Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill

01-18-2012, 10:58 PM

Alec Bradley "Black Market" Churchill (7x50)
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It's a nice Kona color with a Nicaraguan Wrapper, a Sumatran Binder, and a filler mixture from Honduras and Panama. I kind of like the “plain Jane” label No fancy gold wrapper with a picture and words too small to read. The Construction has some veins but not real throbbing sticks buldging out and has a rough but oily texture. The cigar feels pretty firm all the way through and makes me worry it will be hard to draw on. The smell is very pleasant and reminds me of a plant that doesn’t have a natural odor but just freshness.
Underneath the Large wrapper is a small one that simply reads “Alec Bradley/ Black Market”. Being that I prefer a concentrated draw I punch the head and notice a very loose open draw and an odd flavor that I can’t quite make out… maybe a sour-earthy flavor???.

I “toast and roast” and I draw a cloud of smoke in and…. It’s an amazing flavor! It reminds me of an orange peel and the bottom of the glass after the ice melted in a drink; mixed with a light earthy flavor. I am wowed!
This is my first Alec Bradley and it is fantastic!

I assumed that by the color that this cigar was a Maduro, but it’s very creamy like a Connecticut. The cigar has a little lop-sided burn but nothing needing correction at this time. I think it would go amazingly well with a Sam Adams Spring Ale.I did the next best thing.

The first third of this stick is holding true to an earthy-citrus flavor that isn’t over powering or weak. The smoke is bellowing a nice blue and the ash is a very dark gray.

The ash held grate until about a 1/3 of the cigar and I dumped it. The 2/3 has an increasing citrus draw to it but it still maintains a well balanced flavors. The stick is still rolling clouds of smoke from it. I had to perform the first burn correction that it has needed with my trusty Xikar Tech Torch (I love this thing and plug it every chance I get!) The most surprising thing so far besides the flavor, is that the cigar is medium bodied even at the ½ way point. There hasn’t been any “bite” it and the cigar is rather fast burning.

The 3/3 of the cigar has stayed the course with flavor and needed no correcting. The earthy flavor is a little stronger now but still maintains a balanced flavor that makes a nice finish to a very nice cigar! I am truly happy with my purchase and can’t wait to see what some age will do to the flavor of this cigar.

Bax · 01-19-2012, 01:38 AM

Nice review, I'm hoping to score a cheap box of these soon.

chaase321 · 01-19-2012, 07:30 AM

Great review Coty! I haven't had the chance to pick up a black market yet...I was thinking it was hyped a little too much in all of the cigar magazines...but now I may have to venture out and get some. Have you had any other sizes yet other than the Churchill? Anyone on different sizes?

manny844 · 01-19-2012, 07:43 AM

Nicely written review!!

CigarSquid · 01-19-2012, 08:04 AM

Nice review. I enjoyed mine but not as much as I thought. Maybe it was hyped too much. I would pick up a few more for a great deal. It sat in the humi for about a month and a half.

01-19-2012, 08:54 AM

I haven't had any other sizes and I don't read cigar magazines or do any real looking into whats coming out or anything; this was a recommendation from a trusted smoker. I actually hadn't heard any hype.

Taki · 01-19-2012, 10:38 AM

Very nice review brother...I just got one of these in my NST trade from Goomer. Excited to burn it to see how good it actually it is!!!

SpruceBruce · 01-20-2012, 01:44 PM

Nice review, Coty. Going to have to give one of these another shot. I wasn't too impressed with the torpedo I had, so maybe another vitola is the way to go. The construction of the one I had was impeccable, it just had kind of a tight draw which I think is what ruined it for me.

In any case, nice work

deadrise · 01-20-2012, 02:15 PM

Very nice review I have had the robusto and found they where good just not great.
one thing I will note is the band is made out of photo paper and puts of some form of chemical smell
that I could taste on the pre light draw and smell on the wrapper

Quote:

an odd flavor that I can’t quite make out… maybe a sour-earthy flavor???

that might been what you tasted I personally pulled all of the paper off the cigars before placing in humi
maybe me just being paranoid

01-22-2012, 09:56 AM

Time to go troll The Devil Site for some...

The quality of the review alone makes it worth a try, and I love the little Xikar commercial there. Hah.

Well done, bro.

