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My first Alac Bradley

Well, here in the north east the weather has not been conducive to sitting outside & enjoying a smoke. However, today was a balmy 40 degrees so I took the opportunity to sit outside with a smoke.

For the past few months I'd stop by the local cigar shop & buy a couple of cigars I've not yet had to stock up for nice weather. So today I selected an Alac Bradley Lineage torpedo.

I don't mind saying I was disappointed. The draw was tight, so I cut off some more & the draw really didn't improve. There wasn't much smoke, had to take 3 or 4 puffs to really generate smoke. There were 2 knots in the cigar that created an uneven burn that was off by an inch at the end of the smoke. And it went out if I wasn't constantly puffing... Flavor, not much, but I understand this was created for a beginner, so that I didn't mind.

Has anyone else had this experience or was it just bad stick?

Comments

  • 90+_Irishman90+_Irishman Posts: 12,408 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've had many experiences like that with Alec Bradley stuff I generally don't reach for them often anymore and personally won't be buying more.
    "When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
  • Thanks. Got another Alac in the humi, a Nica Puro. Think I'll let it sit there a while.
  • EulogyEulogy Posts: 2,463 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There's only two Alec Bradley's that I like. Too many burn and construction issues for me.
  • blutattooblutattoo Posts: 1,294 ✭✭✭
    I just reviewed a Sun Grown which is halfway decent, but for me their best are the Nica Puro and Raises Cubana. I've found you really have to take your time with them otherwise the burn gets wonky.
  • SM0K3YSM0K3Y Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭
    I've smoked 4 so far and all 4 have been stellar, AB is in my top 3, i gotta think (or hope cuz I just ordered a 5 pack!) that maybe it was a bum stick? I've read some folks on here saying try a stick at least twice before making a case for or against, sorry to hear you had such a bad session :(
  • MartelMartel Posts: 3,306 ✭✭✭✭
    Prensado=great flavor but horrible burn
    Black Market=some like it, but not me, thought it was yuck

    I've had a couple other blends and thought they were okay.
    Intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.

    I like Oliva and Quesada (including Regius) a lot.  I will smoke anything, though.
  • EulogyEulogy Posts: 2,463 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Martel:
    Prensado=great flavor but horrible burn
    Black Market=some like it, but not me, thought it was yuck

    I've had a couple other blends and thought they were okay.
    The prensado is a great smoke, but they have a lot of burn issues and can be quite tight in larger sizes. I also enjoy the tempus and have had far fewer issues with that line. I haven't enjoyed many other Bradley's, myself.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,004 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Welcome to the forum Hoag :)

    I have enjoyed plenty of the AB blends but some of them burn and draw poorly. The american is a good connie IMO and I liked the Harvest blend. Both of those are on the milder side of the spectrum. Prensado tastes great, but burns bad. It seems like it's got flame retardant blended in there for some reason.
  • wwhwangwwhwang Posts: 2,878 ✭✭✭
    That's my experience with most Alec Bradley lines in general. Flavors are good, but it never burns correctly and the draw is really tight sometimes. If I remember correctly, there was one interview where Alan Rubin said that his blends have the ligero on the outer portion of the cigar as opposed to the center, which is where it's supposed to be. That might have something to do with the burn.
  • peter4jcpeter4jc Posts: 15,315 ✭✭✭✭✭
    In the name of science :-) I dug a Prensado Churchhill out of my humidor, purchased last November... a third of the way in, and the draw and burn (not to mention flavors) are perfect. The robustos of the same cigar have all been good too. Hopefully, the rest of the box does just as well. The other AB's I've had, Maxx, Tempus, Nica Puro, and Connecticut have all been good too. Who knows, maybe they went through some problems at the factory before I started smoking, and got them straightened out. Note: I don't work for AB, just like 'em.
    "I could've had a Mi Querida!"   Nick Bardis
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    Over all my experiences with Alec Bradley cigars have been those of an average cigar. None that I thought I must buy a box, but also none that I though were bad either. I have a Fine and Rare resting for a warmer day that I have higher expectation for... being it is a nearly twenty dollar cigar. For the most part, they do not make up a large part of my inventory.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,004 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I don't like the name of the company. Some story I read was the founder named it by combining his two son's first names. So, at that point I find out there's no person named Alec Bradley. Not a fan of that. Neither am I a fan of Cinco Vegas using the numeral 5 in their logo and expecting us gringos to say cinco aloud. If you wanted me to say cinco why did you trick me? Thanks a lot.
  • SM0K3YSM0K3Y Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭
    Bob Luken:
    I don't like the name of the company. Some story I read was the founder named it by combining his two son's first names. So, at that point I find out there's no person named Alec Bradley. Not a fan of that. Neither am I a fan of Cinco Vegas using the numeral 5 in their logo and expecting us gringos to say cinco aloud. If you wanted me to say cinco why did you trick me? Thanks a lot.

