IPCPR 2013: Alec Bradley

Before the IPCPR trade show officially kicked off, the Alec Bradley crew arranged to send a weather balloon with a five-pack of their new Mundial cigar from the top of the Palms Place Hotel and Spa’s penthouse into space and then return to earth via a protective case, with a camera filming the entire journey:

Photo courtesy of Alec Bradley

At the trade show, the Mundial was on full display, as well as some other new items and one that was being hidden behind the counter because of just how in demand it was.

Alec Bradley doesn’t really feature new products, instead choosing to line one side of the booth (the right side in this picture) with their entire product line. The new Mundial was the main product featured, available in five sizes with this year’s production capped at 3,000 total boxes. More info is here, expect to see a slight design change to the box before it hits store shelves in a month or two.

Also new to the Alec Bradley portfolio is a tubo option for five of their lines: Nica Puro, Black Market, Prensado, Tempus, Prensado and Connecticut lines. Pictured here is the sampler version which comes with a lighter:

While not an Alec Bradley product per se, the company is distributing a cigar called the Raíces Cubanas 1941, which is said to be the culmination of the greatest hits of the factory that has produced numerous Alec Bradley cigars. Available in Robusto, Gordo, Churchill and Toro vitolas.

Not on display – and for good reason – was the second release of the first edition of the Alec Bradley Fine & Rare, known as the HJ10-i. What is that good reason, you ask? Somehow, eight of the ten cigars in the box were stolen while on display. Fortunately, two cigars remained and the box was tucked behind the counter for safe keeping. This re-release is the same blend as the original but in a Figurado vitola. Lots of details are still being worked out so there’s no word on price or when to expect it at your local shop, but it is in the works.

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 Major League Baseball, 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.