Alec Bradley Project 40 Cigar Review

The name Project-40 is a fascinating name for a cigar, and if you hear it and think about somebody on their fortieth attempt to make a great blend, the name can be kind of misleading. It’s actually based on a study about human happiness. I believe it was called Project 40, where they determined that only about 40 percent of the happiness that everyone experiences is based on the way that we think, and the rest is based on where you come from or what your circumstances are. Today, I want to look at this thing not for the meaning of its name but for how well the cigar was crafted and what the blend really has to offer. Alec Bradley has a vast catalog of cigars, and this new one is actually a pretty reasonably priced economy stick in the five to seven dollars range, depending on the size. The big question is, can this five to seven dollars stick compete with the rest of Alec Bradley’s already notable and award-winning blends? Well, the only way to find out is with a cut and a light.

Alex Bradley Project 40 came in at number 23 on our list of the best cigars of 2020. It is without a doubt a fantastic cigar that’s available at an affordable price.

Alec Bradley Project 40 Appearance

The Alec Bradley Project 40 is a petite-size cigar at 5 inches with a ring gauge of 52, giving it the perfect strength and power for those looking for a quick trip down memory lane. It’s the ideal companion during evening activities where you want to slow down and enjoy the company of friends and family. This cigar is handcrafted in Nicaragua and offers an exciting blend of Nicaraguan wrapper and filler paired with a Brazilian binder, making it a medium-bodied blend that retains its flavor throughout.

Smoking Experience

At the first puff, this Alec Bradley Project 40 presents very differently from many other blends I’ve had. The note that comes through the strongest is a really nice sweet citrus note that came through even as I was lighting up the foot of the cigar. That’s undoubtedly the strongest note here, and also a nice raisin sweetness to the wrapper and a really nice almond note in the mix. This cigar can come to life a little bit more but actually a pretty good start, right at light-up. Let’s see what happens as we jump into the first third.

It had a nice ash for a minute, but it just fell off at about 3/4 of an inch. In the first third, one new flavor note jumped into the pile, and that is a nice cinnamon note which, by itself, isn’t really enough to make you applause. Then, in the middle of that, a little bit of almonds and that nice citrus. I also got to taste that nice raisin sweetness, and it is a pretty good mix, especially for a stick that is in the five to seven dollars range for the robusto size here. So, in the first third, it’s nice for the price, and I want to see if it gives us some transitions as we jump into the second third.

Here in the second third, I’m getting a lot of the same flavor and not much of a change, although everything seems to be mixing together a little bit better. One thing I will say about this stick is that the finish, what’s left over after all the smoke, is gone, is kind of a gritty taste. It is not the kind of thing I would really enjoy if I got it from stick to stick to stick, but I’ll say it’s different than what I usually get, and for that reason, I’m enjoying it with this one. If you take a look at the wrapper on this, it’s got a relatively rich darker brown wrapper leaf, and it doesn’t present with a bunch of oils, but for a cigar in an experimental series, I don’t really know what I’m supposed to expect with this thing. I think the presentation overall is a pretty good one, still. As we go into the final third, I want to see where this takes us and if the flavor can maintain all the way through to the very end.

In the final third, this Alec Bradley Project 40 has given me a lot to think about for a stick in the five to seven dollars range. At first, I didn’t expect anything from it because of its price, but it delivered some pretty good flavor. It didn’t give me a lot of transitions but here in the final third, what I’m getting is actually surprising. That raisin sweetness is still very present, along with the almond note. The rest is a bit muted but not really the typical final third I find with many other sticks out there. My final smoking time on this has been an hour and eight minutes.

Overall Review of Alec Bradley Project 40

It would have been perfect if it had some transitions and a couple of other small things, but I’ll tell you, overall, it has performed really well for a five to seven bucks stick. It had no construction issues, and it held the ash really well other than in the first third. Its flavor is held out amazingly, and this Alec Bradley Project 40 has proven to be an excellent addition to the Alec Bradley catalog, which is very delightful. Definitely a top-notch, affordable cigar I recommend.