Alec Bradley
Alec Bradley is the name of a popular brand of handmade cigars established in 1996 by Alan Rubin, the son of an importer of hardware supplies.
Rubin launched his brand, named after his children, at the tail end of the cigar boom of the 1990s and entered a clogged market.
[1] In 1996 the prosperous hardware concern was sold and Rubin used part of his proceeds from the sale to seriously launch the new cigar company he had envisioned and incorporated shortly before.
[1] Rubin attended the 1996 Retail Tobacco Dealers of America trade show and eventually found a small manufacturer in Honduras who agreed to make cigars for him.
"[1] The first cigars by Alec Bradley were known as "Bogey's Stogies" and were designed to be sold through golf pro shops for golfers to smoke on the course.
[1] In 2000, Rubin hooked up with cigar industry professional Ralph Montero, who came to work for Alec Bradley and was instrumental in shifting its direction.
Rubin and Montero were convinced that they needed to gain space in the retail shops of specialty tobacco sellers and managed to scrape together enough money to launch a new product line called "Occidental Reserve," using Henke Kelner, a maker of cigars for the cigar brand Davidoff.
[1] Some 500 sample packs of the new cigars were prepared and mailed out to retail shops, which were followed up with phone calls soliciting business.
"[3]Rubin followed up his triangular cigar in 2005 with another new line, this time a stout 50 ring gauge called "Maxx.
In 2007, Alec Bradley achieved its greatest success to date with the introduction of a new full-bodied line called "Tempus.
Tempus gave us a more full-bodied cigar, a little more strength, a high level of satisfaction in the flavor profile.
"[1]The new Tempus line was produced by the Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubana factory of Danlí, Honduras, known for the manufacture of Cuban-style cigars with triple-capped heads.
[1] A special Trojes tobacco from the Jalapa Valley of Nicaragua was used for the product, which met with critical success from cigar connoisseurs.
Alan on record was quoted:"With Alec Bradley, even with those little bits of success, we were kind of flying under the radar, as a company.
"[5]When Alan's oldest son Alec was through college and of age he began working full time for the company learning the ropes.
Years later his brother Bradley would complete his college education and join him in the office full time as well.
[6] The cigar marking their foray into the marketplace was titled "Blind Faith" and the entire project was done under their supervision and expenses.
In early 2020, Alec Rubin announced the release of a project he has worked on with a handful of the company's Territory Managers.
In February 2014, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the largest Irish organization in the U.S., protested the Alec Bradley product "Filthy Hooligan" a green cigar for sale leading up to St. Patrick's Day.
