Alec Bradley expanded its line of limited-edition Black Market cigars this year with a new release for Halloween. The new cigar, Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Ghooligan, is a spin-off of the popular St. Patrick’s Day releases Black Market Filthy Hooligan and Shamrock.
Like Filthy Hooligan and Shamrock, Filthy Ghooligan features a barber pole wrapper. Unlike the St. Patrick’s Day cigars (which use green Candela tobacco in their wrappers), Filthy Ghooligan’s wrapper is composed of Ecuadorian Habano and US Broadleaf tobacco.
The full blend is described as:
- Wrapper – Ecuadorian Habano and US Broadleaf
- Binder – Indonesian Besuki
- Filler – Nicaraguan Jalapa, Estelí, Condega, and Dominican Piloto
The limited-edition Filthy Ghooligan is expressed in a single (6 x 50) toro and comes packaged in 24-count boxes. MSRP has been set at $14.09/cigar. The company notes that there are only 1,500 boxes produced.
Alec Bradley Senior Brand Manager, Ed Lahman, said,
“Filthy Ghooligan offers our fans a fun new spin on a classic Alec Bradley concept. Just as Black Market Filthy Hooligan and Shamrock have become staples of our St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, so too will Filthy Ghooligan deliver an unforgettable smoking experience for Halloween and beyond. It’s scary good.”
For this review, I sampled 3 of the Filthy Ghooligans which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press
Pre-Light Examination
The Alec Bradley Filthy Ghooligan is beautiful barber pole with attractive contrasting brown hues in the two wrapper leaves. The cigar is smooth to the touch and firmly packed. The wrappers are all but veinless and exhibit a mild oily sheen. A simple cap finishes the construction.
Two bands adorn the Ghooligan. The primary band uses an orange, black and white motif and displays the name Filthy Ghooligan on top and a set of ghosts with a ribbon across them that identifies this as an Alec Bradley product. Just below the primary is a band that further identifies this as part of the Company’s Black Market series of cigars.
Running the cigar along the nose, I picked up a floral note along the barrel while the foot exuded nutty and floral notes.
I sliced the cap straight across the shoulder of the cigar and gave it some cold draws that I found to be perfect in restriction as it offered some fine peppery notes and a light tanginess.
Using my fan flame Xikar torch, I warmed the foot to an even orange glow and drew in the first burst of peppery spice that warmed the palate. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial light offers a nice dose of cinnamon spice
- Pleasant sweet nutty aromas waft off the foot
- Mild tangy notes emerge as the early pepper pulls back
- Cracker (bready) notes develop
- A solid white ash forms on top of a crisp thin char line
- The initial tangy notes begin to morph into a fruity jam essence – about a half inch into the burn
- The ash fell in a solid chunk revealing a flat bun cone
- There is a mild jag in the burn starting second third
- Delicate honey-like sweetness forms in the background enticing the palate
- Spice notes enter the mix midway with an ever present fruit note
- The spice increases moving into the final as the fruit becomes more citrus-like
- Medium Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 25 minutes
Final Analysis
Upon lighting the Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Ghooligan Toro , the senses are greeted with a robust burst of cinnamon spice, creating an invigorating start. Sweet, nutty aromas drift from the foot, adding warmth and depth to the experience. As the initial spice softens, subtle tangy notes begin to emerge, offering a new layer of complexity. Soon after, delicate cracker-like, flavors develop, adding a savory touch. About a half-inch into the cigar, the tangy notes evolve into a luscious, fruity jam essence, enhancing the flavor profile. A gentle, honey-like sweetness begins to tantalize the palate, while the spice notes gradually return, harmonizing with the ever-present fruitiness. Midway through, the spice intensifies, especially as the fruit flavors shift toward a more pronounced, citrus-like brightness, leading into a lively, flavorful finish. Grab a box of these before they are gone. I rate this a 94.
Point Deductions: (-1) Jag in Burn; (-1) Flat Burn Cone
Bonus Points: (+1) Balanced and Consistent across multiple samples; (+1) Box Buy
