Alec Bradley Safe Keepings Corona

In February 2023, Alec Bradley and Scandinavian Tobacco Group shocked the cigar industry when the latter announced that it had acquired the former for the handsome sum of approximately $72.5 million.

While not explicitly mentioned in what all was acquired, it seems that the blend book of Alan Rubin, the founder of Alec Bradley, was part of the deal. I say that because the blend book is where the brand turned for its newest release, Safe Keepings, which came out in mid-June of 2024.

For those not familiar with what a blend book is, it is pretty much what it sounds like: a record of all the blends a person or team creates, many of which never make it to store shelves for one reason or another. It’s a way to document the experiments, the winners, the losers, and the come-back-to-laters.

Safe Keepings is described as a medium-to-full-bodied profile created from an all-Nicaraguan blend that uses a habano-seed wrapper and binder, while the filler uses Jalapa, Condega and Estelí criollo 98 tobacco. The line is made at Tabacalera Oliva de Nicaragua S.A. in Estelî, the factory also known as TABOLISA, and is offered in four sizes:

• Alec Bradley Safe Keepings Corona (5 3/8 x 46) — $10.49 (Box of 24, $251.76)
• Alec Bradley Safe Keepings Robusto (5 x 52) — $12.29 (Box of 24, $294.96)
• Alec Bradley Safe Keepings Toro (6 x 52) — $13.89 (Box of 24, $333.36)
• Alec Bradley Safe Keepings Gordo (6 x 60) — $15.19 (Box of 24, $364.56)

“When we felt the time was right, we opened the blend book and started to do a deep dive on the blend recipes inside,” said Bradley Rubin, brand ambassador for Alec Bradley and son of Alan Rubin, via a press release when the cigar was announced in May. “Together with the team, we selected the first blend we wanted to roll out. Alec Bradley Safe Keepings honors the blend legacy of the Alec Bradley cigar brand while giving us the opportunity to move forward with resources we never would have been able to access before. Alec and I are extremely proud of what Safe Keepings represents, and that’s a nod to the past and a glance into the future of the brand.”

Alec Bradley Safe Keepings is a regular production addition to the brand’s portfolio.

• Cigar Reviewed: Alec Bradley Safe Keepings Corona
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Tabacalera Oliva de Nicaragua S.A.
• Wrapper: Nicaragua (Habano)
• Binder: Nicaragua (Habano)
• Filler: Nicaragua (Jalapa, Condega and Estelí Criollo 98)
• Length: 5 3/8 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Shape: Round
• MSRP: $10.49 (Box of 24, $251.76)
• Release Date: June 12, 2024
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

In each of the three Alec Bradley Safe Keepings Coronas, I find myself staring at the bands, trying to make sense of a grand staircase being the central image for a cigar called Safe Keepings. It feels like some sort of safe may be more appropriate, or at least an image that would represent Alan Rubin’s blend book given the backstory of the cigar. Beyond the bands, the first cigar has a cap that doesn’t quite lay flat on the head, enough that I’d be able to pick it up and possibly remove it. That same cigar also had a small piece of tobacco affixed to its rear face, which I thought might have been a crack or similar issue, but it came off cleanly when I went to remove it. The other two cigars look good, with no visual issues. All three cigars have a slightly waxy texture, without much oiliness but far from an oil-free texture. I don’t want to call the first cigar soft, but it has more give than most, almost leading me to say it probably has more give than the last six cigars I’ve smoked combined. The other two are a bit firmer but each has some give. The foot has an aroma that is light but has a sneaky amount of pepper, luring me in with some sweetness, butter, and furniture wood, only to sting my nostrils with sharp black pepper. The cold draw is smooth and sitting between ideal and a bit firm, while the flavor is a bit doughy though nowhere near the amount of pepper as the aroma.

The Alec Bradley Safe Keepings Corona starts off with an interesting fullness from a mix of pepper, earth and a bit of chocolate while also mixing in some lighter creaminess that reminds me of vanilla pudding. That vanilla seems to be responsible for a very subtle sweetness in the early goings, a sensation just prominent enough to make itself known but not enough to take control of the profile. While there’s some nuttiness and wood, I find my palate latching onto the creaminess in the profile, which now reminds me of a dry, baked vanilla dessert. While my taste buds may be latching on to the vanilla creaminess, it can’t ignore a change that is bringing out dry wood, specifically sun-dried kindling. And then there are the retrohales and the ambient smoke hitting my nostrils, which is bright and lively thanks to a peppery and slightly metallic sensation. Flavor is medium but can be kicked up to medium-full with retrohales, while body is medium-plus and strength is mild. Construction is fantastic and problem-free.

Entering the second third of the Alec Bradley Safe Keepings Corona, there is a very enjoyable combination of creaminess, almond and hazelnut, the kind of easy to enjoy profile that makes the combination so popular in coffee creamers. There’s a bit of pepper in the flavor, but retrohales are where the pepper is really prevalent, and around the midpoint, it really begins to drive the profile, steadily taking control of the flavor as well. As this section progresses, the puffs begin to turn smokier, with a bit of burnt honey graham cracker, an interesting shift that tip-toes the line of enjoyable and not-so-much-so. The change seems to be minimized with slower puffing rates, which keeps the burnt sensations to a minimum. Flavor is medium-plus, body is medium-plus and strength is mild. Construction is good enough that through this section, I have had zero concerns.

The smoked graham cracker flavor begins the final third of the Alec Bradley Safe Keepings Corona as creaminess fights for its spot in the profile. While the creaminess is prominent in each puff, it is a short-lived sensation, fading from the taste buds fairly quickly. As that back-and-forth continues, a really robust black pepper emerges in the final inches, sitting on the tongue with a lingering tingle. This nudges the flavor into medium-full territory, while the body stays medium plus and strength is medium-minus. Construction is generally good, with the draw, burn line and smoke production all delivering a more than satisfactory experience. But like many cigars of the moment, combustion issues arise in the second half, with two of the three cigars needing relights in this section.

Final Notes

• The cut of the bottom of the band is one of those small details that often gets overlooked but is worth noticing, as it’s unique and feels like there’s a message in the way that I thas been cut.
• Alec and Bradley Rubin both joined STG in April 2023. Alec landed on the STG marketing team with a role described as a brand manager focusing on strategic partnerships and developing relationships for Alec Bradley brands among influential lifestyle brands outside the premium cigar category. Bradley, meanwhile, was named a brand ambassador at STG, guiding the creative direction, branding and social media initiatives of the Alec Bradley cigar brands as well as being the face of the brand at events inside and outside of the cigar industry.
• None of the three cigars hit me with any appreciable nicotine strength.
• They were among several Alec Bradley employees who made the move to STG, either in sales or marketing.

• The company lists these as a 5 3/8 x 46 corona. The numbers above are the measurements we found for the three cigars used for this review. The first cigar’s ring gauge is not a typo.
• Alec Bradley is distributed by Forged Cigar Co. General Cigar Co., a sister company to Forged, advertises on halfwheel.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time was one hour and 45 minutes on average.
• Site sponsor Smokingpipes carries the Alec Bradley Safe Keepings Corona.