Alec Bradley SCR Review

Cigar: Select Cabinet Reserve (SCR) Gran Robusto
Size: 5.5×60
Maker: Alec Bradley

Prelight Inspection:
Nice med-brown Habano wrapper. It has a large band with a lot of color and also another small band at the foot. Very nice triple cap. There are small veins throughout the length with just a little oil that gives it a dull sheen. I could only spot some very minor imperfections. There is a hint of sweetness coming from the foot with no other discernable aromas. After clipping the cigar it reveals a medium draw with hardly any flavor. Time to start toasting!
Note: Due to the flavor profile I have decided to present the review in halves instead of thirds.

1st half:
Cigar lit well and is producing a lot of resting smoke. There is an underlying sweetness that most closely resembles caramel. Paired with this are some roasted nuts. These two flavors mix well and are very pleasing. After several puffs I am starting to get a bitterness on the finish that is really detracting from the overall taste. Toward the halfway point I am starting to get just a little spice, but not much. Burn has begun to skew to one side a little but not enough to warrant a touch up. I will have to see if it progresses into the next half.

2nd half:
Still having burn problems. The cigar continues to skew to one side but still has a solid burn line so I will not touch it up. I believe this issue is a problem with the way the cigar was rolled because the hot core of the cigar is not centered in the filler. The main flavors of caramel and nuts are still dominant but a slight change has occurred. The bitterness from the first half has mellowed a little and now resembles a cedar taste. The flavors are a good mix but they aren’t complex or strong enough to keep me interested. I would say the overall flavor is in the mild/med range. Toward the end it started to burn a little hot so I decided not to nub this one.

Conclusion:
This cigar started off well with a great construction and draw. My high expectations were not met because the flavor was just not bold enough. I would have liked more sweetness and spice and less bitterness. Also, the burn was manageable but not great. I would say however that this cigar might improve a lot with some aging. The bitterness made me think this cigar is a little young and might mellow out in time.

Flavor and Taste:  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20

Construction:  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8 9 10

Wrapper:  1  2  3 4 5

Was it Worth the Price?  1  2  3  4  5  6 7 8  9  10

Would I Buy an Entire Box?  1 2 3  4  5

Total Score:  32 out of 50