Cigar News: Alec Bradley Post Embargo Blend Code B15 Debuts at PCA 2023

At the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, Forged Cigar Company relaunched the Alec Bradley Post Embargo brand with the Alec Bradley Post Embargo Blend Code B15. The Post Embargo Blend Code B15 brings back a brand that was launched in 2015 by Alec Bradley Cigar Company but had been on hiatus for several years. The cigar also returns with an updated blend and revised packaging. It is the first new regular production Alec Bradley line to be launched since being acquired by Scandinavian Tobacco Group.

“The original Alec Bradley Post Embargo line came to life in 2015 when there was talk of potential new trade agreements between the US and Cuba. Although revised trade agreements never materialized, we continued to sell the Post Embargo line because we believed in the powerful message it sent,” commented Alec Bradley, brand ambassador for Bradley Rubin, in a press release.

“Fast forward to 2023 when the Alec Bradley brand, now under STG, continues to grow globally. We instinctively felt it was the right time to revisit the post-embargo concept from a fresh, new perspective because the brand resonates so well in the category. The best way I can describe this new iteration is to say that Post Embargo Blend Code B15 can be seen as a ‘revolutionary’ play, if you pardon the pun, in the sense that we’ve come full circle. New world cigars are where it’s at, and this brand celebrates how we and other new world brands have taken our rightful place on the global stage, added Rubin.

The cigar features a fifth-priming Honduran Trojes Criollo wrapper with a rosado hue over a double binder of Honduran Jamastran Corojo and Honduran Trojes Criollo. The fillers feature Nicaraguan Jalapa Criollo, Honduran Jamastran Criollo, and Honduran Trojes Criollo. Packaged in 24-count boxes, the Alec Bradley Post Embargo Blend B15 comes in three sizes: Robusto (5 x 52, SRP $8.99), Toro (6 x 52, SRP $9.99), and Gordo (6 x 60, SRP $10.99). Production comes from the Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras.

The packaging is reminiscent of a well-worn, pre-embargo milk crate, the box design features rugged stain and paint spatterings that represent the continued use over multiple decades.

Bradley Rubin noted, “The Post Embargo Blend Code B15 ‘crate’ signifies resilience of people on both sides of the embargo, just as it denotes the staying power of the enthusiasts who continue to pursue their passion for handmade cigars.” The Alec Bradley Post Embargo Blend Code B15 will ship in late August.

At a glance, here is a look at the Alec Bradley Post Embargo Blend Code B15:

Blend and Origin

Wrapper: Honduran Trojes Criollo (5th priming)
Binder: Honduran Jamastran Corojo, Honduran Trojes Criollo
Filler: Nicaraguan Jalapa Criollo, Honduran Jamastran Criollo and Honduran Trojes Criollo
Country of Origin: Honduras
Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Raíces Cubanas S. de R.L.