News and Notes
Alec Bradley Cigars Ships 2012 Fine & Rare Limited Edition Torpedo
Only 2,000 boxes produced
DANIA, FLORIDA, October 11, 2012 — If it’s true that good things come to those who wait, it naturally follows that better things take a little longer still . . . and the best things, by definition, are those rare, exceptional objects of desire that reward the exquisite patience of the connoisseur.
Following the success of its 2011 Fine & Rare inaugural release, a limited-edition toro, Alec Bradley Cigars is today releasing the 2012 Fine & Rare limited-edition torpedo — just ahead of the holidays and perfectly timed for outdoor smoking as languid summer gives way to crisp, cool autumn.
A year ago, the 1,110 boxes of the first Fine & Rare cigar (52 x 6, toro size) sold out within 15 minutes — a reflection of the demand for, and Alec Bradley’s desire to continually improve upon, what will now be an annual vintage-dated release.
Just 2,000 boxes of this new cigar, which measures 54 x 6, have been produced — and as with Alec Bradley’s first Fine & Rare, this vitola and blend are a onetime release, never to be made again. Each cigar can therefore be savored by the Alec Bradley devotee according to its vintage-dated production year — akin to an oenophile’s satisfaction over a limited bottling from his favorite vintner. The new torpedo contains many of the same components, such as the flavorful Honduran Trojes wrapper, as the original. To ensure consistency, Alec Bradley crafted the 2012 cigars in the same place as the 2011 release: Fábrica de Tabacos Raíces Cubanas, produced by the considerable talents of Master Buncher Wilmar Jose Valerio and Master Roller Juan Carlos Artica.
Yet make no mistake: Although it shares its provenance with its predecessor, this new torpedo is a unique cigar. Presented in a 10-count box, the 2012 Fine & Rare will carry an MSRPof $16.50 per cigar (not including state and local taxes) and will be sold by select tobacconists nationwide and in 14 other countries. As in 2011, each new cigar will have a serial number imprinted on the band, as well as the signatures of Alec Bradley President Alan Rubin and Vice President Ralph Montero, plus factory supervisor Alex Miguel Artica, buncher Wilmar Jose Valerio and roller Juan Carlos Artica.
“Certain cigars cater to a broader consumer base,” Mr. Rubin says. “Then there are those exceptional cigars that give certain smokers an inimitable taste experience. That’s what this new cigar represents to us.” One of the finest things in life? Surely. But discerning cigar lovers need not wait for this singular experience.