    I love AB, but i agree with Luken, they're FIVE Vegas and I like them to boot lol
  • BigshizzaBigshizza Posts: 15,644 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bob Luken:
    I don't like the name of the company. Some story I read was the founder named it by combining his two son's first names. So, at that point I find out there's no person named Alec Bradley. Not a fan of that. Neither am I a fan of Cinco Vegas using the numeral 5 in their logo and expecting us gringos to say cinco aloud. If you wanted me to say cinco why did you trick me? Thanks a lot.
    How about combining the name of two dogs?? Hmmmm lol
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,004 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bigshizza:
    Bob Luken:
    I don't like the name of the company. Some story I read was the founder named it by combining his two son's first names. So, at that point I find out there's no person named Alec Bradley. Not a fan of that. Neither am I a fan of Cinco Vegas using the numeral 5 in their logo and expecting us gringos to say cinco aloud. If you wanted me to say cinco why did you trick me? Thanks a lot.
    How about combining the name of two dogs?? Hmmmm lol
    Touche! And I sure as hell regret that I did that. But I'm Bob now. Gotta roll with it.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,004 ✭✭✭✭✭
    .
  • Poker_SlobPoker_Slob Posts: 1,269 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Alec Bradley has a couple decent cigars on the market, however I feel most of the lines are not very good. I have a box of Tempest Maduro that I bought when they first came out...3 maybe 4 years ago. I might have to give one of those a go this summer and see how they are.
  • transplanttransplant Posts: 111 ✭✭✭
    I've had 2 ABs to date...their Connecticut and a Prensado.  The Connecticut came with C.com's All-Star Connecticut Sampler (20 smokes).  The AB finished in my top 4.  As for the Prensado, I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to our next quiet moment together.
    Kipling was a wise man.
  • tabakotabako Posts: 365 ✭✭✭
    I smoked my first AB just a month or so after I started smoking cigars. So far I have only tried the AB Coyol in Gordo, Belicoso and Toro. Had some very minor burn issues with the belicoso, which are usually my fav, but I adore the Gordo. In my top 5. I'll have to try some others.
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    Martel said:
    Prensado=great flavor but horrible burn
    Black Market=some like it, but not me, thought it was yuck

    I've had a couple other blends and thought they were okay.
    Couldn't agree more with your assessment of the prensado. Great flavor, but every time I try and smoke one the burn screws up. Disappointing, if the burn was better this would be in my regular rotation.

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • raisindotraisindot Posts: 1,294 ✭✭✭
    Bob_Luken said:
    I don't like the name of the company. Some story I read was the founder named it by combining his two son's first names. So, at that point I find out there's no person named Alec Bradley. Not a fan of that. 
    Damn, I wish I hadn't read that when I was just settin' down to eat a piece of Betty Crocker devil's food cake topped with Aunt Jemima syrup. Since I agree with you I now gotta through all of this s**t away. :D  
  • NorthsideSmokeNorthsideSmoke Posts: 515 ✭✭✭✭
    smoking a Tempus right now and it is beautiful. I have to say it's one of my favorites. 
  • RolanddeschainRolanddeschain Posts: 898 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've had several Prensado and really enjoyed them. I'm smoking a Tempus on the deck with a glass of The Macallan and I have to say I'm really liking it as well!
    Long days and pleasant nights,

    Roland
  • tabakotabako Posts: 365 ✭✭✭
    I've had some really mixed experiences with AB cigars. Really liked one or two then would pick up some more and have totally different experience. I have a few Prensado, Tempus and Coyol sitting in the aging humi. I'll wait to see the outcome before I pick up anything more than a new stick at the B&M. 
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