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

Alec Bradley Prensado

This is a new offering from Alec Bradley. The cigar is a beautiful presentation with a dark maduro wrapper the color of milk chocolate. There are almost no veins of any consequence and the cigar is supple and appropriately firm. The pre light aroma is of coffee with a slight barnyard undertone. The pre light draw is of cocoa and light wood.

The smoke opens with notes of coffee and black pepper, the pepper notes are near overwhelming and detract from the opening gambit. The burn is acceptable and a nice gray ash holds for a couple of inches before I have to quietly drop it in the tray. There is no further development in the first two inches.

The middle of the cigar develops with coffee and earthy notes that compliment each other well. There is a deep rich tobacco flavor at the back of the palate and the smoke is ample. A run develops that temporarily disrupts the burn, but I am able to smoke through it without issues. The cigar is otherwise performing well to this point.

The final third maintains it's core of coffee flavors, but there are notes of cocoa presenting themselves at the back of the palate. The burn has leveled off and the cigar continues with an above average performance.

The finish is long and contains notes of spice, cocoa and earth. There is a slightly sour note that appears, but it is not horrible.

Appearance- 92 an excellent looking smoke
Taste- 88 above average, but it was hurt by the sour notes and the peppery outburst at the outset
Construction- 86 the run in the middle hurts the score
Strength- 87 a nice medium smoke
Overall- 88.25 a solid above average performance