Alec & Bradley Kintsugi Robusto – Blind Cigar Review

Cigar Info

Alec & Bradley, sons of Alec Bradley founder Alan Rubin, announced their third regular production line back in March of 2020: Alec & Bradley Kintsugi (pronounced Kint-Su-Gee). Kintsugi was scheduled for Fall 2020, but did not ship until December of 2020. This follows Blind Faith from 2018 and Gatekeeper from 2019.

The name comes from a Japanese legend says that a 15th century Japanese Shogun dropped his favorite vase, shattering it to pieces. He then ordered artisans to reconstruct it with gold or silver lacquer- making it even more beautiful. This name they say draws a parallel with the current state of the Premium Cigar Industry. The blend for Kintsugi uses a Habano wrapper from the Trojes region of Honduras, two binders (Nicaraguan and Honduran), and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua. Kintsugi comes in 24 count a golden filled-in crack pattern. The bands and interior box got their inspiration from traditional Japanese themes and artwork. It is manufactured at the Raices Cubanas Factory in Danli, Honduras and comes in four sizes: Robusto 5” x 50 ($7.95) , Toro 6” x 52 ($8.80), Gordo 6” x 60 ($9.85) and Corona Gorda 5 5/8″ x 46 ($7.25).

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Honduras Habano
Binder: Honduras & Nicaragua
Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua
Factory: Raices Cubanas
Blender: Alec & Bradley Rubin
Number of reviewers: 5 – Jason H. (Jokey Smurf) Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi) Isaac M. (The Nothing) John I. (John I.) Adam B. (Bushboi)
Price: $7.95
Age: 6 Months
Release Date: December 2020
Contributed by: Alec Bradley Cigars

Initial Impressions – Alec & Bradley Kintsugi Robusto

Appearance: 91

“This Robusto-sized cigar is sporting a slightly speckled wrapper leaf that has one patched hole near the cap but otherwise is perfectly applied. The cap is slightly darker but also perfectly applied. ” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)

Aroma: 94

“Smelling the wrapper I get a sharp bing cherry note with some undertones of honey. Turning to the foot a combination of white pepper and hay makes me sneeze. The cold draw has an intoxicating combination of everything I smelled in the body and foot all in equal parts.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

First Third

Flavor: 93
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“The first few puffs of this cigar reminds me of Chinese food with a tangy sweet and sour note. Pushing some smoke through the nose and I get equal parts white pepper and cinnamon. This leaves a noticeable tingle in the sinuses. Halfway through the third, I get notes that reminded me of movie theater popcorn with the artificial butter. It adds an interesting depth to the profile. In the retrohale, the pepper takes a huge step forward. The finish is medium in length and the ash is flaky and dark.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

“The first puffs of this cigar are interesting and mainly remind me of old tobacco. There are some clove notes on the finish which is an interesting pairing of flavors. The clove leaves my palate quickly and a basic tobacco note is what lasts until the next puff. Through the nose I’m finding the smoke slightly spicy but pleasantly so, which is nice. ” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)

Second Third

Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“The second third announced itself with an increased richness to the flavors. The leather note transitioned to a generic wood flavor. Progressing through this portion of the cigar, there was an accompanied charcoal note that followed up the wood taste. ” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)

“Dark cherry wood and licorice. Touch of spice growing that lightly burns the tip of the tongue. This cigar is burning evenly, but also quickly. Retrohale is a touch harsh, but sweet at the same time. Doesn’t leave the mouth dry. Savory. ” –Adam B. (Bushboi)

Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“The black tea note carried into this last third but there is an added undertone of sweet nougat. The nougat stays in the background for the majority of the third but jumps to the lead as I reach the last inch of the cigar. The retrohale continues to be creamy by virtue of the buttered popcorn note. This is, by far, the best that the cigar has to offer. The finish was medium and the ash never really tightened up throughout the entire smoking experience. ” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

“Woody and delicious. The licorice and spice in the second third have subsided to a sweet-savory finish. The sweetness on the finish has been growing and is appreciated. The construction of the cigar is the highlight.” –Adam B. (Bushboi)

Overall Impressions – Alec & Bradley Kintsugi Robusto

Draw: 92

“The draw has been really nice on this sample with minimal resistance and clouds of smoke… no issues here!” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)

Burn: 91

“If anything, I think this cigar might have burned a bit fast. The line itself was solid from start to finish. ” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)

Construction: 90

“The contradiction of flares from foot to cap had me concerned at first, however was never an issue while smoking. The cigar held form and performed fantastically.” –Adam B. (Bushboi)

Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium
Experience Overall: 89

“I had flashes of greatness in this cigar but the finish was not great as the smoke became bitter and lost the notes I was enjoying earlier on. I enjoyed the initial flavors, and appreciate the excellent draw… maybe my quick, hot burn was an anomaly. I’d try another but would not seek this out. ” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)

“This is a prime example of not judging a book by its cover. This cigar won’t win any beauty contests but if you give it a shot it will reward you with a fine smoking experience. It had many changes throughout the smoke that would grab your attention all in an hour, or so, time frame. It would pair nicely with a nice cuppa or latte and should find a home in most humidors. Grab one and give it a shot. Enjoy” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

“The cigar smoked a lot faster than I expected at just a hair over an hour. The flavors never really hit me is something that I particularly enjoy. But they weren’t necessarily bad either–it’s really hard to explain. I’d probably smoke this one again from time to time though I don’t know that it would be a staple item for me by any means. ” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)

“I enjoyed this quite a bit. The opening was really impressive, particularly the vanilla notes on the early retrohale. The leathery notes dominating this cigar hit my sweet spot but didn’t really offer much else in terms of flavor. Some sweetness, a bit of a floral sense at points, but mostly pretty one dimensional. ” –John I. (John I.)

“After initial inspection I wasn’t sure what to expect, however, this cigar smoked fantastically and produced delicious flavors. From pre-light draw to last puff, the cigar performed above expectations and had great smoke output. Not exactly my cup of tea as it was a little sweeter than I prefer, but I would gladly smoke another. Fantastic smoke if you have under an hour. Nub was the best part. Puff slowly and enjoy the end my friends.” –Adam B. (Bushboi)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 62

To view the complete scores and notes, click here.

Alec & Bradley Kintsugi Robusto – Blind Cigar Review