Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto is marbled dark brown with some darker freckles. The seams are smooth and the caps well applied. There are two bands, with the primary being a traditional design for the brand and denoting the company and Experimental Series. The secondary band is black, orange and gold and denotes the line name. The aroma from the wrapper is lightly damp wood, earth and stone fruit sweetness while the foot brings a mix of wood, wheat bread and a light ammonia. The pre-light draw is primarily cedar, but there is a mid-level spiciness on my lips and the edges of my tongue.
Seth: Finished with a clear maduro wrapper that has the coloring of dark coffee beans, the wrapper is thick with veins throughout. There is some tooth present, and the texture is slightly gritty. Firm throughout, the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto has an aroma of rich earth, strong tobacco, damp wood and peppery spices.
John: The Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto comes in cellophane and has a UPC sticker with an integrated tear space so the UPC remains intact when the cellophane is opened. The cigar is double banded with ‘Double Broadleaf’ as a secondary band. Aromas from the wrapper included sweet barnyard, leather, and a earth and dusty wood combination. From the foot, I could pick out sweet prune, tobacco and leather.
Jiunn: The Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto has a deep brown oscuro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and head is well wrapped and capped. Aromas from the wrapper give abundant musk and dry barnyard. Aromas from the foot tell the same but with added dried red pepper spice. Cold draws reveal cedar and a hint of tinny metal.

Team Cigar Review: Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted oak and a concentrated combination of black pepper and cinnamon. At a quarter inch in, the spice combination settles into a bold black pepper while some light earth joins the profile. The retrohale is toasted oak, earth and black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper has mellowed a bit. As the third comes to a close, the profile is toasted oak up front with earth and black pepper a bit behind. The strength was at medium-full.
Seth: The first third starts out with some strong earth and mineral qualities. Very filling. Dark chocolate notes present, but not overly sweet. Strong black pepper spice notes with some damp wood and tobacco on the finish. Medium-full to full in strength and body.
John: The first third begins with sweet leather, tobacco and earth to finish. I find the retrohale to be defined by sweet cream and faint spices that provide a lingering finish into the post draw. As the first third settles in, chocolate comes into the retrohale. Cotton candy joins the retrohale as it progresses, with medium strength black pepper on the post draw. A creamy leather is present on the post draw by the halfway point.
Jiunn: The first third shows a medium body and strength profile. Flavors consist of mainly subtleties (especially considering broadleaf). Notes of light cream, cedar, dirt soil and a red pepper spice on the tip of the tongue. Retrohaling gives full flavors of dried red pepper spice and tart cherries. The finish is very lengthy, with a cedar and dirt soil mixture.

Team Cigar Review: Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the black pepper becomes pretty dull. At a half inch in, the earth is now even with the toasted oak up front. The retrohale is now toasted oak and earth with a mild, dull black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, a light mustiness joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the profile is toasted oak and earth even up front with dull black pepper and mustiness in the background. The strength dropped down to slightly above medium.
Seth: The second third delivers that unsweetened chocolate with rich earth, minerals, pepper spices, damp wood and tobacco notes. Similar to the first third, but more earthy and chocolatey. Still not overly sweet, but filling. Medium-full to full in strength and body.
John: Creamy leather leads off the second third, with light-plus strength spices and earth to finish into the post draw. Once the second third has had a chance to settle in, it’s defined by creamy leather and earth and spices on the finish. Minerality develops in the center of the profile by the halfway point. The earth has ramped up to medium-full by this stage as well. The earth is leading the post draw in the bottom half of the second third.
Jiunn: The second third is pretty similar to the first third. It’s still medium body and strength, but the overall flavor gets a more earthy dirt soil lift. The other flavors of light cream, cedar and red pepper are still there though.

Team Cigar Review: Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the toast level has become very heavy and a light vegetal note has joined the profile. The retrohale is now toasted oak, earth and a vegetal note. As the cigar wraps up, the profile is heavily toasted oak and earth up front with dull black pepper, mustiness and a vegetal note in the background. The strength remained at slightly above medium.
Seth: The final third was earthy with some mineral and black pepper notes. Strong wood and tobacco qualities with touches of coffee and chocolate. Stronger this third. Medium-full to full in strength and body.
John: Earth leads off the last third with a spicy wood and leather combination to finish the draw. The post draw settles into a leather and earth combination after a number of puffs. Creamy leather and earth combine to define the retrohale. Earth is the primary flavor component moving towards the halfway point.
Jiunn: The final third still shows the same dirt soil forward profile with the cream, cedar and red pepper on the back end. Strength and body finishes the same medium.

Team Cigar Review: Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto

Burn

Aaron: The burn line was a bit wavy throughout and I had to do a couple of touch-ups to keep the cigar from going out.
Seth: Not always perfect, but not surprised with the tobaccos used.
John: The burn was straight through the first third, slight waviness in the second third and straight again in the last third.
Jiunn: Burn performance was nearly perfect. Just some issues with wrapper burn, which required a couple touch-ups.

Team Cigar Review: Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto

Draw

Aaron: The draw was fairly snug throughout and a draw tool provided no relief.
Seth: Draw was good. At times, somewhat snug, but then improved.
John: The draw was a minor amount into the resistant spectrum, roughly 1-1/2 to 2 notches.
Jiunn: Ideal air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted oak and a concentrated combination of black pepper and cinnamon. The spice combination later settled on black pepper and some earth joined a bit later. The second third saw the black pepper become dull and some mustiness join in. The final third saw the toast level increase and a vegetal note join in. The Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto had a nice start, with a vibrant profile, but in the second third, the profile became muddled and was average the rest of the way. I do believe the construction of this cigar held it back a bit. The tight draw and cigar seeming to want to go out were the symptoms. The cigar is cheap enough to want to come back to see how a better constructed version fares, but as of now, it’s a pass for me.
Seth: I really enjoyed the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto, and I will definitely be smoking it again. I will probably gravitate towards the Toro and Gran Corona vitolas, but that is how I am with Alec Bradley stuff. I like their cigars with larger ring gauges because you get to really pick up the Honduran and Nicaraguan filler blends, and the smaller vitolas typically up the strength and intensity of the overall blend. Very rich and filling. Great winter cigar.
John: I had the fortune of smoking this cigar at the PCA trade show in Las Vegas, and I was impressed. I’m glad to see the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto I reviewed was consistent with the early experience I had many months ago. There is a great chewy and creamy leather and earth flavor combination that is balanced and engaging through the first and second thirds. The burn was perfect, while the draw was a minor amount into the resistant spectrum. I enjoyed the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto and would happily smoke more of these, especially given that the price point is quite reasonable for the current market. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 58 minutes.
Jiunn: My overall thoughts on Honduran broadleaf is that it lacks body and character. The body is a bit thin and the flavors are heavily geared towards spice and dirt soil, without that wonderful chewy, chocolate/fudge dankness that I like. Still can’t knock down the king of USA Connecticut broadleaf with this Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.50

Cost/Point

$1.79

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.67

Cost/Point

$1.48

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.67

Cost/Point

$1.48

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.65

Cost/Point

$1.74

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Robusto