflecting the confidence and heritage of the Rubin family.
Alec Bradley Caribbean Cask: Infused with rum for an exotic twist, the Caribbean Cask offers a unique flavor profile that sets it apart. The cigar incorporates a blend of Central American tobaccos that have been aged in rum barrels, enveloped by a smooth wrapper. This medium-bodied smoke delivers sweet and spicy notes, complemented by a distinct rum sweetness, making it perfect for those looking for a taste of the tropics.
Alec Bradley Cazadores: This line is known for delivering premium quality at an approachable price point. The Cazadores features a blend of Nicaraguan fillers and a robust Honduran wrapper, offering a medium-bodied experience with flavors of leather, spice, and a hint of cocoa. It's a solid choice for everyday enjoyment, balancing complexity and smoothness.
Alec Bradley Connecticut: A gentler option in the Alec Bradley portfolio, this cigar is wrapped in a silky Ecuadorian Connecticut shade leaf. Inside, it’s filled with a blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos. This mild to medium-bodied cigar impresses with its smoothness and creamy texture, delivering notes of cedar, nuts, and a light spice. It’s an excellent morning smoke or a perfect introduction for those new to cigars.
Alec Bradley Coyol: Named after the Coyol farm in Honduras, this cigar captures the unique flavors of its namesake terroir. It features a blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos wrapped in a beautiful Honduran leaf. The Alec Bradley Coyol delivers a medium to full-bodied experience with rich notes of leather, earth, and a distinct sweetness reminiscent of cherry wood. It's a flavorful journey that showcases the art of precision in tobacco cultivation and cigar craftsmanship.
Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf: This robust offering is layered with two types of broadleaf wrappers, one from Connecticut and the other from Pennsylvania, adding depth and complexity. Inside, the fillers are a hearty mix of Nicaraguan tobaccos. This full-bodied cigar bursts with flavors of dark chocolate, espresso, and a spicy-sweet finish, making it a bold choice for seasoned smokers looking for an engaging smoke.
Alec Bradley Family Blend: This cigar was originally crafted to honor the fathers of the company’s three executives and has become a testament to family tradition. It features a blend of Central American tobaccos wrapped in a smooth Honduran leaf. Medium-bodied, the Family Blend delivers nuanced flavors of nuts, cedar, and a light floral touch, making it a well-rounded cigar suitable for any occasion.
Alec Bradley Gatekeeper: Created in collaboration with cigar legend Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, the Gatekeeper is designed to protect and showcase the true essence of tobacco flavor. It features Ecuadorian wrapper with a mix of Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. This medium to full-bodied cigar offers rich notes of almond, cedar, and cream, with a subtle spice that keeps the palate engaged from start to finish.
Alec Bradley It's a Boy / It's a Girl: These cigars are designed for celebratory occasions, particularly the birth of a child. They are mild and approachable, making them perfect for sharing with friends and family, regardless of their cigar-smoking experience. Wrapped in a delicate Connecticut shade wrapper, these cigars offer gentle flavors of cedar and cream, with just enough complexity to be enjoyed by aficionados and casual smokers alike.
Alec Bradley Kintsugi: An homage to the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, Kintsugi symbolizes beauty in imperfection. This cigar melds a complex blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers with a Honduran binder and a sleek Honduran Trojes wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers rich flavors of spice, earth, and a subtle sweetness that perfectly balances the robust profile, making it a work of art in its own right.
Alec Bradley Lineage: The Lineage is crafted to celebrate the coming of age of the founder's children, Alec and Bradley. Featuring tobaccos from Honduras and Nicaragua, wrapped in a beautiful Honduran wrapper, this medium-bodied cigar delivers flavors of nuts, sweet spice, and a touch of leather, providing a smooth and engaging smoke suitable for a variety of cigar enthusiasts.
Alec Bradley Magic Toast: Inspired by a midnight visit to a Honduran tobacco field, the Magic Toast offers an enchanting blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos enveloped by a dark Honduran wrapper. This medium to full-bodied cigar is rich with notes of roasted nuts, cocoa, and a unique, mysterious sweetness akin to a magical toast celebrated under the starlit sky.
Alec Bradley Maxx: Designed to deliver maximum flavor and satisfaction, the Maxx features a blend of tobaccos from Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Honduras, wrapped in a lush Nicaraguan wrapper. This large-format cigar is full-bodied and complex, with robust flavors of coffee, spice, and chocolate, providing a long-lasting, satisfying experience for those who prefer a bigger ring gauge and bold tastes.
