StogieBoys Blog American Classic Blend

Basic Cigar Info:Name: American Classic BlendStrength: MildWrapper: Connecticut ShadeOrigin: NicaraguaShape: ChurchillFiller: NicaraguanLength: 7Ring Gauge: 48Alec Bradley released the American Blend a few years ago. When I first saw the name of the cigar I thought maybe it would be a blend of all American tobaccos. Instead I was pleased to find the American Blend was Alec Bradley's attempt to create a cigar the recreated the great cigars of the early 20th Century. Now this was an amazing time in American history. A time when cigar smoking invoked visions of power barons making fortunes in boardrooms and politicians and heads of state in offices working out treaties and well let's be honest, maybe some shady deals. It was a time when America stepped out onto the world stage and, for better or worse, became the global power we are today. The American Classic has a nice pale brown wrapper with a barely visible seam and a few nice veins. There are a few soft spots and give in the cigar but otherwise it seems pretty solid overall. The band is really fancy and has a lot going on in it. It's way too much to try to describe because I could never give it the true justice it deserves. However, I did notice the Latin phrase Libertas Aequitas which translates to Liberty and Equality. The cap held up fine and the cold draw was excellent. The American Blend has a nice aroma of wood and cedar and just the slightest hint of fruits. I was really looking forward to lighting this baby up.The first third lit fine and burned nice and even. The first third featured a nice wood and fruit flavor blend. There was also a slight hint of cocoa and cream. It was very pleasant and the smoke was nice and creamy. The ash held until the end of the first third.In the second third the flavor changed slowly from a fruit flavor into a nice pleasant honey flavor. It also featured some sweet spices almost like but towards the end of the third it became more of a traditional spicy flavor. It was a really pleasant smoke up until this point and I was really enjoying it.The final third burned nice and mild until the end. It brought back the wood flavors with hints of cedar and the spice was still there. The finish was a little long and kind of harsh but overall I thought it was a very enjoyable cigar and a pleasant smoking experience. It's a little hard for me to say with any certainty if Alec Bradley was successful when he created the American Classic Blend in recreating the early 20th Century cigar experience. However, I think they definitely created a great cigar that would be nice to smoke anytime.Final Verdict Ratings:Flavor: 8Value: 7Complexity: 7Finish: 6Aroma: 7Strength: 7Overall: 7