Cigar: Alec Bradley Magic Toast
Size: 6×50 Box Pressed Toro
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Nicaragua/Honduras
Filler: Nicaragua/Honduras
MSRP: $11.02 per cigar from my local B&M
Released in 2018 at the ICPCR, the Alec Bradley Magic Toast is a new one for me, as I recently found it hanging around my nearest B&M. How the cigar got its namesake is a quick story from company founder Alan Rubin:
Alec Bradley Magic Toast got its name on a night forever etched in my memory. That’s the night, I saw for myself, by flashlight, a crop that was beyond belief. Tobaccos I knew we would find a special project for. Under the stars, we cracked open a bottle of very special whisky and proposed a toast to our future.
It’s a clever name and a nice story for sure. For whatever reason, I don’t smoke a lot of Alec Bradley cigars on a regular basis so I was interested in giving this one a shot.
No construction issues on the cigar chosen for review. Two were purchased and this review details the second of the two cigars. The pre-light aromas brought a pleasant mix of wood and baking spices while the cold draw gave me more wood and hits of white pepper. I opted for a V cut from the guillotine cutter and after the cut, a balanced draw brought about wood and cracker-like notes with a slight stronger than medium strength start. 13 minutes from the start was where I began to find some mild pepper creep into the palette. From here, the strength and flavors held firm for 30 minutes. It was at that point where the strength of the cigar began to rise rather quickly. The peppery noticed mentioned earlier faded into the background and were replaced with more noticeably stronger hints of coffee. The last 13 minutes of the cigar pushed straight into full bodied territory, finishing with heavier cracker-like notes coupled with the coffee. A strong finish to a cigar that clocked in at a one hour smoke time.
Minus a relight or two, the cigar smoked evenly, open and enjoyably for its one hour of time. I wish I bought more than two.
By-The-Numbers
Pre-light: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10
To recap the Alec Bradley Magic Toast:
- An excellent cigar all around. Loved the balance of strength and its flavor profile. Great build to the end.
- The full bodied strength at the end is noticeable but not overpowering. Still, this may not appeal to those who prefer a milder cigar.
- In my state, this cigar is right on the line of comfort in terms of cost. Looking online, the prices are certainly better. Definitely worth the value in my opinion.
- I have a few birthdays to celebrate this weekend (one being my own), so I think I’ll be heading back up to my shop today or tomorrow and grabbing a few more of these.
Thank you so much for reading. I look forward to the next time I can share my thoughts with you.
