The Alec Bradley Mundial has the distinction of being the first cigar launched into space at an event that took place in 2013 during the IPCPR Trade Show in Las Vegas. The word Mundial translates to World and the cigar is available in 5 sizes with each box containing 20 cigars. Its continuing mission is to explore new humidors and boldly go where no cigar has gone before.
Cigar: Alec Bradley Mundial
Size: Punta Lanza No. 6 (6 x 54)
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Dual (Honduras, Nicaragua)
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua
Strength: Medium-Ful
The Look: Blue is my favorite color and the Alec Bradley Mundial features an attractive ban utilizing shades of blue with white, gold and the red Alec Bradley badge. A secondary band denotes the line, Mundial. As for the cigar itself, the wrapper had a brindle like appearance but in some sections the tobacco actually looks bruised. The perfecto tip with a traditional cap has an strange look to it which I attribute to the fact the tip has tobacco that does not match the color the rest of the cigar. This in my opinion is a construction issue as someone in the factory didn’t use the extra tobacco from the same leaf when rolling this smoke. The result is something that looks sloppy. There are some veins present and the cigar has an average weight to it. As we know from past smokes, beauty is only sometimes wrapper deep.
The Notes: The aroma off of the leaf reminds me a bit of oranges and cedar. The cold draw has a citrus note to it much like the aroma and there is an abundance of cedar present as well. The cigar comes off as well aged before we put some fire to the flame. On the initial light there is some citrus notes and what reminds me of dried apricot. Also on hand for the initial light is some pepper especially through the nose.
As we progress into the first third of the cigar the experience changes as the nipple of the perfecto opens up. The pepper notes have faded and the cigar becomes creamy with notes of cedar and a hint of vanilla bean.
In the second third of the Mundila by Alec Bradley the vanilla bean transitions into notes of cocoa, with some well done toast notes in the background with a hint of hickory. The pepper returns through the nose and the cigar transitions from medium bodied to the lower side of full.
The last third of the Alec Bradley Mundial loses the sweetness but the hickory remains as the focal point. The pepper notes experienced through the nose have faded and in the last inch of the cigar it loses its complexity.
The Burn: The perfecto tip offered a great draw from the first light which isn’t common due to the tapered foot. It burned a little off until we worked past the tobacco issue at the foot. Once past that point it burned with a thin carbon line and solid medium color ash that held a quarter of the cigar at a time.
The Finish: The Alec Bradley Mundial looks like it went the distance in a heavyweight fight before you light it, but it still performed well. The first two third of the cigar were great, but the final third of the smoke fell a little flat. Considering the price this wasn’t acceptable. If the cigar kept up the pace it would have scored at least 2 points higher, but sadly it couldn’t go the distance.
Score: 88
Price: $13.99 / $250.99
Editor’s Note: There was no memory card in my camera, thus no pictures on today’s review.
