Big Al's Cigar Blog

Alec Bradley Prensado Corona Gorda cigar review 4/21/2023 I've had 3 of these in my humidor for about a year now and I am finally my first one.  I have been an Alec Bradley fan for a long time.  This is supposed to be one of the best.   Corojo wrapper from Honduras with the rest Nicaraguan and Honduran.   This is a smaller cigar than I normally prefer.  Bigger than a corona but smaller than a robusto.   First inch starts pretty mild with some nuttiness and slight caramel taste.  Pretty quickly changes to a stronger profile with some red pepper spice.  Very smooth but leaves nice flavors of caramel, nuts, and spiciness lingering on your palate.   I do have to touch it up with my lighter, but no big deal.   I've smoked about a third and it's smoking about the right speed, maybe 15 min.  Good full draws and always smooth.   Picking up some deeper tobacco flavors.  Kind of like dried fruit and licorice. Not overpowering, just enough flavors on your tongue to keep it smooth and

 Fratello Blue Toro cigar review 4/17/2023 Heres a $3 bundle smoke from a somewhat unknown brand. I bought some 5 pack samplers of this brand that had 2 "premiums" and 3 bundle cigars. The bundle cigars have been decent and worth the $3 and this is the 2nd of the bundle smokes that I've tried. I rated one of the bundle cigars, Rosso, an 86. The other premiums rated 94 and 92, so I know Fratello knows how to make a decent smoke. This one, same as the other bundles, is rolled by La Aurora. Maduro wrapper, Indonesian binder, and Dominican fillers.   Well, damn, right away I can tell it's plugged. Come on man. Getting nothing out of my power lungs, I go inside to get my cutters. I curt an 1/8 inch off and still plugged. OK. Cut some more. A little better but still not much taste. It almost 10:30pm on a Monday night and I'm trying to decide if I rate this a zero and get another or try to make do. The flavor seems pretty good but, you know, why waste my time