Alec Bradley Medalist: As a milder addition to the Alec Bradley portfolio, the Medalist offers smokers a gentler experience without sacrificing flavor. Wrapped in a golden-brown Honduran shade wrapper, and filled with Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos, it delivers smooth, creamy notes of almonds, vanilla, and a hint of sweet spice, making it an excellent choice for both new smokers and those looking for a light, yet flavorful, everyday cigar.
Alec Bradley Nica Puro Rosado: This iteration of the Nica Puro line showcases a stunning Rosado wrapper, giving it a slightly sweeter profile compared to its original counterpart. It consists of a harmonious blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos, offering a medium to full-bodied smoke enriched with flavors of earth, white pepper, and a distinct creamy sweetness, catering to those who appreciate a well-rounded Nicaraguan puro.
Alec Bradley Post Embargo Blend Code B15: Celebrating the historical thawing of relations between the U.S. and Cuba, the Post Embargo Blend Code B15 brings a complex mixture of Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers, encased in a dual binder from both countries and finished with a Honduran wrapper. This cigar offers a medium to full-bodied experience, with nuanced flavors of spice, cedar, and a hint of cocoa, embodying a symbolic union of traditional cigar-making heritages.
Alec Bradley Prensado: Known for its deep, rich flavors and complex profile, the Prensado uses a blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers and is famously encased in a rare Trojes Corojo 2006 wrapper from Honduras. This cigar, once honored as Cigar Aficionado’s #1 Cigar of the Year, delivers robust notes of coffee, chocolate, and spice, making it a full-bodied favorite among seasoned enthusiasts.
Alec Bradley Prensado Fumas: Offering the distinguished Prensado experience at a more accessible price point, the Prensado Fumas is made with the same types of tobaccos found in the original Prensado line but utilizes the shorter pieces left from the production of its premium counterpart. This medium to full-bodied smoke provides similar rich flavors of earth, leather, and spices, with a slightly more varied intensity.
Alec Bradley Prensado Lost Art: As a sequel to the highly acclaimed Prensado, the Lost Art pays homage to the traditional handcrafting of cigars, which the brand feels is a lost art
in modern times. Utilizing a complex blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers, a Honduran binder, and a bold Honduran wrapper, this full-bodied cigar offers a rich palette of flavors including dark chocolate, espresso, and a robust earthiness that resonates with aficionados looking for a powerful, yet smooth experience.
Alec Bradley Project 40: This line is part of Alec Bradley's Experimental Series,
aiming to demonstrate how cigars impact mental and physical wellness. The Project 40 features a Nicaraguan filler, a Brazilian Habano binder, and a Nicaraguan wrapper, offering a medium-bodied profile. It delivers notes of nuts, spice, and a touch of sweetness, making it both accessible for new smokers and satisfying for seasoned aficionados.
Alec Bradley Project 40 Maduro: An extension of the original Project 40, this maduro version wraps Nicaraguan fillers and a Brazilian Habano binder in a lush Mexican San Andrés maduro wrapper. It steps up with a medium to full-bodied profile, highlighted by flavors of chocolate, earth, and pepper, providing a richer and more intense smoking experience.
Alec Bradley Puck: Named after the shape of a hockey puck, this robust cigar is designed to deliver a dense, flavorful smoke. Crafted with Nicaraguan fillers and binders, all enveloped in a dark and oily wrapper, Alec Bradley Puck is medium to full-bodied. It offers hearty notes of coffee, leather, and spice, making it a go-to choice for those who enjoy a bold, yet balanced cigar.
Alec Bradley Select Connecticut: This cigar is tailored for enthusiasts who appreciate a milder smoking experience without sacrificing flavor. It features a blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers, and a Nicaraguan binder, and is finished with a silky Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. The result is a mild to medium-bodied cigar with flavors of cream, almonds, and subtle hints of spice.
Alec Bradley Select Corojo: A vibrant option in the Alec Bradley lineup, this cigar is wrapped in a rich Honduran Corojo leaf, encasing a blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers and a Nicaraguan binder. It provides a medium-bodied smoke with a spectrum of flavors including earth, cedar, and a distinctive peppery finish, appealing to those who seek depth and complexity in their cigar choice.
Alec Bradley Select Maduro: This robust cigar features a blend that highlights a rich, dark Maduro wrapper. Inside, it's packed with a carefully selected mix of Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers and a Nicaraguan binder. This combination delivers a medium to full-bodied experience with flavors of dark chocolate, coffee, and hints of spice, ideal for those who appreciate a deeper, richer smoke.
