Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown and is slightly lighter towards the head than it is the foot. The veins are very well pressed and the wrapper and seams are smooth. There is a distinct square press to the cigar and the head is finished off with a well applied triple cap. There are two bands with the first being the standard Prensado band. The second band is a strip band that carries the Lost Art designation. The aroma from the wrapper is a light barnyard while the foot brings a mix of sweet hay and graham cracker. The pre-light draw brings a slightly sweet subtle wood note.

Pre-light Experience

The Alec Bradley Prensado Lost Art Robusto has an attractive oily whole coffee bean wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed and seams tight. The soft press bunch and roll is well executed as there is a uniformed give throughout with no soft spots. The head is finished off with a neatly applied thick triple cap. Nosing the wrapper tells cedar, white pepper and flowers. Nosing the foot gives rich nuttiness and white pepper. Cold draw reveals dry cardboard and some stale mustiness.

First Third

Initial draws bring a very full black pepper with some wood in the background. At a quarter inch in, the black pepper subsides slightly which allows the wood to gain a better foothold in the profile. At an inch in, the black pepper has dialed way back and the wood is now up from with a good bit of char to it. The retrohale carries a clean wood note with a bit of black pepper that gives a nice zing. As the third comes to a close, the charred wood remains up front with a little bit of earthiness and black pepper in the background. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third gives mouth draw flavors of milk coffee, barnyard/must, baking spices, creamed nuttiness and mouth layering black pepper spice. Retrohaling heightens especially the baking spices and black pepper, followed by a creamed nuttiness. The finish is primarily a lingering cedar and baking spices. Strength and body is medium within the entire first third.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the profile becomes a bit smoother as a slight creaminess joins in with the charred wood and earthiness. The black pepper is hard to detect now after it was so prevalent earlier. At a half inch in, the cream increases some more which knocks some of the char off of the wood. At an inch in, the char picks up again as the earthiness subsides. The cream is still present though. The strength in this third remained at the slightly above medium level.

Second Third

The second third creates a slick and oily pepper mouth feel. That in conjunction with the baking spices is nothing short of deliciousness. The creamed nuttiness is more focused and now identified as chestnuts. Retrohaling continues to give off baking spices and black pepper. The finish is still cedar but the baking spices become sharper. Strength and body maintains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the wood is still slightly charred and there is a bit of cream remaining in the background. At a quarter inch in, the char begins to increase as the cream is still hanging on slightly in the background. At an inch in, the char has continued to slightly increase and the cream has left the profile. This is how the cigar finishes up. The strength in this third remained at slightly above medium.

Final Third

Some complexities get lost within the last third as the profile is now namely sharp baking spices, black pepper and a hint of creamed nuttiness. The profile is still flavorful but not as flavorful as the first two thirds. The spice delivery is also carried over on the retrohale and finish. The most appealing aspect of the profile is that it is still mouth watering and slick in oiliness. Strength is reaching slightly above medium while body stays consistently at medium.

Burn

The burn line was slightly wavy at times but always kept up with itself. The ash held on in one inch increments.

Burn

Burn performance was a bit everywhere. Burn line was wavy at all times, ash retention although good at 1.5 inches, was flowery most of the time. The good news is the cigar burned cool and only one touch up was required.

Draw

The draw was slightly looser than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The cigar started out as a black pepper bomb, but settled down fairly quickly with a charred wood note up front. The charred wood was the primary note the rest of the way with some earthiness and varying levels of creaminess. This is a pretty good variation on the Prensado line and a nice new release from the company. For those that like black pepper, this will be right in their wheelhouse and I would consider the overall profile on the darker side with the charred wood and earthy notes. This is a cigar I would have no problems revisiting and Alec Bradley fans will be happy with this release.

Draw

Perfect draw with just the right amount of airflow.

Overall

This may just be the sleeper hit of the year for me. I recall the original release of the Prensado (especially the Churchill format) was a great cigar. This rendition carries forth similarities in that it is flavor driven, but the Lost Art version has deeper flavors and slightly increased strength. Fans of especially ’boutique’ cigars should not pass up on this cigar as I highly recommend trying it.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.57

Cost/Point

$1.51

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

8.03

Cost/Point

$1.23

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Alec Bradley Prensado Lost Art Robusto