Alec Bradley Black Market is one of the cigars that pushed the brand into wider recognition in the early 2010s. Released during a period when Alec Bradley was experimenting with bolder, less traditional profiles, Black Market stood out with its unusual banding, darker aesthetic, and willingness to showcase heavier tobaccos. It quickly became a staple in humidors across the country and helped solidify Alec Bradley as a company willing to take risks at a time when many brands were staying on familiar ground.
The blend uses a Nicaraguan wrapper over a Honduran binder with filler from Panama and Honduras. The inclusion of Panamanian leaf is part of what made this cigar notable, since that region is rarely used in premium blends and adds a distinct character that set Black Market apart from its competitors. The cigar has remained a long running line in the Alec Bradley portfolio because it represents a turning point for the company, showing how creative sourcing and a willingness to break from tradition could earn a lasting place in the market.

Alan Rubin founded Alec Bradley in 1996 after leaving the family fastener business, naming the company after his two sons. In 2023 he sold to STG for north of seventy million dollars and stepped back. When it came time to select the blend for the 30th anniversary cigar, he stepped back in. Bradley and Alec put the blend together over several months of iterations. Alan sampled his way through the process alongside them. All three landed on the same blend at the final selection, which is the kind of outcome that makes an anniversary cigar feel like something more than a marketing exercise.
The wrapper is a Honduran Trojes leaf, a tobacco that has appeared in several Alec Bradley releases over the years and one that the family clearly trusts. Beneath it is a double binder, one leaf from Honduran Jamastran and one from Nicaraguan Jalapa, over filler from both countries. Three regular production sizes in 16-count boxes, plus a retail-exclusive Perfecto limited to 2,026 boxes of ten for 2026 only. Ships in May 2026. Medium to full in body. Made at Raíces Cubanas in Honduras.

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American Sungrown