The History of Alec Bradley: Celebrating Thirty Years
Today, Alec Bradley is one of the most acclaimed and iconic cigar brands in the world. With a portfolio of highly rated cigars, a Cigar Aficionado Cigar of the Year award, and a reputation for innovation, the brand is among the elite in the cigar industry.
But it wasn’t always like this.
As Alec Bradley celebrates thirty years in business with a new cigar to honor the occasion, we’ll look back on the brand’s history and explain how it rose from humble beginnings to its current lofty position.
The Origins of Alec Bradley
Alec Bradley Cigar Co. was founded in 1996 by Alan Rubin, a man who, at the time, had virtually no experience in the cigar industry. Back then, Rubin ran a hardware company that specialized in hurricane fasteners and sold parts to cabinet companies. However, Rubin fell in love with cigars and decided to sell his business to pursue his passion.
He named the new company Alec Bradley after his sons, Alec and Bradley Rubin. Also, he said in an interview with Cigar Aficionado that, “My dad told me always start the company with the letter 'A’, because it's at the start of the Yellow Pages. I never forgot that he told me that.”
Early Years & Breakthrough
Success did not come easily for Alec Bradley. For one, the timing was not ideal. 1996 was the tail end of the “cigar boom” of the 1990s, and by that time, the industry was not growing as it had been. What’s more, the company struggled to find its footing with a series of cigars designed for the golf course. It wasn’t until Rubin pioneered Alec Bradley Occidental Reserve that the business began to gain momentum.
And it would take more than a decade before Alec Bradley would earn a spot on Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 List. The cigar — Tempus Centuria — laid the foundation for years of triumphs to follow. Tempus Centuria was a Honduran cigar made at the Raíces Cubana factory, both of which would become mainstays for the brand.
Alec Bradley Prensado & Further Success
A high-water mark for Alec Bradley came in 2011, when the beloved Prensado line claimed the top spot on Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 list. In the intervening years, Alec Bradley would develop a wide range of exciting cigars, including Black Market, Magic Toast, and Project 40.
In the mid-2010s, Alan Rubin began to give his sons, Alec and Bradley, greater roles at the company. They blended their first cigar together, Blind Faith, and then collaborated with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo on a massively successful cigar, Gatekeeper.
In 2023, Scandinavian Tobacco Group acquired Alec Bradley, ushering in a new era led by Alec and Bradley themselves.
Alec Bradley Thirty Years
To celebrate three decades in the industry, the Rubins have again produced a classic, yet non-traditional cigar that will be sure to intrigue fans. Alec Bradley Thirty Years was crafted at the Raíces Cubana factory, sports a Honduran Trojes wrapper, and interestingly features a double binder of Honduran Jamastran and Nicaraguan Jalapa tobacco. It is available for sale now.
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Current Cigar World Promotions
Alec Bradley Thirty Years Cooler Giveaway
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To honor their thirtieth anniversary, Alec Bradley is giving back to all of you who made it possible. Enter now for your chance to win an Alec Bradley Thirty Years Cooler!
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Month two of our three month Flathead giveaway series starts now! Five winners will score a CAO Flathead Ashtray, made of metal and tough enough for all your cigar adventures. Head on over to the CAO Garage to enter.
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