Stogie Reviews: Alec Bradley Maxx The Fix
Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
In all honesty, I’ve pulled fewer sticks from the humidor with lower expectations. The combination of a silly name and a girth that seems more appropriate for a billy club isn’t what I look for in a cigar.
On the other hand, I have read and heard good things about this line. So, with some serious reading to do, I thought I’d give the Maxx a try.
I got the five inch by 58 ring gauge “The Fix” at the 2007 Cigar Artisans a couple of months ago. According to Alec Bradley’s website, the blend is a complex one. The wrapper is a lovely Nicaraguan Habano; the binder from Costa Rica; and the filler is a four-nation mix from Colombia, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Honduras.
I’ve seen different listings for the single stick price. Some sources put it at $4.75, others at $5. Boxes of 20 appear to run around $90.
Keeping up the theme of honesty, I have to say that the cigar was much better than I anticipated. It took a bit to get it lit, which wasn’t a surprise given the ring size. But it burned evenly through most of the smoke, even though I put it in the ashtray frequently.
The taste was smooth and the draw was fine. While not a particularly complex cigar — not as full-bodied as its advertising touts — it was satisfying, with a nice tobacco taste and touches of sharp cocoa and coffee.
If a large cigar is what you like, I suggest you give the Maxx a try. For me, however, the ring size is just too big to be comfortable and, because of that, I feel I can give it a rating of only three out of five stogies.
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photo credit: Stogie Guys
Thanks for the review. This cigar has been hit or miss for me, but maybe that depends on my mood/surroundings more than the tobacco. What have you guys noticed in consistency here?
I’ve been very scared of these for many of the same reasons (size, gimmickry, etc.). But maybe I’ll give one a shot. Even still, anything closely approaching 60 is a pretty ridiculous ring gauge.
I can’t speak to consistency. This is the only one I’ve tried.
I’ve had quite a few of these and found consistency to be very high. George hit the nail on the head with his review and the description of taste.
Like the reviewer, I had low expectations (due to my own ignorance). Had never heard of Alec Bradley until I ran across an ad for MAXX in a mail-order catalog. Looked and sounded cheap. My favorite cigar shop owner recommended it, though. Tried it and loved it. Now I always keep a handful in my humidor. Have only tried the CulTure (6.5×54), but found it a consistently enjoyable smoke.
[...] a bit surprising coming from manufacturer Alec Bradley, whose marketing often appeals to the “bigger and bolder is better” mindset. Perhaps blender Hendrik Kelner, famous for his work with the ultra-smooth Davidoff [...]
[...] is nearly an inch in diameter and it runs 6 3/8 inches from head to foot. (Even larger than “The Fix” I reviewed back in [...]
I really enjoy this cigar. I am looking for something that is comparable in flavor but not so large in stature. Any suggestions?
Well I can say that this is one of my favorite cigars…the construction is good, and the draw is good also…I like the medium to full bodiness of the cigar…I think the tobacco is nicely aged and not harsh on the palate…I think this cigar should be rated at least “4 cigars”..sorry george!
I have to agree with Mark, i have been smoking Alec Bradley’s MAXX brand since Spring of 07. The Company sent me two free boxes while i was serving in Iraq. Nice pull, medium taste, and a great price. Need to try the Freak, some people run from them, but with a good bottle of scotch, you will never go wrong.
I have a few of these in my humidor and after being disappointed by the Temptest, I was not expectiong much from this log of a cigar. I was pleasantly surprised and your review was dead on. I don’t mind the larger size of a stick like this and I really enjoyed it. I have three more to look forward to.