Alec Bradley Superstition: Crafted to intrigue and enchant, this cigar is a medium-bodied blend that features Nicaraguan fillers and binders, all wrapped in a smooth yet robust Honduran wrapper. It offers a complex flavor profile with notes of cedar, leather, and a touch of sweetness, making it a mysterious and rewarding choice for any smoker.
Alec Bradley Tempus: Known for its complexity and balance, Tempus is a critically acclaimed line that uses Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers, a Honduran binder, and is wrapped in a beautiful Honduran wrapper. It's a full-bodied cigar that delivers rich flavors of earth, spices, and a hint of citrus, perfect for the aficionado looking for a sophisticated smoking experience.
Alec Bradley Tempus Fumas: An affordable entry into the Tempus line, these cigars are made from the same high-quality tobacco but include some short fillers to reduce cost. Despite the price point, Tempus Fumas offers a medium to full-bodied smoke with hearty flavors of wood, spice, and leather, maintaining a great taste and excellent value.
Alec Bradley Tempus Maduro: This variation of the original Tempus features a rich, dark Maduro wrapper that adds a sweet and chocolatey dimension to the flavor profile. The blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers and Honduran binder complements the wrapper beautifully, creating a medium to full-bodied cigar with notes of coffee, dark chocolate, and spice.
Alec Bradley Tempus Nicaragua: Utilizing only Nicaraguan tobaccos, this puro offers a slightly lighter profile compared to its counterparts. It provides a medium-bodied smoke with flavors of earth, pepper, and a subtle sweetness that showcases the distinct qualities of Nicaraguan tobacco.
Alec Bradley Texas Lancero: Despite its name, this lancero
is famously oversized, measuring an inch in diameter. It's a unique, full-bodied cigar that packs a blend of Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Costa Rican fillers, bound in a Nicaraguan binder and wrapped in a Nicaraguan leaf. Expect a complex array of flavors including pepper, wood, and a hint of vanilla.
Alec Bradley The Lineage: Celebrating the coming of age of Alan Rubin's sons, Alec and Bradley, The Lineage features tobaccos from Honduras and Nicaragua. Wrapped in a beautiful Honduran wrapper, this medium-bodied cigar delights with its smooth blend of earthy, woody, and peppery flavors, making it both a celebratory and approachable choice for any smoker.
Alec Bradley Trilogy: Unique for its triangular press shape, the Trilogy is a series designed to showcase three distinct wrapper varieties—Corojo, Maduro, and Cameroon. Each blend provides a different smoking experience, from spicy to sweet, tailored to highlight the characteristics of its wrapper. The Trilogy line is known for its innovative shape and rich, complex flavors.
Alec Bradley V2L Black: Positioned as a bold offering in the Alec Bradley portfolio, the V2L Black features a dual wrapper of both Maduro and natural leaves in a barber pole
style. This striking visual presentation is matched by a robust profile of flavors, including notes of spice, leather, and dark chocolate, providing a full-bodied experience designed for the seasoned aficionado.
Alec Bradley White Gold: This is a milder option in the Alec Bradley lineup, designed for those seeking a more subtle smoking experience. It features a blend of Nicaraguan fillers and binders, wrapped in a smooth Connecticut shade wrapper. The flavor profile is creamy and mild with notes of cedar and a slight nuttiness, making it an excellent choice for new smokers or those who prefer a gentler cigar.
Expansion and Innovation
Post-2011, Alec Bradley continued to innovate and expand its portfolio. Noteworthy releases included the Family Blend, Black Market, and an exclusive blend for New York. Each of these blends contributed to defining the brand’s profile of combining traditional craftsmanship with innovative blending techniques. The company also ventured into unique marketing with the launch of Mundial, which was famously sent into space, and the Fine & Rare series, showcasing an intricate blend of ten different tobaccos.
Legacy and Future
Today, Alec Bradley is recognized not just for its rich and complex cigars but also for Rubin's resilience and dedication to his craft. The brand continues to produce a variety of lines that cater to both novice smokers and seasoned aficionados, maintaining a balance between traditional and contemporary tastes. The ongoing success of Alec Bradley is a testament to Alan Rubin’s enduring vision and his sons’ growing involvement, ensuring that the family legacy in the cigar industry continues to thrive.
Alec Bradley’s journey from a struggling startup to a renowned brand underscores the importance of resilience, quality, and innovation in the cigar industry. Alan Rubin’s commitment to excellence and his strategic shifts at crucial junctures have solidified Alec Bradley’s place in the pantheon of premium cigar manufacturers. Each cigar from Alec Bradley not only offers a fine-smoking experience but also tells a story of a family’s passion for cigars, making them a cherished choice for smokers around the world.
