Alec Bradley Project 40 colorado cigar and Jose de Sousa Mayor Ripanco 2019 wine pairing.

A 10-second encounter changed everything.

The story of Alec Bradley Cigars. Passionate, dedicated people with a niche focus excelling in the cigar world.

Alec Bradley Cigars started when Alan Rubin and his father sold their hardware business. Alan loved cigars and had a desire to begin producing cigars.

Cigars it would be.

Alan sold his first cigar on the golf course. Times were good but hit a standstill in the late 90s.

As cigars lost their mass appeal in the late nineties, Alec Bradley needed to change. Alan needed help. So after knowing known Ralph for only a few months, they decided to join forces.

Ralph Montero and Alan met in the early 2000s. They knew of each other. The ten-second instore encounter made them realize they had to join forces. Ralph was running his cigar brand, Montero Cigars. Ralph needed funding, and Alan needed Ralph's business expertise.

They released Occidental Reserve. The cigar sales allowed the company to begin to support itself.

Occidental Reserve.

A team can create more than one individual. That was the driving force for Alan and Ralph to merge.

Alec Bradley cigars name

Alec and Bradley are Alan Rubin's sons. Alan is the founder and driving force behind Alec Bradley with Ralph and his sons. It is a family business with a family-run ethos. Each person in the company is essential.

The People are the Company

Lori Bond was the first reliable person hired as a paid employee. She banded and boxed cigars and marketed the Occidental Reserve brand.

David Rubin, Alan's Father, is an integral part of the family business. He was the first employee. David did whatever to help with the company. David currently works at the Alec Bradley office daily to provide advice and business experience.

The cigar struggle

With the struggle to survive, Alan turned to flavoured cigars.

Gourmet Dessert Cigars

There were buyers for flavoured cigars. So that is what they produced. Gourmet Desserts were small cigars made in Miami. Alan wasn't happy and got out of flavoured cigars with the first opportunity.

The Breakthrough

Ralph, Henke Kelner and Occidental Reserve.

The combination of the three helped Alec Bradley move from flavours into the traditional cigar market. People bought Occidental Reserve because Henke Kelner made it.

Ralph Montero had a good relationship with Mr Kelner. Occidental Reserve carried the company through the difficult period when most cigar brands died. It was a solid traditional made cigar that sold.

Today's Cigar Lines

Trilogy line.

Trilogy captured the cigar world's attention. Everyone wanted to try the new cigar shape. It has three sides, three wrapper options, and three sizes.

American Classic, Black Market, and Fine and Rare.

American Classic is a classic style cigar. This cigar delivers loads of American flavour with finesse and balance.

Artists in Cigars

What sets Alec Bradley apart as a cigar company is its extreme attention. Alan and Ralph oversee every detail.

"Live True" is Alec Bradley's tagline. They are passionate about family, friends, employees and their brands. They have a single-minded focus. And this is why they produce some of the best cigars in the world.

Alec Bradley Project 40 cigars

The reality is that we want to make cigars that people can enjoy. No matter who you are or what you do. A cigar makes you enjoy the moment. Alec Bradley cigars want to be a part of that moment with you.

Alec Bradley Project 40 cigars. A story about the positive impact a cigar has on your mind and body. The cigar aims to improve your happiness.

Alec Bradley Project 40

Project 40 cigars feature the finest aged Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos. A Brazilian Habano binder covers the cigar with a choice between a stunning clay-red Nicaraguan wrapper or a darker San Andres Maduro leaf.

The result is a medium-bodied smoke with rich flavours. The cigar has cedar, leather and roasted nut flavours. There are hints of chocolate, pepper, and spice. Each wrapper style offers different smoking flavours.

Made By: J. Fuego Cigar Co. de Nicaragua

Factory Location: Nicaragua

Shape Robusto

Strength Medium

Dimensions: 6 inches, 127 mm

Ring gauge 52

Filler: Nicaragua

Binder: Brazil

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Color Colorado

Hand Rolled / Long Filler

Blender Alan Rubin

Project 40 Tasting notes

The draw is effortless, offering floral and a nutty smoke. It is a balanced and elegant cigar. The cigar provides pronounced toasty and orange peel notes.

