Tasting
Notes
The AB Black Market is a scrumptious
cigar; to say the least.
You can expect a cornucopia of flavour
notes starting from blasts of red pepper, dark chocolate, rich creamy espresso,
a pinch of spice (or what I deduced as cloves), cedar, earth, and underlying
notes of leather.
Even though Black Market does not have
much in the way of transitions, it manages to stay interesting enough
throughout the smoke.
In my experience, sometimes, all you
need is a delicate balance of flavours. Transitions can sometimes go horridly
wrong. This baby is scrumptiously consistent in flavour, intensity, and
complexity.
The burn line and smoke output are
outstanding. You may experience a slight decrease in smoke output a few draws
in. However, as the cigar settles into a luxurious cruise of flavours, your
thick cottony billows of chewy smoke will return.
Packaging
It wouldn't be a proper AB Black Market
review without touching on the packaging. And boy, is it dramatic!
The Black Market comes in a carte-like
miniature cargo crate. Just like the name, this prohibition-style crate is
reminiscent of bootlegging and all those illegal 'black market' trades.
Each box contains 22 decadent Black
Markets with their dramatic bands. One band practically covers half of the
cigar. I find this quite cute. Maybe it does something to protect the wrapper;
I don't know. It has 'Black Market' written across it in military-style font.
The secondary band is standard size.
Why is
the Alec Bradley Black Market Cigar Becoming More Popular on Store Shelves?
Black Market falls right in the sweet
spot of all cigar enthusiasts.
For one, it is a delectable stogie with
a calm consistent flavour profile. It will not overwhelm even a newbie since
the strength remains medium. For this reason, it is the perfect cigar to have
at the end of the day or while doing any mindless activity like mowing the
lawn.
Two,
the price point on these babies is great. At between $6 and $9, you can buy
these by the box and enjoy them over time.
Third,
you can't argue with ratings. This stogie garnered a 90+ rating from Cigar
Aficionado. In fact, the original Black Market did so well that Alen Rubin
added Black Market Esteli and Black Market Vandal to the line.
Which is
the Most Popular Size?
As earlier stated, Alen Rubin loves experimenting
with new sizes and shapes.
And while Black Market features funky
new sizes like the Chunk (4x60) and Punk (4.2x42), the most popular size
remains the Gordo (6x60).
Why? Well, I guess it's just more cigar for
you to enjoy!
Is Black
Market One of the Best Cigars in the Alec Bradley Line?
Absolutely!
And this is saying a lot considering
Alec Bradley's list of homeruns including the Tempus and Prensado lines.In my humble opinion, the Black Market
is often misunderstood. If you are looking for a complex cigar with a surprise
waiting at every corner, this is the wrong cigar for you. But if all you want
is a great, relaxing cigar experience, then you are in the right company.
How Does Black
Market Compare to Other Medium Bodied Nicaraguan Cigars?
The AB Black Market would be formidable
contender in the Nicaraguan Cigars wall of fame contest, if there ever was any. Even though I wouldn't go as far as to
say it is the best Nicaraguan cigar ever. But it does offer enough depth and
flavour to beat most of the other Nicaraguan Cigars in the market.
Alec Bradley Cigars never skimp on
flavour or value and the Black Market is no exception.
Final
Thoughts
The Alec Bradley Black Market should
definitely be in your regular rotation. It does exceptionally well in the
humidor. If you get a box, you will have a cute keepsake and delicious stogies
to enjoy well into the foreseeable future.
