Upon lighting this cigar, it soon becomes clear that this really is a classic cigar and not because its name says so. It’s classic in its perfect construction and wonderful flavor. Typically “American Classic Blend” indicates the manufacturer has used a Connecticut shade wrapper—one grown in Connecticut. But these days some of the best tasting ones are grown outside the US. The American Classic we’re shipping to lucky members this month sports a Honduran wrapper grown from Connecticut shade seed. With its golden brown hue and leathery feel, it’s gorgeous—a fitting preview of the great smoke to come. Panelists deemed the construction “perfect” and the blend—an aged recipe of long-fillers from Nicaragua, secured by a bold Nicaraguan binder—“wonderful”! The result is a smoke that starts out light but gradually becomes darker in flavor with an almost bitter undertone that complements dark chocolate and espresso flavors in an interesting way. Yes, dark chocolate and espresso flavors in a Connecticut shade do make this stick unique. The Alec Bradley American Classic is billed as mild to medium in strength but if it’s your first cigar of the day, it may seem much stronger, especially towards the nub. Look for the cigar to burn dead-on with an ash that is hard to shake off. Try this one with a classic pairing—a V.S.O.P cognac or brandy.
Honduras has been a tobacco growing and cigar manufacturing area for hundreds of years, but it was the Communist revolution in Cuba that really put Honduras on the map. In the 1960s, many Cuban cigar makers fled their homeland and arrived in Honduras to re-establish their way of life. The immigrants took advantage of the climate, soil, and geography, which were well-suited to tobacco growing, and began producing high quality cigars.
The center of the Honduran cigar industry is the city of Danli and the nearby Jamastran Valley. The majority of the world’s pure Corojo tobacco is grown here, now that Cuba has stopped production of this iconic, spicy, and rich variety in favor of Corojo hybrids. Other important areas of Honduran cigar production include the Talanga Valley, Copan, and Trojes.
Outstanding Values On Top-Rated Cigars
Our purchasing power allows us to offer exceptional reorder values on highly rated
cigars such as
Rocky Patel's Decade Torpedo, rated 95 in Cigar Aficionado.