Cigar Info
Last September Forged Cigar Co. released the latest addition to its portfolio, the Alec Bradley Magic Toast Fifth Anniversary, a special release commemorating five years of the Magic Toast line. First introduced in 2018 and making an early appearance in 2016 (because of impending FDA regulartion), this line has consistently caught the attention of cigar smokers, especially with its backstory involving Alec Bradley's Alan Rubin and Ralph Montero's impromptu toast in a Honduran tobacco field. This moment, highlighting the exceptional quality of the crop, inspired the Magic Toast name and the blend itself incorporates tobacco from that memorable visit, alongside selections from Nicaragua.
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
The Fifth Anniversary edition showcases a blend that's crafted to mark this milestone. It features a Honduran maduro wrapper from the Trojes region, complemented by a dual binder of Honduran and Nicaraguan criollo, and a filler blend of corojo and criollo from Honduras and Nicaragua. This combination promises a rich and complex smoking experience, offered in a single 7 x 54 double robusto size, reflecting its premium nature. Priced at $14.49 per cigar, it represents both the quality and the exclusivity of the offering, with production limited to 2,000 boxes.
Produced by Fábrica de Tabacos Raíces Cubanas S. de R.L. in Danlí, Honduras, this release is not only a celebration of the Magic Toast line's journey but also a limited opportunity for enthusiasts to experience a blend that's been five years in the making.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Churchill
Length: 7″
Ring Gauge: 54
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Honduran Maduro
Binder: Honduras, Nicaragua
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua
Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Raíces Cubanas S. de R.L.
Blender: Alan Rubin
Number of reviewers: 5 – Randy B. (randobush) Quinn (quinnpins269) Alan (Eulogy) Jason H. (Jokey Smurf) John A. (Bostoneo)
Price: $14.49
Age: 6 Months
Release Date: September 2023
Contributed by: Forged Cigar Co.
Initial Impressions – Alec Bradley Magic Toast 5th Anniversary
Appearance: 90
“This is a big boy. There is a very large 109-style bullet cap and an open tapered foot. It has a nice profile but looks large around 6.5-7 inches with an uneven body. The seams are raised at several places and the cap is a little undersized for the size of the cigar. The dark chocolate wrapper is mostly uniform that is slightly oily to the touch.” –Alan (Eulogy)
Aroma: 91
“A quick snip of the cap followed by a cold draw reveals a snug draw, possibly due to the tapered foot, and gives off flavors of aged leather, baking spices, and peppered cream. Running this cigar across the nose reveals faint aromas of spiced pound cake with an emphasis on plain vanilla cake.” –John A. (Bostoneo)
First Third
Flavor: 93
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“I'm picking up a fire-cured tobacco profile off the bat. The draw sucks and the burn is terrible even after the taper of the foot. Slowly notes of mineral and musk join the profile with a very mild pepper finish but the body is very thin.” –Alan (Eulogy)
“It took the cigar a few good puffs to really get it going and open up a bit for me. Once it did it was a pleasant peppery profile with some undertones of licorice. I did find myself having to touch up just an inch or so into this cigar, as it had began to canoe.” –Quinn (quinnpins269)
Second Third
Flavor: 91
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“Moving along into the second third, peppered cream, aged leather, and a bit of earth provide a wonderful tasting profile. Black pepper notes increase as this third burns further in while maintaining the aforementioned flavors as this sample cruise controls through to the end of this third.” –John A. (Bostoneo)
“The middle portion has the flavors shifting a bit and I'm getting an introduction of burnt sugar (love it) with cardamom…the creamy cashew is still present but now the finish is lingering into the next puff. Through the mode the smoke is still just barely spicy and is a fine addition to the floor profile.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
Final Third
Flavor: 91
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“Here comes some salt in the final third. Add a little butter, and baking spice, and slight cayenne pepper, and paprika with cocoa powder, and BAM . There ya go.” –Randy B. (randobush)
“The last third is here and comes with a bump in strength towards a heavier medium-bodied cigar, not quite yet full-bodied in my opinion. The addition of a syrupy sweetness lingers on the tongue as former notes of peppered cream and aged leather. Progressing into the backend, this cigar quickly jumps into the full-bodied range while reintroducing the damp earth notes as well as a dark molasses gingersnap note.” –John A. (Bostoneo)
Overall Impressions – Alec Bradley Magic Toast 5th Anniversary
Draw: 88
“Draw was never cumbersome, however, it wasn't perfect either. Couple puffs to get desired abundant smoke output that I desire in my smoking experience.” –Randy B. (randobush)
Burn: 90
“I had one touch-up in the beginning to correct some canoeing. The burn seemed to keep a constant wave to it for most of the review.” –Quinn (quinnpins269)
Construction: 92
“I liked the look of the 109 bullet cap and the tapered foot. The cap was a little undersized and the seams were raised in a few spots. The body was uneven giving a very wavy look to the cigar.” –Alan (Eulogy)
Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
Experience Overall: 92
“Although not necessarily in my wheelhouse, this cigar is a keeper for many. Just not me.
Transitions were minimal, but that wasn't a bad thing, as I enjoyed the relatively same mix of flavors throughout the cigar. Would I smoke it again? Yes! Would I search it out to smoke it again? No! You decide!” –Randy B. (randobush)
“I found this cigar had a very solid medium plus profile that offered up a nice amount of pepper and sweetness. Lucky for me this is in my wheelhouse of profiles I enjoy. I would not hesitate to smoke this blend again.” –Quinn (quinnpins269)
“I liked the way it looked but that is about it. The draw was very restrictive till after the halfway point and even though it did open up a little the smoke was still very thin. I found the profile of mineral, charred smoke, and grass to be disjointed and for the size of this cigar unwelcome. I would not smoke this again and really couldn't recommend it to anyone.” –Alan (Eulogy)
“This was a very good cigar, especially for being relatively mild. I really enjoyed the flavor shifts and the performance was simply stellar. This is something that looked impressive in the beginning and kept me interested until the final puff. I'm a happy reviewer! Happy to recommend it and happy to have been able to enjoy! I'll be back for more…” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
“Overall, this was an interesting complex cigar. Medium-bodied notes of earth, cedar, peppered cream, and even peanut butter were some of the many notes this cigar exhibited throughout. Starting out with a horrible burn line, I was amazed to see this cigar self-correct as the shape of this cigar can be a challenge for most brands to execute well. If the bunching of the tobacco was a tad looser, I bet this cigar would be a record breaker, alas the firmer draw contributed to revealing this cigars max potential. Not bad, I'd try it again!” –John A. (Bostoneo)
Smoking Time (in minutes): 81
| Reviewer | Appear. | Aroma | 1/3 | 2/3 | 3/3 | Draw | Burn | Constr. | Overall Experience |
| Randy B. | 95 | 90 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 90 | 95 | 95 | 92 |
| Quinn | 88 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 90 |
| Alan | 92 | 92 | 88 | 83 | 85 | 80 | 85 | 90 | 83 |
| Jason H. | 90 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 92 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 |
| John A. | 90 | 90 | 92 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 90 | 90 |
To view the complete scores and notes, click here