The cigar will be available as a Corona (5.5 x 42/$3.95); Robusto (5 x 50/$4.50); Toro (50 x 6/$4.75); Churchill (7 x 48/$5.00); Torpedo (6 1/8 x 52/$5.00) and Gordo (6 x 60/$5.50).

Alec Bradley American Classic Blend, Band

Cigar: Alec Bradley American Classic
Size: 6 x 50 (Toro)
Wrapper: Honduras (Connecticut Shade)
Binder: Nicaragua – Jalapa
Filler: Nicaragua – Esteli & Condega
Strength: Mild
Cigars Smoked For Review: 2

Alec Bradley American Classic Blend

Appearance and Construction: The wrapper that adorns the American Classic has a beautiful golden brown color to it that is slightly darker than many of the Connecticut Shade cigars on the market. Under the light a nice oily sheen is noticeable and the cigar is rolled to perfection. In the hand the cigar has a lot of weight to it with no soft spots. This is a a will packed stick with a lot of tobacco. The pre-release had a sample band on it, but the one set to adorn this cigar is complex and colorful.

Alec Bradley American Classic Blend, Foot

Flavor & Notes: The foot of the cigar serves up notes of cedar and a buttery richness while the cold draw serves up the same only more intensified. Once the cigar is lit a faint spice is present that quickly dissipates revealing some notes of buttery richness, nuts, cedar and a slight earth. It makes me want a country breakfast to be honest, complete with the checkerboard tablecloth and roosters crowing in the background. As we progressed down the cigar it was definitely mild but full of flavor. The richness really took hold in the 2nd third with some solid notes of nuts as well. The last third lost some of the richness, but what remained was classic notes of nuts and cedar with a touch of earth. The cigar had a nice finish of cedar.

Alec Bradley American Classic Blend, First Third

Smoking Characteristics: One would think a cigar with such a price might be a quick burning smoke, but this was not the case with the Alec Bradley American Classic. The burn line was perfectly even throughout although there was a fairly thick carbon line present. The ash held on fairly well, and was medium gray in color with no flake. The draw of the cigar was iconic, and the aroma was nutty.

Alec Bradley American Classic Blend, 2nd Third

Conclusion: I hope the actual release will be as well put together as this sample. If it does, Alec Bradley has put together a great new blend with an amazing price. It will be nice to have a cigar that smokes a lot more expensive then it is, instead of the other way around which has become a trend in New York due to our crazy cigar taxes. The American Classic is just that, classic.

Alec Bradley American Classic Blend, Last Third

Rating: 91
Price: $4.50

Disclaimer: Alec Bradley send me two samples for review and this gift did not change my thought process on the review.

When Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1492, he wrote with great revere: «This island» (which he later named «La Hispaniola»), «is a wonder of nature. The mountain ranges and the hills, the valleys and rivers, the meadows and fields, all hold a unique beauty and charm. The grounds are unusually fertile. Anyone who sees it once, will never want to leave». Later, Spain gave this land the name Santo Domingo; today it is called «Republica Dominicana».

The tobacco plants for the Griffin’s cigars are harvested in the Cibao valley, the most fertile area on the island. For over 500 years the tradition of tobacco cultivation has been carried on and thanks to the excellent climatic conditions, guarantees impeccable quality.

The name «The Griffin’s» is a guarantee of fine premium cigars from the Dominican Republic. The superior quality is ensured through careful checking and selection processes covering everything from the tobacco seeds to the finished cigars. The cigars from the Cibao valley sporting the characteristic griffin logo, with their filler consisting of three different Santo Domingo tobaccos from different harvests, are hand-rolled by torcedores. Cigar compositions from The Griffin’s exert a fascinating attraction – just like the mythical heraldic beast on their band. A warranty seal on the boxes vouches for quality and authenticity.”

