Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto

If there was a fitting word to describe what I imagine most cigar companies’ blending processes, it would be experimental.

From sampling new varietals of tobacco, to tobacco from new farms or regions, analyzing the differences from year-to-year in crops, and then putting all those tobaccos together to eventually arrive at a final blend, the whole process is one big exercise in experimentation.

In the case of Alec Bradley, the company decided to take that word and create a series of cigars that fall under the header of the company’s Experimental Series.

The series debuted with the Project 40 and Project 40 Maduro lines, budget-friendly cigars that came out in mid-2019 and late 2020, respectively.

The third and most recent installment is the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf, which is centered around Honduran-grown broadleaf tobaccos. Most broadleaf tobaccos tend to come from Connecticut and Pennsylvania, but as has long been the case, seeds that are closely associated with one part of the world are often grown in other parts to see the results, which means not just the flavor but the viability of the crop and if it can result in getting a usable tobacco at a potentially lower cost due to lower labor or other prices.

For this cigar, Alec Bradley used Honduran-grown, Connecticut-seed broadleaf for the wrapper and one of the binders, while the other binder is Nicaraguan-grown broadleaf. The fillers 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. After debuting at the 2022 PCA Convention & Trade Show, the line began shipping to retailers in mid-September.

• Cigar Reviewed: Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto
• Country of Origin: Honduras
• Factory: Tabacos de Oriente
• Wrapper: Honduras (Connecticut-Seed Broadleaf)
• Binder: Honduras (Connecticut-Seed Broadleaf) & Nicaragua (Broadleaf)
• Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua
• Length: 5 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 50
• Vitola: Robusto
• MSRP: $9.85 (Box of 24, $236.40)
• Release Date: September 2022
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

The Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto wears a dark brown wrapper that reminds me of the color of some tree bark, though there are times when I want to describe it as a meaty brown. The color of the wrappers coordinates quite well with that of the bands, making for a very attractive visual presentation. Across the three wrappers, there are a handful of smaller darker spots where there appears to be some mottling, while texturally, each cigar’s wrapper has a decent amount of fine texture on the fingers. There’s a bit of oiliness, but the texture makes it feel a bit less oily than it probably is. Each of the cigars is fairly firm and dense, rolled well from a visual perspective with flat and visible seams, smooth sides and generally tightly cut and applied caps. While there is an aroma from the foot, and a decently bright one, it doesn’t spark memories of or comparisons to anything right off the bat. If anything, it’s the smell of bundled tobacco, not particularly sweet or overly peppery, and just a touch damp. One of the three cigars has a bit of fruit sweetness, reminding me of pears and cut red grapes. Air moves very smoothly on the cold draw; that’s not to say it’s loose, but just smooth and almost frictionless, hitting my taste buds as if it has glid across the tobacco. The flavor has a bit of mint and a cooling effect on my taste buds, with a bit of cake donut setting the base note.

The first puffs of the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto have a bit of light wood, a pinch of black pepper and some of that mint that I picked up earlier, making for a decently flavorful and stimulating start to the cigar. But it’s the first retrohale that really kicks things up, as the black pepper is much fuller and dynamic, hitting my nostrils with the familiar pepper sensations. What is more interesting is some component that has a slight cooling effect, giving my nostrils a unique tingle that evokes thoughts of wasabi and menthol, though not in terms of actual flavor or aroma. After I knock off the first clump of ash, I get a more robust earthiness, a flavor that I find one of the hallmarks of most broadleaf tobaccos, so it’s an expected flavor given the cigar’s name. The first third performs well, with an easy draw helping to generate plenty of smoke. If anything, the burn line isn’t always razor sharp, but none become problematic. The first third is medium-plus in flavor, though can be kicked up to full with some retrohales, while body is medium-plus and strength is fairly mild thus far.

The second third starts with more of the earthiness that closed out the first third, now just a bit drier on the palate and with a bit clearer and defined black pepper coming along in support. There is the occasional flirtation with some chalk and a slightly waxy flavor, though only one cigar has enough to be a turn-off. I find my palate waiting for the flavor to take off and blossom, much like the overall profile did with that first retrohale, but as of yet, it’s not happening. The result is an enjoyable profile but one that lacks depth or dynamics at times, particularly if retrohales aren’t involved. There are shifts in the earthiness that help shake things up creating some points where I get a bit of barnyard and chocolate brownie from the earthiness, while some pepper helps tingle the front half of my tongue. This section closes out with an earthy profile that is fairly straightforward, as pepper has settled down on the taste buds but remains vibrant through the nose. I could make the case for supporting notes of wheat bread or the cake donut I picked up earlier, but the real attraction of the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto at this point is found through retrohales, where the pepper is lively and offers a multi-layered tingling sensation. Flavor feels closer to the medium mark, while body is medium-plus and strength is medium-minus. The cigar continues to burn quite well, as construction is solid across the board, delivering satisfying puffs with plenty of smoke.

A bit of the minty flavor returns just a bit after the final third gets underway, but the main flavor of the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto is still rooted in earthiness. That earthiness continues to become just a bit richer in flavor than it was earlier, making the overall profile a bit more enjoyable. The one cigar with the chalky undertone sees that aspect resurface not long into this section, one of the few variations on what has been a very consistent flavor profile.  The final inch of the cigar picks up just a bit of black pepper and a touch of heat, making for a lingering finish that the cigar generally has not shown much of to this point. Flavor and body both finish around medium-plus, while strength is now up to medium-plus, enough to have me feeling some effects from the nicotine. Construction remains fantastic and problem-free, as all that is needed is even lighting of the foot and regular puffs to ensure a problem-free smoking experience.

Final Notes

• We don’t separate the experience of the cigar on the taste buds versus the experience through the nose on retrohales, but if we did, the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto would seemingly score notably higher in the latter. It has been said about other cigars, but in my experience, if you’re not retrohaling this cigar, you’re really not getting the full experience of what all it has to offer.
• While I have a fondness for earthiness, I have found broadleaf tobaccos to be one of the most frustrating and least consistent varietals in delivering that aspect. This Honduran-grown varietal steps up quite well in delivering that flavor, avoiding the funkiness I’ve found in broadleaf from other countries, while conveying some of the Honduran terroir I also enjoy.
• If you keep a scrapbook of your cigars bands, good luck getting these to come off cleanly, particularly the main band, All three main bands had a spot right in the middle of the band that simply would not budge, forcing me to either tear the band or try and slide it off.
• While I used to keep a scrapbook of bands from notable cigars that I smoked, I stopped doing that several years ago.
• There is definitely some nicotine strength to this cigar, not quite enough to make me feel woozy, but enough to have me feeling something. In the case of the first cigar, prior to lighting it up, I had plans to go grocery shopping and get dinner, but after smoking it, I just felt like sitting in my chair for a bit and didn’t have much of an appetite.
• Alec Bradley advertises on halfwheel.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time was two hours on average.
• Site sponsors Atlantic Cigar Co., Famous Smoke Shop and STOGIES World Class Cigars carry the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto.