Today, we review the Alec Bradley Thirty Years in a Toro. As the name suggests, this cigar commemorates 30 years of the Alec Bradley brand. Alec Bradley was founded back in 1996, and for many years the company was a partnership between Alan Rubin and Ralph Montero. In 2023, the company was sold to Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) and integrated into the Forged Cigar Company portfolio.
When Alec Bradley joined Forged, Alan Rubin and Montero were largely no longer in the picture. Alan’s sons, Alec and Bradley Rubin, who were active with Alec Bradley, joined Scandinavian Tobacco Group. Alec became a brand manager for strategic partnerships at STG, while Bradley became the brand ambassador. Bradley was the Rubin with the most day-to-day involvement with the brand. Meanwhile, Forged would continue to foster the Alec Bradley brand.
The Thirty Years project would bring the Rubins back into the forefront. Alan, Alec, and Bradley Rubin selected this blend. While it wasn’t clear when they selected it, this was probably the first release since the sale that revolved around the Rubin family.
Without further ado, let’s break down the Thirty Years Toro and see what this cigar brings to the table.
SPECIFICATIONS
Blend and Origin
Putting the Rubins back in the fold is a bit of a throwback, but so is this blend. The classic old-school Alec Bradley blends were commonly known for: 1) Honduran wrappers from the Trojes; 2) Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos in the blend; 3) A double binder. The Thirty Years incorporates all of these classic characteristics. It’s also made at the Raíces Cubanas factory in Honduras, long associated with Alec Bradley.
- Wrapper: Honduran Trojes
- Binder: Honduran Jamastran, Nicaraguan Jalapa
- Filler: Honduran (Trojes, Jamastran), Nicaraguan (Estelí, Jalapa)
- Country of Origin: Honduras
- Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Raíces Cubanas S. de R.L.
Vitolas Available
Thirty Years is a regular production line. Three regular production sizes come in 16-count boxes. A fourth limited-edition size is a perfecto positioned as a “retailer exclusive limited edition” that comes in ten-count boxes.
- Robusto: 5 x 52
- Toro: 6 x 54
- Gordo: 6 x 60
- Perfecto: 6 3/4 x 54 (Limited Edition)
Appearance (*)
The project has a throwback theme to the old Alec Bradley cigars in terms of the personnel and blend, but it also has an old-school Alec Bradley look. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful wrappers from the Trojes region, and the one on the Thirty Years Toro has a beautiful chestnut color. The wrapper has a light sheen of oil. Upon closer examination, I noticed some mottling and toothiness. There were some thin visible veins. The wrapper was dark enough that most seams were not very noticeable.
PERFORMANCE
Pre-Light Draw (*)
A straight cut was used to remove the cap of the Thirty Years Toro. Once the cap was removed, it was time to commence with the pre-light draw ritual. The cold draw was also reminiscent of old-school Alec Bradley. It gave me notes of bread, baker’s spice, and cedar. Overall, this was a satisfactory pre-light draw experience. At this point, it was time to remove the footer ribbon of the Thirty Years Toro, toast up the footer, and see what the smoking phase would have in store.
Tasting Notes
The Thirty Years Toro opened up with notes of bread, baker’s spice, cherry, cedar, and mixed pepper. The early part of the first third had no dominant note. As the cigar moved past the midway point of the first third, the cherry and cedar emerged as the primary notes. The baker’s spice, bread, and pepper notes settled in the background. Meanwhile, on the retrohale, there was an additional layer of pepper – more of the black pepper varietal.
During the second third of the Thirty Years Toro, the cherry and cedar remained primary. Meanwhile, the baker’s spice, bread, and pepper notes remained secondary. The one change was a gradual increase in pepper notes during this section of the smoking experience.
The final third saw the cherry and cedar remain primary. By this point, the pepper was the most prominent secondary note. There was a slight underlying harshness resulting from the smoking experience that threw the balance off a bit. Meanwhile, the baker’s spice and bread help round this out. This is the way the Thirty Years Toro came to a close. The resulting nub was slightly soft to the touch and cool in temperature. Overall, this experience was once again vintage Alec Bradley.
Burn
This was a well-constructed cigar, and it showed in the burn of the Thirty Years Toro. The burn line occasionally curved, but it didn’t meander. The burn stayed on track with minimal touchups. The resulting ash showed multiple shades of gray. The ash wasn’t overly firm, but it wasn’t loose either. Meanwhile, the burn rate and burn temperature were ideal. The total smoking time was 1 hour, 48 minutes.
Draw
The draw of the Thirty Years Toro had a touch of resistance to it. If you have read my assessments in the past, you will know this is right in my sweet spot for a draw. At the same time, this was a low-maintenance cigar to derive flavor from.
Strength and Body
In terms of strength and body, the Thirty Years Toro started out medium. By the second third, I found the cigar was floating in medium to full territory for both strength and body. The increase in intensity leveled off in the second half. Meanwhile, both the strength and body balanced each other nicely, with neither attribute overshadowing the other.
BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)
Not only did the cigar look and taste like an Alec Bradley, but its packaging was also a throwback. It had the vintage red badge/crown logo on the cigars. I also liked the red and silver on the bands, and the red-and-white boxes were pretty sharp as well. STG and the Alec Bradley team did a great job.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
Final Thoughts
Earlier this year, I smoked the Alec Bradley Do Not Disturb (DND), and I liked how it put Alec Bradley in a whole new direction. With anniversary cigars, I don’t want the wheel reinvented. I want something that reminds me what got it to the dance. Bringing in a cigar like the 30 Years was exactly the right thing for Alec Bradley. It looked and smoked like a vintage Alec Bradley, plus it brought the Rubins back into the fold. Except for some of the harshness in the last third, the cigar scores really well. It’s still a cigar I would recommend to either an experienced cigar enthusiast or a novice looking to graduate to something fuller. As for myself, this is a cigar that I would buy and smoke again
Summary
- Key Flavors: Cherry, Cedar, Bread, Baker’s Spice, Pepper
- Burn: Excellent
- Draw: Excellent
- Complexity: Medium
- Strength: Medium (1st 1/3), Medium to Full (Remainder)
- Body: Medium (1st 1/3), Medium to Full (Remainder)
- Finish: Very Good
Rating
Value: Buy One
Score: 89
REFERENCES
(*) Indicates this is not factored into the score or value rating
Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted
