The cigar: Alec Bradley SCR robusto
Nutritional information:
Vitola: 5x50 robusto
Origin: Honduras
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua
Binder: Honduras, Indonesia
Wrapper: Honduras
The marketing:
From Alec Bradley:
The careful selection of mid and upper priming tobaccos, were hand-picked to create the rich and balanced SCR line. Alec Bradley's Select Cabinet Reserve delivers smooth bold flavors derived from the fertile soils of family run farms in Honduras and Nicaragua. The limited yield, dark caramel colored wrapper, adorns a skillful selection of premium leaves from the valleys of Central America, creating a perfect union of balance and flavor. SCR is presented in elegant lacquered boxes of 20 cigars, without cellophane, in five sizes. The smoke is buttery smooth, and possesses an abundance of complex flavors and aromas that will hold your attention from start to finish. http://www.alecbradley.com/index.php?page=scr
Duque Cigars:
Similar in flavor to Alec Bradley's high scoring "Tempus" his newest collection has the exact same Honduran and Nicaraguan filler. The difference is the SCR cigars are made using the lighter bodied leaves exclusively from the well known fertile valley Trojes farm in Honduras. The SCR cigars are also made in the same factory, Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas S. de R.I. in Honduras utilizing the most talented rollers and their talented skills. The Alec Bradley people describe this newest addition to their superb lines compared to Tempus cigars: "Tempus has a lot of flavor, with spikes and peaks. The Select Cabinet Reserve Cigar does not have as many peaks - it's a little more balanced, and a bit milder."
Pre-Light: It's a nice looking cigar. The Honduran Trojes wrapper is colorado maduro, a dark rich brown, with a faint tinge of orange. There are some veins, and the wrapper seems thick and chewy, the kind of wrapper I associate with lots of flavor. The rolling looks to be excellent: the seams are very flat, with a triple cap that is well applied. It feels solid and firm, revealing no soft spots. Some swirls of dark ligero are visible at the foot and also when I slice the cap. The prelight draw is easy.
Light & Burn: After a bit of toasting, the cigar lit easily. The burn line was a little uneven at first -- a little V appeared as the burn followed a seam -- but that straightened out. The burn later developed a little more wobble, but it was nothing serious and I never had to relight it. The ash, medium gray with a brownish cast, was good and strong, growing to about 1.5 inches before I tipped it. The slow burn evidenced good construction and generated ample smoke.
Construction: I give strong marks for roll and construction. The bunching and rolling were quite good: although the cigar was well filled, the draw was easy. The sturdy cap sliced well, and I didn't encounter any issues with the wrapper.
Flavor: This robusto delivered good dark flavors. The first few puffs left a bit of an aftertaste that I couldn't place, but that disappeared as the cigar warmed up. At first the flavor proflie was a bit thin, with a pleasant bitterness like black coffee or Guinness, a bit dry on the finish. As the smoking progressed, the flavors grew richer, rounder, fuller, with passing hints of chocolate and mocha. By the midpoint, the flavor was a bit sweeter: I got more coffee/dark chocolate, with some nut (coconut?!) and less bitter, more mellow flavors. Smooth all the way through, although not as dynamic as a truly great cigar.
Summary: Alec Bradley has been putting out some good smokes lately. The description of this cigar as a "tempered down Tempus" seems accurate to me. I've liked the Tempus a good bit, and this SCR is a worthy follow up. It's smoother and mellower, less powerful, but tasty in its own right.
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