Alec Bradley Maxx Traditional
Once again I found myself reaching into the grab bag of cigars Duque Cigars sent me. The Alec Bradley Maxx Traditional is what I ended up with. Alec Bradley says the Maxx Traditional is designed for the smoker who wants a full flavored cigar in more ‘traditional’ sizes. The blend is the same as the original Maxx selection. We reviewed the Maxx before, so I was curious how this size would differ from the original. As always, I am pairing the cigar with fine filtered Florida tap water.
Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano
Binder: Costa Rica
Filler: Colombia, Nicaragua, Mexico and Honduras
Size: Toro 50 x 6
Price: Around $5.00
Pre-Smoke & Construction:
The dark wrapper had some cosmetic flaws, perhaps water spots, and was somewhat veiny. When sniffing the foot and wrapper, I was reminded of grass and wood. The cigar was firmly packed with tobacco, with a few random soft spots. The pre-light draw was free, and had a strong earthy taste. Although the cigar looked rugged, it appeared to be constructed well. The burn required a few corrections, and the ash held firm for around an inch.
Flavor:
The first third started off smooth, with woody and earthy notes. When retrohaling through the sinus, I could easily detect a smooth spice.
The second third had the same woody and earthy flavors, with an addition of mocha. The spice was still present, but was mellowed by the mocha. I detected a nice coffee flavor that blended nicely with the mocha. These two flavors eventually dominated.
The last third went well. The woody and earthy notes went away. Coffee and mocha took turns being the dominant flavor, and the spice calmed down but still remained. A sweet aftertaste lingered and really rounded up things nicely.
Conclusion:
This was a good medium to full bodied cigar. Like the other sizes in the Maxx family, this one didn’t disappoint. It was interesting that the size did make a different in how the cigar tasted, despite having the same blend as the larger Maxx lines. I would definitely suggest you try this cigar as soon as possible.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 at 12:00 am and is filed under Cigar Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
jjo April 23rd, 2011 at 1:03 am
Tom,
I’m sorry, but once again I’m arriving at the party when all the other guests have long ago left. Could you elaborate on how the the size makes a difference in how it tastes? Is it that the smaller ring gauge better concentrates the flavors? How does this compare to the other Maxx’s?