Stogie Reviews: Alec Bradley Maxx The Freak
8 Oct 2008
This massive cigar with a silly name from Alec Bradley aptly fills the niche for those who want a large stick. Its 60 ring gauge is nearly an inch in diameter and it runs 6 and 3/8 inches from head to foot (even larger than The Fix I reviewed back in March).
I picked one up when I went to a shop recently to watch a little football. It wasn’t a particularly good choice. On the plus side, The Freak burned well, had a good draw, and produced a lot of smoke.
The $5.75 price tag also seemed most reasonable. But a single negative outweighed those points: The cigar is one-dimensional and lasts so long it became boring.
That was somewhat surprising because the filler is a four-country mix of tobacco from Colombia, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Honduras, with a Costa Rican binder and a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper. I’d rate it as medium in strength with a flavor mostly of tobacco with a hint of leather and earthiness—over and over and over.
This cigar is obviously for those who are into the current trend for big cigars. If that appeals to you and you’re just looking for something to puff for a couple of hours, then The Freak could be your stick. Personally, if I’m going to be so distracted that I assume I’ll barely notice the cigar I’m smoking, I’d rather not smoke.
I certainly wouldn’t call this a bad cigar; it’s just not a cigar I’m particularly interested in smoking again. Putting everything in perspective, I rate the Alec Bradley Maxx The Freak three out of five stogies.
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Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
Patrick Semmens
Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
Sound like you had a pretty similar experience with this Maxx as the other you reviewed in March. Both reviews line up with my own impressions.
I wonder how this line is selling, what with its unique marketing and vitola dimensions. Has this been a success for Alec Bradley?
I don't know how their sales are, but their distribution seems to be very good. I seem to see them in nearly every B&M humidor I visit.
Clark – I can understand your sentiments. Its long-lasting nature makes it good for something like a poker game if the taste appeals to you.
George, I agree that this is a good “table wine” cigar, but I found it anything but boring for the price. It’s a nice mainstay for me when I’m playing poker.
Best,
Clark