Alec Bradley Prensado Robusto (5x50)

This is a cigar I have not smoked since it's introduction to the market last year. It is in the high end premium category and I remember thinking that it was overpriced when I smoked it initially. This cigar presents with a very appealing wrapper that is very dark and full of flavorful looking oils. There is little veining and the construction seems a bit firm to me. There is a slight box press to the smoke and I have never been a fan of this presentation. The pre light aroma has some hints of coffee and a nice earthy presence. The pre light draw shows some pepper and nice spice.

The smoke opens with some intense peppery notes, there is also some dark chocolate and spicy character as well. At the back of the palate there is some earthy quality that is nice, but there are some bitter notes early in the smoke that make the experience more harsh than I would like. The draw is too tight, and I am worried about heat late in the smoke. The burn is slightly uneven, but I do not anticipate any issues.

The first half of the cigar progresses in an acceptable manner, but I am not blown away. The profile has evened out to solid presentations of pepper and spice, there are also some interesting bursts of mint in the smoke. The overall depth and complexity is not what I would like, but there are some nice flavors present. At the back of the palate the cigar continues to show rich, earthy notes and the bitterness has mulled as the cigar progresses. The draw remains too tight and there is some heat in the smoke, so I decide to slow it down even further (typically I smoke a robusto in about an hour, I smoked this for an hour and a half to keep the heat down). The burn is still lopsided, but it is not causing any issues.

The final half of the cigar develops well, but is still lacking in complexity and depth. The profile still shows some pepper, but the spice has taken over at this point and the earthy qualities have come to the forefront as well. At the back of the palate it is all rich earth, and it is almost too much at this point. The draw is still too tight and there is still undue heat in the smoke, it is a shame because it ruins the last two inches of the smoke.

The finish is long and shows rich earth and pepper.

Appearance- 91 a very nice looking smoke
Taste- 87 a nice profile, but it lacked complexity and depth
Construction- 82 the draw was too tight and hurt the smoke
Strength- 85 a very average full bodied smoke that needs to compliment the profile more efficiently
Overall- 85.75 slightly above average and hurt by the construction issues