Alec Bradley to Ship New Black Market Size
Cigar Aficionado has learned that a new size in the Black Market line will be hitting shelves soon—one with a smaller length and ring gauge than anything else in the line.
“Punk” is a 4 1/2 inch by 42 ring petit corona, the smallest size in the Alec Bradley Black Market line. As with the rest of the Black Market cigars, it is made in Tabacos de Oriente in Danli, Honduras. The Black Market blend is a mixture of Panamanian and Honduran fillers with a Sumatran binder and Nicaraguan wrapper.
Until the release of the Punk, the thinnest cigar in the five-size line is 50 ring gauge—far fatter than the 42 ring gauge of the new size. “We wanted it to come out for the winter season,” said Sam Phillips, vice president of marketing at Alec Bradley, who explained that the smaller size is ideal for times when smoking outdoors isn’t as comfortable.
The “Punk” name is also unusual, given that most of the sizes in the Black Market line have more traditional names (Robusto, Toro, Torpedo). But following in the new path set by the Filthy Hooligan—a candela cigar made with the binder and filler components of the Black Market blend—the new petit corona size has a more inventive name. “We felt that it fit within the culture of Black Market,” said Phillips. Black Market has consistently rated between 88 and 90 points since its release in 2011.
The new size will hit shelves between March 10 and March 15. A Punk will cost around $5.65 per stick, and they come in boxes of 22. Look for a tasting in an upcoming issue of Cigar Insider.
