Alec Bradley Cigars

With a name like Alec Bradley on the label, these cigars were destined to become either the cigar of choice for a multitude of frugal yet sophisticated palates (a veritable working man's delight, shall we say), or they were going end up as prized possessions in the humidors of treasure-hunting aficionados who were willing to let them age into perfection. Well, we all know how that turned out, don't we? These delicious sticks are both! Launched by the visionary Alan Rubin in 1996, a strange time of great tumult in the cigar world, the company would struggle for four years to create something that would stand the test of time and thus was born the Occidental Reserve. Not long after came the game changing Alec Bradley MAXX, an early example of the extra-large ring gauge, full-bodied stogies that are still much in favor today. But it was the spectacular and fearsome Tempus that made aficionados near and far start wondering who this mysterious Mr. Alec Bradley character was anyway. A portmanteau of his children's names, Rubin has let this alias steer the brand to become one of the most reliable in the business, with a wealth of flavorful smokes to appeal to every taste and preference. (Shop more premium cigars) It would be enough if the above told the entire story of Alec Bradley, but there is a cautionary tale at the heart of their current place among the pantheon of great cigar makers. It was 2011 when the voluptuous, medium-full Prensado was named the #1 Cigar of the Year, an accolade that catapulted the entire brand into the mainstream, where it would face its greatest challenge yet. Nearing the point of going under from the sudden deluge of orders, Alan and Company doubled down, working tirelessly for months to get back on track. It's been relatively easy going since, though you can't really tell considering the number of stellar sticks they release on the regular is rather astounding. Cases in point: Black Market Esteli, Alec Bradley American Sungrown, Alec Bradley Project 40 Maduro, The Lineage, the immense Alec Bradley Texas Lancero.