01-18-2012, 10:58 PM	#1
coty Guest Posts: n/a	Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill Alec Bradley "Black Market" Churchill (7x50) [IMG][/IMG] It's a nice Kona color with a Nicaraguan Wrapper, a Sumatran Binder, and a filler mixture from Honduras and Panama. I kind of like the “plain Jane” label No fancy gold wrapper with a picture and words too small to read. The Construction has some veins but not real throbbing sticks buldging out and has a rough but oily texture. The cigar feels pretty firm all the way through and makes me worry it will be hard to draw on. The smell is very pleasant and reminds me of a plant that doesn’t have a natural odor but just freshness. Underneath the Large wrapper is a small one that simply reads “Alec Bradley/ Black Market”. Being that I prefer a concentrated draw I punch the head and notice a very loose open draw and an odd flavor that I can’t quite make out… maybe a sour-earthy flavor???. I “toast and roast” and I draw a cloud of smoke in and…. It’s an amazing flavor! It reminds me of an orange peel and the bottom of the glass after the ice melted in a drink; mixed with a light earthy flavor. I am wowed! This is my first Alec Bradley and it is fantastic! I assumed that by the color that this cigar was a Maduro, but it’s very creamy like a Connecticut. The cigar has a little lop-sided burn but nothing needing correction at this time. I think it would go amazingly well with a Sam Adams Spring Ale.I did the next best thing. The first third of this stick is holding true to an earthy-citrus flavor that isn’t over powering or weak. The smoke is bellowing a nice blue and the ash is a very dark gray. The ash held grate until about a 1/3 of the cigar and I dumped it. The 2/3 has an increasing citrus draw to it but it still maintains a well balanced flavors. The stick is still rolling clouds of smoke from it. I had to perform the first burn correction that it has needed with my trusty Xikar Tech Torch (I love this thing and plug it every chance I get!) The most surprising thing so far besides the flavor, is that the cigar is medium bodied even at the ½ way point. There hasn’t been any “bite” it and the cigar is rather fast burning. The 3/3 of the cigar has stayed the course with flavor and needed no correcting. The earthy flavor is a little stronger now but still maintains a balanced flavor that makes a nice finish to a very nice cigar! I am truly happy with my purchase and can’t wait to see what some age will do to the flavor of this cigar.

01-19-2012, 01:38 AM	#2
Bax C A P S...CAPS CAPS CAPS! Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tim Location: Ringgold,GA Posts: 2,173 Trading: (70)	Re: Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill Nice review, I'm hoping to score a cheap box of these soon. __________________ I'm the most interesting man in the world... but only if you find stupid stuff really interesting.

01-19-2012, 07:30 AM	#3
chaase321 ZOTL's mmmmm brainssss Join Date: Oct 2011 First Name: Cole Location: Woodbridge VA Posts: 2,114 Trading: (81)	Re: Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill Great review Coty! I haven't had the chance to pick up a black market yet...I was thinking it was hyped a little too much in all of the cigar magazines...but now I may have to venture out and get some. Have you had any other sizes yet other than the Churchill? Anyone on different sizes? __________________ ZOTL our appetites will ALWAYS be bigger than your braaaiiiins... Support the Troop Support Contest 2014!!!

01-19-2012, 07:43 AM	#4
manny844 GO TIGERS Join Date: Jan 2012 First Name: Mitchell Location: Fenton, Michigan Posts: 6 Trading: (0)	Re: Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill Nicely written review!!

01-19-2012, 08:04 AM	#5
CigarSquid AKA Garryyjr Join Date: Apr 2011 First Name: Garry Location: Medford, OR - Cigar Zombie Posts: 3,212 Trading: (39)	Re: Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill Nice review. I enjoyed mine but not as much as I thought. Maybe it was hyped too much. I would pick up a few more for a great deal. It sat in the humi for about a month and a half. __________________ gaRRy

01-19-2012, 08:54 AM	#6
coty Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill I haven't had any other sizes and I don't read cigar magazines or do any real looking into whats coming out or anything; this was a recommendation from a trusted smoker. I actually hadn't heard any hype.

01-19-2012, 10:38 AM	#7
Taki Welcome to the Layer Cake Join Date: Aug 2011 First Name: Taki Location: The Creek Posts: 2,271 Trading: (38)	Re: Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill Very nice review brother...I just got one of these in my NST trade from Goomer. Excited to burn it to see how good it actually it is!!! __________________

01-20-2012, 01:44 PM	#8
SpruceBruce Adjusting to the Life Join Date: Nov 2011 First Name: Jimmy Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 301 Trading: (9)	Re: Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill Nice review, Coty. Going to have to give one of these another shot. I wasn't too impressed with the torpedo I had, so maybe another vitola is the way to go. The construction of the one I had was impeccable, it just had kind of a tight draw which I think is what ruined it for me. In any case, nice work

01-22-2012, 09:56 AM	#10
crazyirishman Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill Time to go troll The Devil Site for some... The quality of the review alone makes it worth a try, and I love the little Xikar commercial there. Hah. Well done, bro.