Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Limited Edition Figurado

In early March, the latest version of the Cigar Rights of America (CRA) Freedom Sampler began shipping to retailers. As has been the case for most of the prior samplers from the CRA, an industry trade group, the newest sampler contains 10 cigars from 10 different companies.

The CRA member companies donate the cigars to the organization, which then sells the packs. The proceeds from the sales are used to fund the CRA, one of the three main cigar trade groups.

Out of the 10 cigars in this incarnation of the sampler, three of them appear to be exclusive releases: the Fuente Fuente OpusX The Undefeated, the My Father S Special Toro and the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Limited Edition Figurado. In addition, there are three other cigars that are not exclusive to the sampler but are not regular production cigars either.

The first of those cigars is the Padrón Black No. 52, which has been released in previous CRA samplers but is not known to have been sold otherwise. The second cigar is the Tatuaje Limited Robusto Especial, which is actually the Lomo de Cerdo that was released last month, meaning the CRA Sampler served as a soft launch for the cigar. Finally, the Oliva Serie V Melanio Diadema has been included in previous CRA packs and, in 2019, was offered to non-U.S. retailers as a limited edition, but it is not sold as a regular production item.

There are a total of 4,000 CRA Spring 2023 Freedom Samplers, which began shipping to stores on March 1. Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, Inc. handled the fulfillment of these packs and each sampler is sold in a custom Boveda bag that includes a Boveda humidification pack along with the cigars.

 

Each sampler pack retails for $150 and includes one of the following:

• Tatuaje Limited Robusto Especial
• Diamond Crown Julius Caeser Pyramid
• La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull
• Fuente Fuente OpusX The Undefeated
• My Father S Special Toro
• Padrón Black No. 52
• Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Limited Edition Figurado
• Ashton VSG Torpedo
• Oliva Serie V Melanio Diadema
• Sixty by Rocky Patel Toro

The subject of today’s review is the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Limited Edition Figurado, a 6 1/4 x 28/54/42 viola that is exclusive to the CRA packs. The Double Broadleaf line debuted in September 2022 as the third line in Alec Bradley’s Experimental Series, following the Project 40 and Project 40 Maduro lines, which were released in 2019 and late 2020, respectively.

As is the case with the other five regular production vitolas in the line, the Figurado incorporates Connecticut-seed broadleaf grown in Honduras for the wrapper as well as one of the binders, while the other binder is Nicaraguan-grown broadleaf. The filler tobaccos come from Honduras and Nicaragua, though the company hasn’t disclosed anything about the varietals. The line is produced by Tabacos de Oriente, a factory in Danlí, Honduras that is owned by Plasencia.

• Cigar Reviewed: Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Limited Edition Figurado
• Country of Origin: Honduras
• Factory: Tabacos de Oriente
• Wrapper: Honduras (Connecticut-Seed Broadleaf)
• Binder: Honduras (Connecticut-Seed Broadleaf) & Nicaragua (Broadleaf)
• Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua
• Length: 6 1/4 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 28/54/42
• Vitola: Figurado
• MSRP: $15 (Sampler of 10, $150)
• Release Date: March 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: 4,000 Samplers of 1 Cigar (4,000 Total Cigars)*
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

There is something about figurados that I have always loved from a visual standpoint, and the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Limited Edition Figurado is no different in that regard, especially when the longer-than-normal nipple foot is taken into account. The cigars are each covered in a deep, espresso-brown wrapper that has a bit of a reddish tint to it as well as a number of protruding veins running up and down their lengths. In addition, all three cigars are fairly dry to the touch due in part to a lack of any noticeable oil, although there is also very little tooth to be had. Aromas from the wrappers include strong, sweet earth and cedar followed by black pepper, leather tack, barnyard and cocoa nibs. Scents from the feet are extremely similar due to the small opening that is present, but I do notice a bit more of the barnyard, along with some additional generic sweetness. Finally, after straight cuts, the cold draws bring flavors of more earth, nutmeg, dark chocolate, dry hay, nuttiness and vanilla beans.

It does take a bit longer than normal to get the foot lit correctly—not unusual for a figurado vitola—but once I do, the flavors come hot and heavy: gritty earth and anise lead off combined with some slight spice and black pepper that are noticeable but far from overwhelming. After the burn line reaches the main body of the cigar, the main flavors shift to a combination of rich powdery cocoa nibs and oak followed by hay, freshly-brewed black coffee, cinnamon, almonds and a note that I can only describe as gunpowder. There is a nice amount of black pepper on the retrohale that does a good job of accentuating the slight marshmallow sweetness that is also present. Flavor ends the first third at a solid medium, while both the body and strength lag a bit behind at a point just under the medium mark. In terms of construction, there are no issues with either the draws or smoke production on all three cigars, but two of the three cigars run into enough of a problem that their burn lines require attention with my lighter.

As the burn line moves into the second third of the cigar, there are just not that many changes to speak of: oak and powdery cocoa nibs continue to lead the profile, and while there is a new note of toasted bread, the secondary flavors of hay, freshly brewed black coffee, cinnamon, almonds remain the same. The notes on the retrohale have also not changed, with light marshmallow sweetness still intertwined with black pepper. Flavor remains at a solid medium, but the body has increased to just over medium and the strength reaches medium-full. Draws and smoke production continue to be excellent in all three cigars, but I am forced to touch up the burn line on two cigars to keep them on track.

Cocoa nibs and oak remain the main combination of flavors in the profile of the Alec Bradley during the final third, followed by familiar secondary notes of brewed coffee, cinnamon, almonds, hay and earth. There is a slight change to the retrohale as the amount of black pepper increases slightly and the marshmallow sweetness decreases slightly, but neither note changes enough to make much of a difference in the profile overall. Flavor stays put at a solid medium until the end of the cigar, but both the body and strength continue to increase until I put the nubs down with about an inch remaining, ending up at medium-full and full, respectively. Finally, while the draws and smoke production remain trouble-free, the burn lines on one of the three cigars need some attention with my lighter to prevent larger issues.

Final Notes

• While previous CRA Freedom Samplers have included a one-year membership to Cigar Rights of America, this version does not, as CRA is revamping its consumer membership program.
• Another CRA Freedom Sampler is planned for the fall.
• Although two of the three cigars were extremely consistent in just about every way—including flavor profile, construction and strength level—the last cigar I smoked was noticeably different. The flavors present in that last cigar were more distinct, there was slightly more of the marshmallow sweetness on the retrohale and the strength level ended just below the full mark, resulting in fewer balance issues.

• All three cigars ended up with an obvious hole in ash very close to the foot. Thankfully, none of them seemed to have any negative effect on the construction that I could discern.
• Nipple feet are not exactly unusual in the cigar world, but I can’t remember the last time I saw one this long.
• Scandinavian Tobacco Group’s General Cigar Co./Forged Cigar Co. advertises on halfwheel. In February 2023, STG purchased Alec Bradley. This is a cigar that was announced before the deal was announced but shipped just after the deal was announced.
• The cigars smoked for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time for all three cigars averaged two hours and 14 minutes.