Alec Bradley Cigar Co. has announced that the Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper, the sophomore release from brothers Alec and Bradley Rubin, is on its way to retailers.

For the follow up to 2018’s Blind Faith, the pair turned to Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, who worked with them to create a blend that features an Ecuadorian habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Perez-Carrillo is making the cigar at his Tabacalera La Alianza S.A. factory in the Dominican Republic.

“Working with Ernesto opens up new doors for Bradley and me,” said Alec Rubin via a press release. “Ernesto is a gatekeeper to new opportunities and experiences for us- thus the name Gatekeeper.”

The cigar is offered in four sizes:

  • Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper Corona (5 1/8 x 42) — $8.75 (Box of 20, $175)
  • Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper Robusto (5 x 50) — $10.50 (Box of 20, $210)
  • Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper Toro (6 x 52) — $11.50 (Box of 20, $230)
  • Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper Gordo (6 x 60) — $12.25 (Box of 20, $245)

“We are a part of the next generation of the premium cigar business,” said Bradley Rubin. “Ernesto is a legend and we are humbled to be able to work with him.”

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.