Alec Bradley Prensado Robusto - Box of 24

Before Prensado became Cigar Aficionado's #1 Cigar of the Year in 2011, it was simply a Robusto and a Churchill, the two original vitolas Alec Bradley released back in 2009. This is the size where the blend began, and founder Alan Rubin has called it his strongest creation to date.

At 5 x 50, the Robusto wraps a glossy Trojes Corojo 2006 leaf, grown in the Trojes region of southern Honduras, around a Nicaraguan Jalapa binder and a filler blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan long-fillers. Every Prensado is box-pressed at Raíces Cubanas in Danlí, Honduras, and the Robusto's slight, rounded press gives it a firm, substantial feel in the hand that reviewers have consistently praised across more than a decade of coverage. The wrapper itself carries a distinctive mahogany or dark colorado maduro hue, oily and nearly veinless, with a pre-light aroma that mixes cocoa, coffee, and a touch of mild spice.

What follows once lit is a full-bodied smoke that opens with a quick shot of pepper before settling into the blend's signature combination: leather and coffee surfacing early, followed by dark chocolate, cedar, and a warm baking spice that builds through the middle of the smoke. One longtime reviewer described the experience as an unusually consistent sweet spot, from first puff to last, there's something to savor, the leather, cocoa, sweetness, and spice staying remarkably well balanced throughout rather than peaking early and fading. The construction holds up well too, a slow, mostly even burn and an excellent draw, producing a substantial, satisfying volume of smoke. At roughly an hour of smoking time, the Robusto delivers the full Prensado experience in the most practical, everyday format the line offers.

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Flavor progression:

1. Opening: a quick shot of pepper settles into leather and coffee, with cocoa and mild spice carrying over from the pre-light aroma
2. Mid-smoke: dark chocolate and cedar deepen, baking spice and a creamy caramel sweetness building steadily through the second third
3. Close: leather and coffee return with more intensity, the peppery retrohale lingering alongside a rich, structured finish

Key Features:

1. Brand: Alec Bradley
2. Line: Prensado
3. Recognition: #1 Cigar of the Year 2011 (96 points), Cigar Aficionado
4. Original Vitola: One of two vitolas at the line's 2009 launch, alongside the Churchill
5. Factory: Raíces Cubanas, Danlí, Honduras
6. Country of Origin: Honduras
7. Wrapper: Trojes Corojo 2006, Honduras
8. Binder: Nicaraguan (Jalapa)
9. Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan long-fillers
10. Construction: Handmade, box-pressed
11. Vitola: Robusto
12. Size: 5 inches x 50 ring gauge
13. Strength: Full
14. Flavor Profile: Leather, dark chocolate, coffee, cedar, pepper, baking spice, caramel sweetness
15. Box Count: 24 cigars
16. Price per Cigar: approximately $9.50