Project 40 Dry Aroma

Damp aromas with light smokey and savoury hints release from the cellophane. There is a fruity undertone.

Project 40 Dry draw

The dry draw is savoury with subtle fruity flavours.

Project 40 First Puff

The first puff of the Project 40 is toasty. The dry hints of fruit pair with nutty almond flavours. The smoke is mild but full of balanced toasty flavours. The citrus orange flavours blend with medium toasty tastes.

Project 40 Cigar

The cigar wrapper is beautiful. The cigar has prominent veins with a shiny colorado coloured wrapper.

The cigar has an even burn with solid white ash and good construction.

Alec Bradley Project 40 and Red Wine Pairing

Jose de Sousa Mayor Ripanco 2019

The winemaking style

José Maria da Fonseca recently released the Ripanço. It is a wine from the Alentejo region, produced in the José de Sousa winery in Reguengos de Monsaraz.

The winemaking tradition originated in southern Portugal. The name of this wine, Ripanço, represents a technique dating back to Roman times. The winemaker manually destems the grapes using a ripanço table with wooden rods.

The winemaking technique help to produce soft and elegant wines without the harsh tannins of the stems.

The winery stands in the centre of the small town of Reguengos de Monsaraz, located in the heart of the Alentejo province in southern Portugal. It's a blend of old and new.

Domingos Soares Franco

Domingos Soares Franco, enologist and vice-president, is the youngest of the sixth generation. He manages José Maria da Fonseca.

His first major influence was his father, Fernando Soares Franco, as an enologist. He studied in Davis, California, and started working at José Maria da Fonseca in the 1980s. Since then, he has introduced many changes becoming one of the most innovative new-generation enologists in Portugal. He created Lancers, one of the best Portuguese wines worldwide and José Maria da Fonseca's first international "best seller".

The wine is incredible to pair with a cigar. I lean towards white wines, but this red wine is a must.

Ripanco Scents

The wine has scents of plum and dark fruit. Balanced, rich, fruity aromas escape the glass. Swirling the red wine releases black fruit and cherry scents.

Ripanco First Taste

The first taste of black fruit is delicious. The dark ruby coloured wine black fruit tastes lines your palate with hints of tobacco spice. The alcohol is full, while the wine offers balanced, smooth flavours.

Alec Bradley Project 40 and Ripanco Red wine Pairing

The red wine has dark fruits, and the cigar has toasted nut flavours. The two combined blend into a fruit mouse with toasted crisps. The orange peel of the cigar is subtle but compliments the smooth, toasty flavours.

The pairing is delicious. The flavours remind me of almond butter with current black jam on toast. It is a balanced taste sensation with an incredible red wine to enhance the cigar flavours.

Project 40 Cigar evolution

The initial cigar flavours are constant and smooth. The smoke is effortless and mild, with medium toasty flavours from start to finish.

Some cigars develop flavours while you smoke. The Project 40 flavours are constant and enjoyable as a mild toasty cigar.

As the red wine warms, the wine releases more tobacco hints paired with the Project 40 smoking flavours.

The colorado smokes and pairs perfect. The Project 40 Maduro cigar could even be a better pairing with the Ripanco red wine.

The cigar also enhances the red wine berry flavours. The smoke lasted over two hours of easy slow smoking.

Not all stories started in Cuba, but many modern stories will generate their own story for generations to follow.

The Finish

Messias 10-year-Old Port

Port is the ultimate pairing with any cigar. The sugar and waxy tastes and mouthfeel complement any cigar. Port has more sugar than wine which lifts the cigar flavours.

A good port like the Messias 10 year is fantastic with a cigar. The port has a delightful waxy and oily mouthfeel ideal to finish your cigar. The sugary raisin tastes make it a good transition from the red wine to port to complete the cigar pairing.

The port lifts the orange peel hints in the cigar, complimenting the toasty flavours with a velvety smooth finish.

The Ripanco red and Messias, 10-year-Old Port is one of my favourite flavour pairings up to date to complement a cigar.

There are many colourful words to describe wine and cigars. The most important part is enjoying your experience. Sip the ruby red Ripanco and light up your Alec Bradley Project 40. The pairing is superb.

Click the link below to light up A Project 40 cigar.

Alec Bradley Project 40 Robusto