Alec Bradley Cigars Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper

Alec Bradley Gatekeeper

Leaf Enthusiast · Mar 22, 2022

The namesakes of the Alec Bradley Cigar Company hit one out of the park with their second blend: Gatekeeper. This Corona size is dynamite!

Corona · 5.13″ × 42

Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper Robusto

Cigar Aficionado · Jan 1, 2021

When Rubin brothers Alec and Bradley decided to follow in their father’s footsteps and start making cigars of their own, we were admittedly a little skeptical. But here we are with the Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper Robusto making an auspicious appearance on our list at No. 7—not too bad for a couple of blending rookies. Then again, they did get a little help from industry veteran Ernesto Perez-Carrillo who makes the cigar in the Dominican Republic. Ultimately, the Gatekeeper is a collaboration between Perez-Carrillo and the young Rubins. The project gave Alec and Bradley the opportunity to not only learn from Perez-Carrillo, but to gain some experience with Dominican tobacco. “We are a part of the next generation of the premium cigar business,” says Bradley, “and Ernesto is a legend.” The Gatekeeper finds synergy and balance with its backbone of pepper (both red and black), nougat and caramel that’s spicy in the right places, sweet in the right places and pops with savory snaps of leather. The band depicts the mythical head of Medusa, which is part of the famous bronze statue Perseus With the Head of Medusa by Benvenuto Cellini. We’re not exactly sure how that ties into the cigar or the story behind it, but we know that this collaboration points to an encouraging future in the business for the brothers Rubin.

Robusto · 5.00″ × 50 · Full · Dominican Republic

Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper Robusto (5 x 50)

Tiny Tim's Cigar Blog · Feb 16, 2021

5.00″ × 50

Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper Corona

Cigar Coop · Sep 3, 2020

Back in 2018, Alec and Bradley Rubin, the sons of Alec Bradley founder Alan Rubin launched their own label as a part of the Alec Bradley portfolio appropriately titled Alec & Bradley. When the Rubin brothers informed Alan they wanted to take the next step in developing a brand, Alan agreed to do it. There […] Key flavors: Natural Tobacco, Musk, Anise, Black Pepper, Earth.

Medium · Dominican Republic

Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper Chunk

Halfwheel · Aug 18, 2022 · May 2022

With main flavors of oak, earth and cocoa nibs, the profile of the Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper Chunk is dense and enjoyable but not really all that complex at any point during its close to two-hour smoking time. While I tasted a bit of maple sweetness combined with some black pepper on the retrohale, neither note was strong enough to make much of an impact on the profile as a whole. Construction was decent overall—all three cigars needed at least one burn correction, but they were all minor in nature—and while the strength picks up in the final third, it is never overwhelming. In the end, fans of earth, oak and dark chocolate flavors in their cigars should love this, but the combination of a short and stubby vitola combined with a lack of overall sweetness and complexity will keep it from being a cigar I smoke very often.

Petit Gordo · 4.25″ × 40 · Honduras

Alec Bradley Gatekeeper

Holt's Staff Reviews · Jan 14, 2021

Alan Rubin, founder of Alec Bradley Cigars, has earned his share of 90+ ratings as well as a prestigious ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ ranking in Cigar Aficionado. One of the brand’s more recent releases, Alec Bradley Gatekeeper, however, isn’t the brainchild of Alan Rubin. It is actually the handiwork of Rubin’s two sons, Alec and Bradley, for whom the company is named. The most interesting fact about Alec Bradley Gatekeeper is that the Rubin brothers teamed up with cigar-making legend Ernesto Perez-Carrillo for this release. Today, I am trying out the Gatekeeper in a 5 x 50 Robusto.