Cigar: The Griffin’s
Size: 5.16 x 42 (#500 / Corona)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Strength: Mild

Appearance and Construction (18/20): The Ecuadorian Connecticut seed wrapper on this cigar has changed over the years in my eyes. When the wrapper was originally grown in the USA I remember the color being a bit more tan. Now is has a rich golden brown color with some visible oils. There are very few veins present here and not one of them stand out as an eye sore. The roll is excellent and the cap is well placed. The foot of the cigar is slightly spongy and there are no soft spots on the rest of the stick. The band reminds you of Davidoff which isn’t surprising since these are made at the same factory. Its colors of white, gray and gold with the Griffin logo give it a luxury feel.

Flavor & Notes (26/30): The pre light draw has some buttery notes with a touch of earth. The foot of the cigar is earthy to the nose. Once the cigar is lit you quickly realize that even though this is a mild cigar it is very flavorful. The first third reveals to the smoker some earth, but that serves as a canvas in which cedar and nuts are dominant. As we smoke through the second third the cigar has a creaminess to it and earth takes hold as the dominant note with some nut notes as well. The final third of the cigar continues to be smooth and a couple of times I picked up a note that reminded me of popped corn (that is a new one for me!). The finish was a nice combination of cedar and nuts.

Smoking Characteristics (23/25): The Griffin’s No. 500 offers a wonderful burn never once wavering. It burned nice and slow with its medium colored ash holding strong despite a little bit of flake. The draw was flawless and it produced a nice amount of smoke even when resting.

Overall (22/25): These cigars are a bit pricey but that is because you are paying for the fact they are made by Davidoff. There are some other mild cigars out there for cheaper but when it comes down to it they really don’t compare. A very enjoyable smoke that should sell for less but then again we do not live in a perfect world.

Rating: 89
Price: $9.00

Oliva Connecticut Reserve

The Oliva Connecticut Reserve caught me by surprise, only finding out about the release a few weeks ago. As a person who enjoys the Oliva line of cigars I felt a mild cigar was missing from their catalog. Whenever I was in the mood for a morning cigar I was never able to reach for an Oliva smoke. Now with the release of the Connecticut Reserve I now have that option in the morning. Last night I attended an event hosted by Oliva Cigars at a local B&M, I was gifted this smoke by the local rep in New York City for the review. The Oliva Connecticut Reserve features absolutely no ligero tobacco and is billed as a full flavor, mild cigar.

Cigar: Oliva Connecticut Reserve
Size: 6 x 50 (Toro)
Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua (Visio & Seco)

Appearance & Construction (18/20): The wrapper of this cigar has a nice golden tan color and a fair amount of veins, but nothing more then to be expected by an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. The wrapper has a thin sheen of oils to it and a nice looking cap. In the hand the cigar feels a little light and I have a feeling without any ligero this cigar could be a fairly quick smoke. The one thing that stands out is the label. The white background with gold and brown has some people referring to this smoke as the Oliva white label smoke.

Flavor & Notes (27/30): The prelight notes off the foot is a very dry hay and the prelight draw offers notes very similar to non-buttered popcorn. The first third offers some faint pepper notes which has caught me off guard as this is supposed to be a mild smoke. The primary notes here are nuts and a dry toast with a creaminess that flirts with your palate. As we hit the second third of the cigar the creamy notes really begin to shine on this cigar giving it a nice rich buttery flavor. The nut like notes remain as well, giving this cigar a nice flavor profile. The final third of the smoke offers notes of nuts and a slight leather on the finish.

Burn/Ash/Draw (23/25): The burn of the smoke has a fairly thick carbon ring, but it remains perfectly straight throughout the smoke. The ash of the cigar is various shades of gray, and holds on fairly well for more than an inch at a time. There is a slight resistance on the draw andthat helps slow down the smoking time on this cigar.

Overall (22/25): While this cigar is advertised as a mild cigar, I would have to say it borders at times on being a medium bodied smoke. The cigar offers nice relaxing notes that are suitable for an early morning cigar. Seasoned smokers will enjoy this stick when looking for something mild but a new cigar smoker might not agree with its billing.

Rating: 90
Price: $5.50